Pubdate: Thu, 20 Nov 2014
Source: Sacramento News & Review (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Contact:  http://newsreview.com/sacto/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/540
Author: Ngaio Bealum

AS POT PICKS UP, CALI SLOWS DOWN

Hey, thanks for the national update last week. How did marijuana do 
in California?

- -Willie Wonky Jr.

Well Willie, weed wasn't warmly welcomed, if that's what you are 
asking. Pretty much all of the county initiatives that would have 
eased restrictions on medical cannabis failed. Measure S in Nevada 
County didn't pass. Measure O in Lake County was a no go. Shasta 
County's Measure A, which bans all outdoor growing in unincorporated 
areas, passed. In Butte County, Measure A passed, Measure B 
failed-Measure A allows medical marijuana cultivation, but is way 
more prohibitive than Measure B would have been. The cities of 
Encinitas and La Mesa (down near San Diego) tried to pass measures 
that would allow for medical cannabis dispensaries. Couldn't do it. 
Santa Cruz succeeded in passing a small sales tax on medical 
marijuana. Santa Ana had two initiatives for regulating medical 
cannabis on the ballot. The more restrictive one was the winner.

And that's how it is. While everyone is excited because 2016 should 
be California's turn to finally legalize weed, recent elections have 
shown that many people in the state want less pot, or at least a very 
tightly regulated marijuana market. This is going to present a big 
challenge for legalizers in 2016. Once you get outside of Los 
Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, the state becomes very 
conservative in its leanings. Hopefully the people behind whatever 
gets on the ballot in 2016 (I'm looking at you, Drug Policy Alliance) 
will be able to write an initiative that is not only fair to the 
people already involved in the cannabis industry, but able to get 
past the fears and prejudices of the conservative folk in this state. 
Good luck.

How is your harvest season going?

- -Tommy Trimmer

It's going very well, thank you. I just got back from a quick trip to 
Washington and Oregon. I bought some legal weed in Olympia ($22 a 
gram. A little steep, but top shelf in Cali will set you back $20 a 
gram before tax). It was really good, but I didn't like that state 
law won't let you smell the cannabis before purchase. Even novice 
cannabis users know that the smell is the No. 1 tool for marijuana 
purchasing decisions. Hopefully, they will change that law. It's 
silly. While I was down in Southern Oregon, I sampled many a 
delicious nugget from the locals. Someone had a Pineapple Kush that 
smelled delicious, but wasn't very strong, and I tried about three 
different OG Kushes that were stellar. Which brings me to Sacramento. 
I have spent the past few days rolling around and visiting all the 
clubs in the area just to see what's what, and I must say that I have 
been incredibly impressed by all of the great outdoor varieties in 
town. And the prices are great this time of year. Many clubs have 
high quality strains for $10 a gram. I went to one club and they had 
a nice Bubblegum strain for $5 a gram. I had to buy one for old 
times' sake. When was the last time you got a nickel bag?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom