Children of the Pot Culture, etc.

Men and women who grew up in the marijuana culture stressed how rarely they talked to others about the weed.  The “unspokenness” of it pervaded their existence. The subject was taboo in the children’s lives.  Brandon, a newly divorced father of a three year old boy, recalls that “[There was a] group awareness that we should just keep it to ourselves.”  When tempted to reveal the source of the family’s income to someone, even a girlfriend, he would think, “I probably shouldn’t tell that.”  To him, it was like, “…opening a door that probably shouldn’t be opened.”  The secret waited like a monster in a dungeon–if it escaped, it could destroy his and his family’s lives.

 

Partially, though, they didn’t talk about growing pot because it was part of their everyday reality.  It was a given—like the sun coming up. The more recently those interviewed had grown up, the more unremarkable marijuana seemed– this might in part be because Proposition 215 and the changing cultural values it represents led to a reduced likelihood of criminal charges.  Ivan, a twenty-something man whose parents abused meth as well as dealt marijuana, explains “It wasn’t something we talked about because it was just normal.”

 

But talking could also be dangerous.  Megan, Anya’s mother, (who grew up in the late Eighties) reminisced that, “[Back then] was the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) era.  I went to public school.  If any one we knew used drugs, we were supposed to tell.  I felt nervous.  I thought everyone knew.  Looking back, I think maybe many kids’ families grew but I was sure we were the only ones [in public school]….We had friends [in the hills] that grew but we didn’t really talk about it.”  Whether in reaction to her childhood fear or not, Megan now lives almost entirely within the Marijuana culture. At home in the mountains she loves, not far from her large extended family, she says, “I don’t have a lot of people outside [of growers].”

The excerpt above is from the Jan/Feb issue of Grow Magazine which just now reached Humboldt CO stores.  You can find copies at

Humboldt Glassblowers both the Arcata and Eureka Stores

The Peg House between Garberville and Leggett

The Hemp Connection in Garberville

Northtown Books in Arcata

The Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino

And other local stores.

But you can also sign up to Never Miss Another Issue–Subscribe to Grow or Buy It Local by calling 1 800-999-9718 Monday-Friday.

(I believe it is now called California Grow.)

or you can write to

PO BOX 18902

Anaheim, CA 92817

The cost is $29.99 for a 6 issue year.

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Ben
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Ben
14 years ago

Kym… I have some old photos of the parties that happened in Salmon Creek every holiday in nice weather. Hundreds of folks would show up, bring food, drinks and children. They came from all over and no one was concerned that they were seeing people they did not know. The pot thing happened and it all ended, almost overnight. Paranoia (some of it well founded) crept in and ended a tradition. The Cathy Davis murder followed and soon children became terrified of helicopters and I mean terrified. Children are so sensitive to their parent’s vibe. It was really hard on them.

Staff
Member
14 years ago
Reply to  Ben

Ben that is the memory my husband has also. I would love to see those old photos. Juxtaposing them alongside the crowd gathered around the pond at Cathy’s memorial would be extremely poignant. The beginning and end of innocence.

Joe Blow
Guest
14 years ago

Thanks, Kym, for justifying my position on the inherent and irreparable harm done to “yours” and my societies.

Kim
Guest
Kim
14 years ago
Reply to  Joe Blow

Joe I think the ‘inherent and irreparable harm done to “yours” and my societies.” Was done by a government choosing (for reasons of politics, greed, & racism) to outlaw a plant that had been used by men since before Christ.
Creating an unenforceable law and criminalizing the harmless acts of thousands of its’ citizens, That did harm.
Spending millions to lock people up because they choose to ingest an intoxicant is insane.
We have no right to legislate what people choose for their own body, it has never worked, it never will.
Isn’t that how the saying goes?
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” ~Einstein~
The natural human condition is that struggle to break free of unreasonable rule. The people who choose that path risked all, and though there are great problems in a subculture of outlaws There is heroism there as well.
So if you need to lay blame for the ill effects of the secrecy & paranoia, lay it where it belongs. On those foolish men who made the law for reasons of greed and power & on all of us who’ve let it go on this long.

Kim
Guest
Kim
14 years ago

Joe I think the ‘inherent and irreparable harm done to “yours” and my societies.” Was done by a government choosing (for reasons of politics, greed, & racism) to outlaw a plant that had been used by men since before Christ.
Creating an unenforceable law and criminalizing the harmless acts of thousands of its’ citizens, That did harm.
Spending millions to lock people up because they choose to ingest an intoxicant is insane.
We have no right to legislate what people choose for their own body, it has never worked, it never will.
Isn’t that how the saying goes?
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” ~Einstein~
The natural human condition is that struggle to break free of unreasonable rule. The people who choose that path risked all, and though there are great problems in a subculture of outlaws There is heroism there as well.
So if you need to lay blame for the ill effects of the secrecy & paranoia, lay it where it belongs. On those foolish men who made the law for reasons of greed and power & on all of us who’ve let it go on this long.

Joe Blow
Guest
14 years ago
Reply to  Kim

So by your reasoning, Kym, whenever someone deliberately runs a stop sign at an extremely blind intersection and smashes into a young mother and kills her, her infant baby and two other young children, it is the fault of the men that put up the stop sign or put it in the wrong place?

You talk like a Republican Elitist – NEVER take responsibility for anything you do. Too bad circumstances took that choice away a long time ago. I don’t have “blame” anyone for what they deliberately did no matter how hard you try to justify criminal behavior. Nothing you do or any of your local Southern Humboldt folk did anything to contribute to causing this so-called “War on Drugs” did you? We just had a police shooting in Eureka. I don’t suppose the culture that produced this tragedy has anything to do with societal degradation caused by wanton criminal behavior in this county over the past 30 – 40 years reaching to where I live? You people made your choices and now, we all have to live you the consequences.

dave
Guest
14 years ago

I’m heading over to NorthTown Books today! I’ve been waiting to see a print copy. How cool Kym!

There’s someone I want to show it to tomorrow.
Thanks for the location info.

tom
Guest
tom
14 years ago

Nice note Kym. I knew it was over for us as a society when law enforcement refused to wear name tags or identify their helicopters. All of a sudden their were price supports and the price went sky high. It beginning of the police state and brought us the patriot act and the military commissions act without much protest from a populace that had accepted their loss of freedom. “they can’t do that it, illegal” is so 80s,

Ben
Guest
Ben
14 years ago

Kym… I was in Borders Books yesterday and noticed Humboldt Grow displayed along with a number of marijuana manuals and magazines. Above the display was a sign saying “Start Your Own Business”. The times they are a changin’.

Staff
Member
14 years ago
Reply to  Ben

Ben, If only I had gone to Borders with my camera…

Staff
Member
14 years ago

Ben, If only I had gone to Borders with my camera…