Pubdate: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 Source: Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA) Copyright: 2014 The Ukiah Daily Journal Contact: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/feedback Website: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/581 Author: KC Meadows COUNTY'S NEW CANNABIS LOBBY Mendocino County's Cannabis Cultivators, Businesses and Advocates Unite Mendocino County's cannabis cultivators, businesses and advocates unified on Monday and moved to create a cannabis lobbying coalition. More than 100 people were at a training meeting at the Laytonville Grange Hall last month to find out how to organize a pro-marijuana industry lobbying group. By the end of the meeting, a seven-person leadership team had been nominated to form the cannabis coalition. California Cannabis Voice Director Matt Kumin and Secretary Terrance Alan took part in the panel, along with Kristin Nevedal of Emerald Growers Association, Pebbles Trippet of Coalition Mendocino, and lobbyist Julia Correra. Kumin and others urged the crowd to unify now so they have can have their voices heard. "This is the moment. We're up here, chatting about how we're going to unify and it's fantastic and we're going to do that," Kumin said. "But the time for talk has kind of ended and it's time for putting your money where your mouth is, as I said last time. It's the time to step up and put money in and work in a strategic way." One member of the audience added to Kumin's call to contribute to the coalition. "Will you give a pound to the cause?" he asked the crowd. "We'll either take your money or we'll take a pound. Because if we can't sell that pound, we don't belong here." The urgency among these marijuana growers stems from the recent unanimous support of Senator Lou Correa's SB 1262 in the state Senate and the failure of Senator Tom Ammiano's AB 1894 in the Assembly. SB 1262 would regulate cannabis businesses through a state licensing program and place more regulatory control at the city and county levels. All the panelists agreed that SB 1262 would be amended and passed by the end of the year, and they urged the crowd to unify at the county level so they have a voice in local policy decisions after the bill passes. "It's time to engage in the political process," moderator and local journalist Kerry Reynolds said at the meeting. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom