Letter to the Editor Questions Whether Marijuana Grown Legally Will Be Kept Off the Black Market

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To the Community,It’s apparent you cannot regulate what you cannot enforce in Humboldt County.

With the onslaught of the “Green Rush”, Humboldt County has taken in medical marijuana cultivation applications faster than Japan’s Honda assembly line. The county mistakenly put the cart before the horse as far as trying to enforce marijuana cultivators to adhere to the affidavits that they’re required to sign promising to keep their end product off the black market. Humboldt County also seems to have very lenient controls over the cultivation process and there is absolutely no accountability of approved medical cultivated marijuana.

As seen 50 minutes into this video https://www.facebook.com/TimesStandard/videos/10154108612094081/  there appears to be a regulatory vacuum.

According to Senator Mike McGuire, one of the co-authors of the “Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act” (“MMRSA”), it may take up to ten years of “the wild west” before all the kinks are ironed out pertaining to regulating, enforcing, and accountability using the new state run program set to kick off January 1, 2018.

Until then, Humboldt County is solely responsible for regulating and enforcement (or lack of) and subsequently there’s no immediate way to enforce anyone not in the voluntary pilot “track and trace” program (SICPA) that’s a year away from implementation.

My hope is maybe we can wake up both Sacramento and Humboldt County to address this issue to set a good example for the country.

Tim Meade

Fortuna, CA

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Taurus Balzhoff
Guest
Taurus Balzhoff
7 years ago

Yes, a stupid law, way too late in the game. All they have to do is say you will get away with it and the stoners line right up like the sheep they truly are.
No one could run a legal business from the seat of a Tundra with a joint in their mouth. No one intends to grow “legally” anyway. The free-for-all rush to rape the land, take all the water from the rivers, and cash in now before recreational pot eventually passes in California, will continue. After legalization none of these Humboldt County medical permits will matter. Anyone left growing in the Emerald triangle will be regulated, taxed and competed out of “business”.

readbetweenthelines
Guest
7 years ago

You have everything and everyone figured out.

MOLA:42
Guest
MOLA:42
7 years ago

Perhaps Taurus Balzhoff has. What of it?

readbetweenthelines
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  MOLA:42

I was being sarcastic.

MOLA:42
Guest
MOLA:42
7 years ago

And… ?

readbetweenthelines
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  MOLA:42

and what?

MOLA:42
Guest
MOLA:42
7 years ago

My point exactly. Good night.

readbetweenthelines
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  MOLA:42

You got me good. I’m completely second guessing my life now. I think I will sell my Tundra.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Yup, and as it is now…..

Buy whatever at a dispensary, mark it up, resell on black market…

More people involved, more people serviced, legit or not….

Anyone attempting to get a permit through the rigged and flawed county or state processes truly are anti american as it relates to the rule of law and constitutional freedoms and liberties that 2000 mother fuckers and insiders are colluding to take away the rights of from the rest of us…….the rules are cherry picked applied when other plants grown in gardens are no less impacting…..fucking “A” lawns are worse…..oh shit, the lawns might be next……..

Fuck this bullshit a minority of Americans cause and effect through THEIR sociopolitical frauds….

Go Black Market, Go all people in the Black Market and fuck the rest of ya’ll!

veterans friend
Guest
veterans friend
7 years ago

The black market UNDERSELLS dispensary prices. So your theory is kinda bunk

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Not if you don’t got a direct buy black market dealer or middle pusher…..ain’t theory when it is past, present and future reality.

If you do got a direct buy black market dealer, then a middle pusher can help take away clientele from dispensaries even that much more…..

And think about the choices consumers have to stay undocumented (no 215) but buy from any various middle pushers.

Middle pushers are doing no wrong either in a capitalistic country where personal responsibility and freedom of choice shall never be taken away, but there are 2000 anti americans who registered for a known flawed permit process because they will get “waivers of public noticing laws on mandatory CEQA EIR processes that are also being waved”.

Now, to be fair, 2000 major non pot construction projects should not have to publicly notice or go through an EIR or Negative Declaration, but local gubbamint declares that environmental processes, past process participants, developer groups and property neighbors to any of these pot projects can just fuck off (attitude of county and 2000 registrants to get a pot permit without going through the full environmental reviews from various departments and agencies during an EIR process).

Ironically, no environmental group that is local is saying shit.

Why?

They are a major player of groupee type citizens consisting of dope growers and wannabe connected to the major player dope growers.

The problem is hipocrisy and granting waivers of development requirements that are “kickbacks”…..kickbacks Donald Trump would get…..so it is documented that the Trumps of Humboldt are the 2000, just saying.

Born and raised
Guest
Born and raised
7 years ago

You don’t know the intentions of every grower: there are families that are trying to go legal for the next generation. You are the problem assuming all pot growers are bad. It just isn’t so prohibition created this green rush not greedy people. You call these people sheep now when they have been the black sheep for quiet some time. These people have no choice but to line up and sign up paying the fees that may do them absolutely nothing (only time will tell)… They arnt greedy they are trying to expand so that they can stay afloat in the larger market that is approaching at warp speed. If these small farmers hope to stay afloat they need to be slowed to expand. Our county is jumping to far ahead but I don’t blame the farmers for trying to expand. More attention needs to be payed to promoting ad maybe providing incentives to those that save water. Yes I think that if you have repairian rights but save water for the good of the fish and environment through dry seasons then you should be rewarded maybe tax breaks idk . Many would say these Greed growers don’t need breaks but they may be sitting pretty now but 5 years into full legalization the story will be very different. There are struggling farmers that have spent their lives commited to this area and these communities…. now they have to expand in hopes of leaving some Form of business for the next generation.
Stop blaming the growers they are only trying to make a living and move into a sure to be flooded legal market.

veterans friend
Guest
veterans friend
7 years ago

The next generation of which you speak will be unable to compete once cannabis becomes big business. The black market is the only sane thing going on around here. Go small. Specialize.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

HOJ ain’t a problem for honest folk, so spread those colorful feathers of a bird elsewhere.

It ain’t about intentions, good, bad, or ugly….

It is about a flawed and rigged situation that should not even be since the Feds are not budging, and if Trump wins presidency, ya think he will be Bob Marley on the matter…..what a hoot.

Hands off policy is the only way to go and HOJ shall continue to champion that point.

The county can get their cut in other ways without having to open Pandora’s Box and unleashing hell, but they opened it ajar with the 2000, and it is only now a matter of whether or not those people who focus their eyes on the prize will get burned….

Metaphorically like Indiana Jones’ search for the arc of the covenent, the angels of death wreaked havoc……

Kinda like all the crime going on now with pot…..

Crystal Ball Politics is the HOJ way……

Taurus Balzhoff
Guest
Taurus Balzhoff
7 years ago

What we really need is a straight tax on water use per plant, calculated by aerial survey or greenhouse inspection, say $100/plant per season. Monies to be used to repair roads damaged by pickups, water trucks and tractor trailer rigs with heavy equipment aboard. If any money is left (!) we could fund drug rehab and therapy for abused persons.

Generally though, Humboldt County has missed the revenue potential of this special agricultural product year after year. I for one am sick of the county stating they can’t do anything about anything since they have no money. This permit law is a last ditch attempt to regulate and revenue before the State takes over.

It’s easy to figure out everything and everyone in this sick and lame-ass county.

Old Thymer
Guest
Old Thymer
7 years ago

AND… Looking at your argument on a smaller scale, there are many small communities that ‘don’t have enough money’ (donations) to properly fund the fire departments, fix or upgrade (non-county) roads, communities that have plywood school houses when there are MILLIONS of $$$ made tax free in the community each year. It’s a reflection of greed; rich people with poor values.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
7 years ago

The fucked up road I live on is fucked up because of logging trucks, not Toyota’s or F250’s. Every time I drive it, as I dodge giant potholes and bounce around on washboards, I wonder why they are not responsible for maintaining it.

Thats Because Cows Have Guns
Guest
Thats Because Cows Have Guns
7 years ago

Not sure there is any science to what you are claiming. A pothole is a pothole. A Prius could make it worse. Washboards are most likely caused by people not driving in 4 wheel drive and driving too fast.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
7 years ago

My claim is based on the science of my own observation.

10k acre clearcuts.
Guest
10k acre clearcuts.
7 years ago

Logging trucks and their industrial vehicles are bar none responsible for most sediment potholes etc. in the county. Additionally, the loggers carve literally hundreds of new roads into the hills every year, and outright clearcut thousands of acres every year. All the legwork of the marijuana “industry” in Humboldt County combined is still not even a drop in the bucket of what real industry, the timber industry, is doing every year. And to say its under reported in comparison is a huge understatement.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Quote of the year candidate by Sleepy…

“…science of my own observation.”

readbetweenthelines
Guest
7 years ago

Taurus have you thought about moving somewhere else?

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Sorry, but anyone with a pipedream that Humboldt County “maintained” roads were damaged by pot industry participants might wanna take a sabatical.

Born and raised
Guest
Born and raised
7 years ago

So a cancer patient growing 6 plants in their back yard should be charged 600 that’s fucked after they pay for their water supply as well. Taxes like this will put all the little people out and make large monopoly even easier. People shouldn’t be charged like this it would be counterproductive. They are already sending money to two different water agencies or atleast most.

veterans friend
Guest
veterans friend
7 years ago

No. Small personal medical gardens are untaxed & unregulated & should & will remain so

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

There is no small, medium or large “personal” classification….

Personal is regulated….

AND

That is the….

“Rest of the story, good day.”

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
7 years ago

Am I missing something? The headline states that this article is about legal weed not ending up on the black market, but it only mentions that permit applicants have to sign an affidavit saying their weed won’t be sold on the black market. It seems to focus more on the county’s lack of enforcement and regulation of the grows.

I have personally never seen the application and have no idea of what it says. Does it really say that applicants must not let their product enter the black market?

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
7 years ago

It is a declaration under penalty of perjury that the cultivation operation is in accord with State Law. In 2016-17 this means that the cultivator is affiliated with, or runs, a collective that has enough members to purchase what is being grown. Don’t worry about not having seen it. Almost no one who has signed it has any idea what it says either.

Lawyer
Guest
Lawyer
7 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

Ed Denson! Wow, is it really you?! Now I’m listening. I would love to hear your opinions on this issue if you care to share.
And everyone else out there – lets get together and feel alright.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

And yet they sign away…….

crackspackle
Guest
crackspackle
7 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

So… simply put Ed… there is NO registered grower in the system who is truly in legal compliance.

Period.

And Mike Downey has all their names and addresses.
He is like a kid at the pinyetta party who forgot to wear his blindfold… whoops… sorry about that.
And the beat plays on…

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Would you be a producer and sign some jackass form guaranteeing “your weed won’t be sold on the black market” when your weed will be involved in other “after the fact that you sold it” activities unbeknownst to you and outta your control 100%.

Do you really believe anything local gubbamint says anymore cuz more and more people apparently don’t and are recognizing that….,

“AS THE STATE JACKS HUMBOLDT GUBBAMINT…”

“HUMBOLDT GUBBAMINT IN TURN JACKS IT’S CITIZENS”….

veterans friend
Guest
veterans friend
7 years ago

I like you more with every post

Charles
Guest
Charles
7 years ago

In a country where the only place I can take a crap for free is when I’m not at home, I have my doubts as to whether I can trust the “regulators” of this Country to get anything right!

Saucy
Guest
Saucy
7 years ago
Reply to  Charles

you can take a crap at your home for free…Don’t wipe or flush the toilet, make sure not to wash your hands either.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  Saucy

It ain’t free because to live in the house, ya gotta have health and safety standards, even AOB applicant’s can’t “not do.”

Namely water and sewer.

Both are generated forced gubbamint mandated costs by way of regulated land uses for either individual onsite applications or offsite public service agencies (water and sewer districts)

Saucy
Guest
Saucy
7 years ago

Thanks for posting this kym, just got into a semi-heated debate with someone last night (who out of respect I will not name) on a different article that was essentially trying to say ‘they have it all figured out and you won’t be able to sell 1 bud on the black market’ LOL, ya they got it all figured out alright. This is just as new and crazy to the county as it is to everyone else. And like I said in one of my comments yesterday, the best solution they have at this point to no weed ending up in the black market is the track and trace program, which is NOT even mandatory at this point in time.

Emily
Guest
Emily
7 years ago
Reply to  Saucy

Saucy, I never said they had it all figured out- why did you put that In quotes? I said it is coming down the pipeline. So what if one guy says it will take ten years. Could be sooner or later. To me it seems like you should either be ready to be totally legit if you sign up, or stay totally black market and see how things pan out. And maybe I’m wrong but I’d be kinda nervous signing an affidavit like that if I was going to be playing with both markets(what do you think Ed?). So I’ll concede to saucy somewhat, and admit that you will probably be able to get your permits and do whatever you want for a while. But I still think anyone who started the process is in for a difficult road, esp if they are rural, moderate size farmers. Singing up puts you down a road in which you won’t be able to turn around and go back, and you will be at the whim of whatever law or ordinance or tax that passes in the coming years. No thanks I’ll pass.

Saucy
Guest
Saucy
7 years ago
Reply to  Emily

@ Emily – I’m sorry if I misunderstood you, but basically what I got out of our discussion the other day was it seemed like you were trying to say that since you signed up, somehow there gonna magically know if you sold a few buds on the black market or not. And lastly, it’s not like by signing the affidavit and getting a permit makes it so you are basically a slave now, and forced to grow for the rest of your life no matter what taxes or crazy rules get passed. Sure you are on the map if you just registered but never completed the permit application. But from what I’ve been told, after you get the permit there is YEARLY RENEWAL FEES and if anything changes to the point where you don’t want to be a grower anymore, you can simply not renew your permit and dissolve your business entities. Sure theres a good chance that after you do that there gonna have an eye on you and it would probably be wise to not try and grow illegally on what was once a legal, permitted property, but still it’s not like after signing the affidavit and going thru the permit process you just signed yourself up for a boat ride that you can’t ever get off of. And what happens to the people that jump thru all the hoops but don’t get a permit? Because there is no garauntee you will get one by going thru the process. You think everyone is gonna just throw in the towel and say game over? I mean probably some will but I doubt everyone will. Guess we shall just have to wait and see what happens.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  Saucy

Track and Trace will not work Saucy…..

UNLESS

A gubbamint social care in home worker is going to follow you around, your every move to personally witness each and every puff of smoke, ingestion of food product, application of topical products, etc…..

Aint ever gonna happen, ever.

Get it?

It can be resold, outta package on the black market once the supposed end user consumer has it in hand…..

saucy
Guest
saucy
7 years ago

@HOJ -Never said track and trace will work. I agree with you 100%. what I said was it’s ” the best solution they have at this point”

Saucy
Guest
Saucy
7 years ago

@ Kym kemp – I believe the title of this letter to the editor isn’t correct. It should read: “Letter to the Editor Questions Whether Marijuana Grown Legally Will Be Kept Off the Black Market” – change the word “being” to “be” your welcome kym. 🙂

Covelo or busted
Guest
Covelo or busted
7 years ago

Ladies and sailors….. Seems to be a loose cannon on deck., and we cant rouse the Capn…. Hang on mates were in for a ride!….. [edit]

Eastside
Guest
Eastside
7 years ago

It’s hilarious that they think that people with permits won’t be selling on the black market or that they can control it. 41% of weed sold in Colorado is black market.

yeah right
Guest
yeah right
7 years ago
Reply to  Eastside

bullshite. thats a bunch if spin. thats what the media WANTS you to think. i bet its more like 42%. they need to get their facts straight.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  Eastside

Never trust gubbamint on these types of issues….NEVER!

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago

Never trust gubbamint, period. af

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

Well, sometimes HOJ believes gubbamint, but admittedly, when it is obvious that they ain’t lying…..like we had an earthquake or it rained a lot and public works director Tom Mattson says roads are dangerous and some are flooded…..HOJ believes Tom Mattson….see, not all so evil.

Is there a permit for Meth?
Guest
Is there a permit for Meth?
7 years ago
Reply to  Eastside

“It’s hilarious that they think that people with permits” won’t be growing on public lands and selling on the open black market.

Farce
Guest
Farce
7 years ago

Everybody I know who is signing up is only using it as a delay tactic. They will continue selling to the underground market (I will not call it “black market”- that is propaganda). This is no secret. We all know the drill. Delay the authorities in coming to raid your gardens by best possible methods and right now for many that is “signing up”. Authorities could not bust fully-visible full-sun huge greenhouses in any efficient manner so what makes anybody think that now they will suddenly be on it? Oh- the corporations who get the large permits will push for enforcement of course. That’s where we are headed. I’d like to take this moment to laugh at all the fools who pushed for “legalization” and thank you for taxes, regulations, permits and giving it all away to the corporations and deep-pocketed mega-grower parasites.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Trump will fix it and the inner city chaos…..sheesh, spin HOJ another bottle.

Farce
Guest
Farce
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Sorry if it sounded like sneering. I say “fools” because they have been “fooled” into believing in facts that are not true. Example is inner-city kids going to jail for weed…Weed is decriminalized in CA. Up to an ounce is not an arrest. Medical recommendation allows up to 2 pounds. Whether you are “inner-city” (code for black, Mexican, other ethnic group) or white. The claim for fake “legalization” based on “inner-city” kids getting arrested for weed is …heavily overplayed. It’s a piece of propaganda appealing to rural sympathetic white folks who want to care but actually have no knowledge of the situation. That makes them “fools” because they got “fooled”….Yes, more research would be good but we don’t need to give the industry away to corporations to get there. That is a “false dilemma”.

silverlining
Guest
silverlining
7 years ago

My issue with the proposed parcel tax per sq. foot is that it starts out assuming black market prices are the norm.
A realistic tax will be able to accommodate rapidly falling prices that will reflect the carnage that will happen when
the small market of state approved outlets meets an unlimited supply.

Shak
Guest
Shak
7 years ago

What does it matter? You won’t be able to pay your taxes on unsold damaged products that you will be taxed for regardless. You won’t be able to pay back the loans you took out for permits, regulatory must do’s, equipment, seed, soil, and whatever classifies as farming expenses.
Just like all the farms since the 1920’s, the taxes, mortgages, regulations, and bank interests are all fodder for the next embargo, next economical crash, next boom then bust, next legislator, next tax increase, next propaganda junk study, ..
History always repeats itself.
First clue: the farmer is singled out as greedy.
Second clue: the farmer is singled out as destructive to the environment.
Need I continue?
In case you haven’t heard, the grapevine is warning of war and of the biggest financial collapse we’ve ever had. How will you pay your land taxes let alone your crop taxes that went belly up? How will you pay back the bank for the improvement & stake loans?
You won’t. You can’t.
Will there be subsidies paying you not to grow? Another catch 22.

We have a long way from 1776. The patriots were smart. They bought the tea from the boat captains, tax free. They then made a huge statement to the king. We would rather toss all the tea overboard than let you enslave us with taxes. They did toss it. The king cried. All that tax money, sunk to the bottom of the harbour. The king got the message loud and clear and forfeited the tea tax plans.

You farmers have bought the tea, the boats and the kings tax plan.

I know I will vote no for legalization. But yes for decriminalizing.

Farm aide, John Cougar Mellencamp, 1980’s.

Honeydew Bridge Chump
Guest
Honeydew Bridge Chump
7 years ago

Does anyone count the number of radish you plant?

Does some government filth count your squash?

Does a government union filth count your tomatoes?

Why so quick to allow some scumbag to decide what, how, and what your results are on growing from your land?

These bots, wouldn’t be able to feed themselves, so they work their leech gig and claim YOURS as theirs…

Ripper scumbags hiding behind choppers and tanks….

Don’t let them have that job and live near you….

USA FOR USA…

Kick them out…

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

At least no threat of a ban……

The last honest man was Abe!
Guest
The last honest man was Abe!
7 years ago

No supervision, no laws. No laws, no way to check for honesty. No honesty, no reason to think this will work. No reason for us to think it will work, you will be living in the Wild, Wild West. And we all know and believe movies are real.

Henchman Of Justice
Guest
Henchman Of Justice
7 years ago

Environmental laws on the books for years were there to be used against violators of mother earth, but alas, the enviro groups picket Cal Trans projects and other hipocritical sociopolitical issues rather than assess their own backyard b-s lack of enforcing environmental laws cuz it serves a down the road political mirage for permitting pot grows for commercial purposes cuz personal grows were getting bigger and bigger and growers made too much money without gubbamint and society taking a mob rule cut of the proceeds…..even though the tax argument fails decisively and the environmental impact argument fails decisively because insider agency officials turned a blind eye too often…..part of the future set up by way of ongoing policy conspiracy.