Who’s Getting Squeezed? A Cartoon Commentary on Cannabis Policy
In this editorial cartoon by Terry Torgerson, commissioned for Redheaded Blackbelt, reflects on the growing tension between local cannabis farmers and the overlapping forces of government and corporate influence. With humor and sharp critique, the illustration raises questions about who truly benefits from cannabis taxation and regulation—and at whose expense. As the legal landscape continues to shift, this piece prompts an important conversation: are small growers being pushed out of the very industry they helped to build?
[By Terry Torgerson]
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Welcome to the real world growers.
When the Government says “we are here to help you” you know your in trouble.
But by now I am sure you have figured out you have been duped. You have been washed, rinsed, and hung out to dry.
It’s the American Way!
If you’re big enough, you get the $120,000 Pickup…
Or Criminal enough to pay everyone off…
Good luck, Pot Farmers, and, it’s probably not enough to “get by”…
Wasn’t just government. BigTobacco had a few scouts in the area sniffing out opportunity right before legalization. They smelled money too.
Big Tobacco has been sniffing around the legalization issue since the 80s
Spot on Allen…That’s exactly why I opposed Prop.64.
At a press conference on August 12th, 1986, US President Ronald Reagan said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”
Does that quote from Reagan really make sense? I can think of many more terrifying things, than the government helping. Silly quote. Also, it makes no sense to blame the ‘taxes’ on weed for what has happen around here. I never paid any tax, and I still went ‘out of business’ because the price dropped too much. It’s just basic economics, nothing to do with taxes.
The quote from Reagan is very applicable to the negative results of Prop.64 around here. It devastated SoHum. AKA: The Dead Zone. There’s nothing silly about the devastating and negative effects of government intervention. Fortunately, I’ve never had to worry about going out of business or paying fees, taxes and fines.
The price has dropped because corporate had all kinds of money to get legalized and the small farmers couldn’t compete. And why was weed taxed before you even harvest it and still is. There are so many things that can go wrong before you even harvest that would make it so you didn’t even get a harvest. No other agricultural product has to pay on their harvest that they haven’t even made yet. They promised that they would help the small farmers, but it was a lie. They only helped the farmers get squeezed out. It has totally ruined the economy in Humboldt County. We had a thriving economy and now look around and everyone’s wondering why.
Mr. Willow Creeker, the price bottomed out because of the corporate greed. we were just a bunch of folks that wanted to live on the land, raise our children and support ourselves. You couldn’t stop us with Camp so you just blatantly ripped us off. Just like you did with Camp when you came in with your helicopters and your army and chopped down all our plants and threw us in jail. But since that didn’t work, the lightbulb went on in your tiny little brains, and you decided that we shouldn’t be making the money you should be making the money. We do the work and you steal our money.So you made a plan where corporate could take over on the industry and small farmers were pushed out, When will you have enough money? I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
Not really. The price dropped. Thats all that happened. It was a nationwide reality. To blame Humboldt county is pretty myopic. If prices were anywhere north of 500-800 then the taxes wouldn’t even be an issue. So my point is- take responsibility and stop blaming the government. You knew what you were doing when you got your permits. You were funding the prosecution of the black market. A devils bargain, if you ask me. That’s weak.
Mr. Willow creeker has friends in government
No, and there is no government here in Willow creek anyway. I’m just an old school grower who never went the legal route, I dropped out of the game years ago. I really have pity on the legal guys, it’s a terrible market and there are many headwinds. I try to not be bitter that you guys funded the abatement program that forced me and many other good people out.
Just stop whining about taxes- it’s not the reason you are failing. That’s my opinion. Paint me a picture where your business is good without taxes. I don’t see it.
That was a low-point in Reagan’s career. It was fresh meat to a frustrated populace. Reagan was a former FDR New Dealer when the country was headed for economic and political collapse and Democrats saved us. When it was politically opportune he flipped.
Environmental laws have been good for California’s air and water, but good things can be overdone. Many, including me, tried to tell the traveling governor’s team that excess, punitive, obstructive cannabis laws would not work, but we were rebuffed. So here we are. BTW, I don’t hear victims of the incessant tornados and flooding in the East, many being Trumpers, complaining about too much government help.
Is cannabis still in the worst category
, federally, excluding all electronic commerce with bank cards, cash only? YES
Are growers forced by California law to deal with distributors, rather than direct marketing, adding to costs and paperwork? YES
Do State-authorized, cannabis dealers lose all federal rights to personal firearm ownership for home protection, hunting, or sport shooting? YES
Wow, what could go wrong? Talk about getting gas-lighted. Federal law plus the byzantine, labyrinthine, California regulatory system is hurting the industry.
I’ve seen locally produced vodka at Costco. Good for our local alcohol crafters. They can run a small shop with pride and care, maybe it goes local, then national, then bought out by a giant alcohol conglomerate. That’s nice, good for you. Meanwhile, our homegrown industry literally withers on the vine. WTF?
Because there is no market for something that any low-level moron can grow for his/her own use, without a permit. Look around. Theres a reason tomatoes are $4.99 a pound as opposed to $499 a pound. Dope ain’t any different.
Dried and cured
Welcome to the Dead Zone, Humboldt County – especially SoHum. Time to move along.
Seems like Michelle don’t think so, she’s busy shutting down all sorts of businesses with no plan on how to replace the money, with the cty already in a deficit.
I still find it amazingly dumb that any small local growers voted for that corporate form of ” legalization”. There just ain’t no fixing stupid!
Most of us didn’t but we’re forced
Meanwhile…
Cannabis Linked to 2x Risk of Heart Disease Death, Scientists Discover
https://www.sciencealert.com/cannabis-linked-to-2x-risk-of-heart-disease-death-scientists-discover
Cannabis is being legalized in more and more places worldwide, increasing medicinal and recreational use – but it may warrant closer monitoring by health professionals. The researchers here, led by a team from the University of Toulouse in France, wanted to look more closely at potential health risks that had previously has been flagged.
They looked at 24 previous studies published between 2016 and 2023, involving around 200 million people.
Overall, the increased risk linked to cannabis use was 29 percent for acute coronary syndrome (reduced blood flow to the heart), 20 percent for strokes, and 100 percent for cardiovascular disease mortality.
Previous studies have already shown how the drug can increase the risk of cancer, and significantly alter our DNA, for example. Cannabis could also trigger psychosis through the impact it has on the brain.
“Specifically, cannabis should be treated like tobacco: not criminalized but discouraged, with protection of bystanders from secondhand exposure…”
—
Go figure ?
“And it’s important to say the research doesn’t show direct cause and effect, only an association. It’s possible that other factors not considered here are driving both cannabis use and heart health issues in certain groups of people.”
https://www.sciencealert.com/cannabis-linked-to-2x-risk-of-heart-disease-death-scientists-discover
Like Dr Chang said:
If it was that bad, we’d already all be dead…
Oh, that’s funny. I’m with you there.
Upvote not working! My experience over the decades has been that legal consequences were far worse than the medical risks. Even now, some conservatives desperately cling to the Devil’s Arrugula theory that weed just HAS to be evil and Donald John Trump just has to be good for democracy and justice. My Naval Vietnam cannabis experience mirrored Oliver Stone’s jungle combat experience as depicted in “Platoon” (1986).
So, cannabis is evil; Trump and Vance are the anointed of God. Did anybody see Hegseth’s recent testimony to Senator Warren? Hegseth invoked the Bible! Wow! Is that the Trump Annotated Condensed Version with only 8 Commandments since Bearing False Witness and Adultery are now Sacraments?
Yeah, it’s possible that “other factors” were not considered, but, just like religion and politics, if people are heavily invested in a baseline-mind-set, they will jump and grasp at any support for their beliefs. Yes, I can err as well! Back in 1989 . . . .just kidding.
Ernie Branscomb, whom I admire for his candor and forthrightness, also jumped on this report. Gave me a chuckle as I could imagine him thinking: yeah, yeah, I knew it ALL ALONG, YEAH, YEAH.
Jesus’s huge mistake was placing his imprimatur on alcohol as the prime recreational drug at his first public miracle, changing water into wine at the Wedding Feast at Cana. I’ve never completely forgiven that, but I’m mellowing with age.
The Prophet Mohammad knew better, forbidding alcohol but leaving the door open to cannabis in various forms. Go figure. Well, yeah, it figures very well.
Now do the mRNA shot
Don’t believe everything you read
Deal!
Well, sure. This is what people voted for. And it’s not like there weren’t any warnings or advance notice (they just fell on mostly-deaf ears!) Those who make the political contributions receive the benefits, such as stackable permits, etc. The mom & pops should have created farmers collectives or something to bundle political contributions so their elected officials might remember them as constituents. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.
It seems to me, the HCGA has had some say in all of this since legislation in California. And it also seems they are playing both sides of the tax issue. Here’s what they say on the HCGA website:
“Built on a foundation of fifty years of innovation, HCGA members are statewide leaders for environmentally and ethically produced cannabis. Our industry supports thousands of local jobs and millions in tax revenue—driving the majority of economic activity in Humboldt County. We work together to preserve, protect and enhance Humboldt County’s world-renowned cannabis industry through advocacy, public relations and education.”
https://hcga.co/
They forgot to include the HCGA into the cartoon…
My HCGA membership dues are the best value per dollar I’ve spent during the whole shitshow. Networking and an invaluable resource for information. I would not have been able to handle farm compliance by myself were it not for my ability to learn from the discussions in the weekly meetings and pick peoples brains on a given topic. Natelenne and Ross have devoted countless hours to helping small family farms. The work done by HCGA has not only benefited the members, but also anyone with a cultivation permit.
Thanks Dan. Do you know how many growing members of HCGA owe back “S” taxes or have a payment plan? And do you know how many growing members of HCGA have gone out of business or had their county permit revoked?
Ah yes the permit pansies. The government collaborators without who this sea change could not have occurred. The sell-outs. The scared ones. The cowardly paper-signers who blew up huge legal grows …self-righteously telling us all to ” step into the sunshine” and “get compliant” and that they only sell “white market”- But they all skirt METRC and hustle pounds out the back door! Wonderful people right there lol
My question is how did all the large farms know not to pay their taxes? All the small farmers were told they would take our licenses? If I had know I could invest in my business and let that ride it would have been helpful but instead I got a second job and paid it and my farm suffered
If you’re a large business you know that withholding taxes can be advantageous. I’ve recently found there are a shot load of folks not paying the PPE loans. I’ve continued paying mine but I have recently found they have little to no recourse to get the loan back from you. They didn’t ask about collateral or even assets. When u have a lawyer to fight the man it makes all the difference on your decisions. I’ve always looked at attorneys as a bad investment but maybe that’s because I’m not running around w millions to spend
I’m only guessing, but I assume that the big farmers had the money to pay with the big taxes squeezing the small farmers out. In another words they are playing dirty.
No they didn’t pay their taxes. There were hundreds of large farms that simply did not pay the taxes and we’re allowed to operate for years. I got a ten day notice that they were going to take my permit if I didn’t pay. I had to sell my car and go without food because it was my only source of income. This is what I am asking why did small farmers get notices that the county would take their farms and the large operators were allowed to pay nothing. Measure S collection was selectively enforced
Now do you think it’s fair that just because your family is in government or your investor buddies are giving you kickbacks that you don’t have the same tax burdens? I feel like that was illegal right? You can’t just tell your buddies not to pay and try and put the family run famers out of business? That that is directly manipulating the market in your buddies favor. So maybe this is why they won’t say who paid and who didn’t
Someone in government needs to have the courage to blow the whistle. Farmers need an official willing to step up and inform the public. We need public support to get our economy back on track, and that starts with backing the real, good farmers. The ones producing high-quality products. These are the people who put this place on the map. I’m confident that if the public saw the difference between salt-grown, environmentally damaging mega grows and the growers who are enhancing terpenes through soil and ecological improvements, they’d understand that in an economy suffering from overproduction, quality and sustainable methods matters for the Humboldt brand. Small producers who don’t just buy bottles of nutrients but create environments of productions with such high standards the quality can be undeniable
Money is NOT the root of all evil.
The LOVE of money is the root of all evil…
… Important distinction…
(When teaching Abundance, years ago, my teacher emphasized this. The rich have a bad reputation, not because they are rich, but because of their lack of compassion, along with how many get their wealth. It is important to distinguish. If we equate wealth with morally bad, we would unconsciously not want to be rich, aka bad…)
The love of money is at the root of all evil.
The grin on the Humboldt map, in the cartoon, reflects greed.
It immediately brought that axiom to mind.
Humboldt County officials, as well as voters, need to question their own motives, and hearts, and find out if they have succumbed to greed. The love of money.
Weed, water, air, food – these are all natural resources provided by this planet.
No one should be making a profit from natural resources.
As a people, we need to check ourselves.
Question our motives and the motives of those we put in office.
I’d say this question is being asked about 5 years too late. And this cartoon would have been last relevant about 3 years ago….So a bit late for dinner on this thought. But here’s something you all can do- Stop buying from dispensaries! But good old organic Green Market from your neighbors or grow your own and trade w others. Do Not support the state progrom!
So, surrender the national market to Oklahoma and other Red States because California regulators just HAD to gum up the works with excessive rules and legally required “distributors”? Legal weed could have worked better than alcohol and tobacco, but not in this damn State. I tried to tell them. Many did. To no avail, so here we are.
Blaming the dispensaries for terrible California law won’t help. Give them a break.