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