Re "Regulate potency in pot before legalizing it" (Forum, Aug. 21): Any attempt to regulate the potency - the THC level - of cannabis will just keep the black market thriving and the drug cartels profiting. Environmental disasters due to rogue growers will not be curtailed.

The author says he researched his story, but he compares cannabis to alcohol and opiates? Marijuana is nowhere near as addicting, and no one has ever died from excessive cannabis intake.

Decades of research point to a variety of medical uses for this unique compound, including pain relief, relief from PTSD, nausea and vomiting, as well as appetite stimulation, and benefits for asthma, glaucoma and as a sleep aid. The much revered Rick Simpson Oil used as a cure for cancer contains a high level of THC.

I do agree with Sam Quinones that "legalizing marijuana needs to happen," but not with his concept of regulating the THC level.

Jeff Ball, Sacramento

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Staff Reports

Chico - A nearly year-long investigation resulted in a raid Tuesday on a downtown business that police say netted marijuana-refining equipment for sale and landed three men in jail.

The Dungeon, a jewelry and smoking shop on the 100 block of Broadway, had been under investigation for 11 months, according to a news release from the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force. The narcotics agents served a search warrant Tuesday around 1:30 p.m.

Four complete closed loop butane honey oil production systems, components for additional systems, including extraction tubes, presses and commercial grade ovens, more than 1,000 cans of butane and 13 canisters of 14-pound butane refrigerant were found at the store, according to the release.

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So I just heard that some people are using high doses of CBD to counteract the effects of ingesting too much THC. Does this really work?

- -Oso Hyman

Good question. One of the things we know about cannabidiol (CBD) is that it acts as a sort of THC inhibitor. Cannabis plants with a high amount of THC but low CBD content will get you "higher" than plants with a high CBD content, even if the THC percentage is the same. No one has done any studies yet, but there are anecdotal reports of folks, especially those folks that enjoy cannabis concentrates (hash, wax, dabs, hash oil, etc.) or edibles, using either a sublingual CBD tincture or pills containing a high amount of CBD, to assuage the effects of overindulgence. In fact, my homie Grand Daddy Mike is working on a commercial product designed to lessen the effects of THC in case of accidental or intentional cannabis overindulgence.

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Who's Afraid of the Bulgarians?

I get alarmed calls every week about the Bulgarians. They're paying exorbitant sums for property in Petrolia, Bridgeville and Alderpoint, I'm told. They're jogging along rural roads with automatic rifles strapped to their backs, according to one woman at a recent community meeting. They're buying out family ranches and slowly taking over the county. And - although absolutely no proof has been offered from either my tipsters or law enforcement - they're all somehow connected to an organized crime cartel.

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My first encounter with the cannabis industry was in November 2014 at a marijuana business conference in Las Vegas. At the time, the plant was not part of my life, but the story of a federally illegal drug at the center of the country's fastest growing industry seemed like an incomparably rich subject. Soon, I was making plans to move to Denver to cover the business story of the decade.

Almost two years in, I still think legalization is both inherently fascinating and historically important. It's been a source of puzzlement to me why there aren't more reporters who agree. In its implications for American life, legalization is up there with marriage equality, Black Lives Matter and perhaps even climate change, but it hasn't generated the same kind of national debate.

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Rancho Cordova Bans Dispensaries, Sacramento Allows Them and Other Cities Fall in the Middle

Sometimes, Stephanie Raskin smokes marijuana to stop thinking about suicide. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression, she remains stable through a blend of prescription pills that must be constantly tweaked to match her body chemistry. When the pharmaceuticals fall short, she supplements her treatment with medical marijuana. But her hometown, Rancho Cordova, bans dispensaries. And the closest one is 11 miles away.

"It's frustrating," she said. "Especially with my condition, I get debilitatingly depressed to the point where everything is a monumental task. I only smoke because my depression can cause suicidal thoughts. And sativa can keep me from reaching those depths. I'm not one of those sit-on-the-couch stoners."

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The California State Sheriffs' Association claims marijuana seriously impairs driving and has other adverse consequences. Yet researchers find that while obviously inadvisable, marijuana only modestly affects driving (Journal of Drug And Alcohol Dependence, June 23, 2016).

Marijuana users know their performance is impaired and compensate by slowing down and being especially attentive. By contrast, inebriated drivers are seriously impaired. They merely think they are in control; in fact, they speed, weave across lanes, have lethally slower reaction times, and cause thousands of accidents (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 2015).

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Two groups studying the cannabis economy say legalizing recreational marijuana in California will provide a $1.6 billion boost in revenue from expanded retail marijuana sales.

The projections on California's Proposition 64 legalization measure in November come from two firms with a vested interest in expanding the marijuana business. The market study was completed by New Frontier Data, a Washington, D.C., firm conducting cannabis market research, and the ArcView Group, an Oakland organization specializing in attracting investment for marijuana businesses and legalization causes.

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State Assemblyman Jim Wood's Cottage Cannabis Farmers Bill cleared one of its last hurdles Wednesday and was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown's desk for a final signature, after which it would become law.

Assembly Bill 2516 would establish a new medical marijuana cultivator license category for what Wood calls, "microfarmers."

The new license, or specialty cottage cultivator license, would be available to farmers with 2,500 square feet or less of total canopy size for mixed-light cultivation, up to 25 mature marijuana plants for outdoor cultivation, or 500 square feet or less of total canopy size for indoor cultivation, per parcel.

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EDITOR: You recently reported that Santa Rosa officials "see significant economic development opportunities" associated with the (assumed) future legalization of marijuana ("SR aims to be epicenter of legal pot industry," Aug. 14). In a subsequent editorial ("Defining Santa Rosa's place in the pot industry," Aug. 17), you suggested a cautionary approach because of the many unresolved issues associated with the marijuana industry. These advocacy efforts should also consider a few unmentioned issues:

In Colorado, consumption of marijuana by youth 12-17 years old has significantly increased since recreational marijuana was legalized. Usage is 74 percent higher than the national average.

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Santa Rosa has rolled out the welcome mat to the marijuana industry, and the first firm through the door is affiliated with none other than the godfather of ganja - Bob Marley.

Privateer Holdings, a Seattle investment firm aiming to build a global marijuana brand based on the image of the famed Jamaican reggae singer, has picked Santa Rosa to be the headquarters for its expansion into the lucrative California cannabis market.

City officials Tuesday approved a request by the company to set up a medical cannabis-processing, manufacturing and distribution center in a nondescript business park in southwest Santa Rosa.

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Re: DEA is blowing more smoke over marijuana, Fresno Bee editorial Aug. 14.

We are like the frogs in the pot of water. Only we the frogs are turning up the heat on ourselves by passing Proposition 64 and making marijuana legal for recreational use. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are at least three problems with marijuana use:

It may cause the user to become paranoid schizophrenic.

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Re: "Prop. 47 giving men, women second chance" [Opinion, Aug. 21]: B. Wayne Hughes Jr. notes that Prop. 47 changes lives. I couldn't agree more. Now that we have so many more homeless drug addicts being released into our neighborhoods and cities, our life has indeed changed. What is it that supporters of this proposition don't understand? When you don't hold people accountable for their actions, they will repeat those actions over and over. And why is it now "non-serious" to steal up to $950 from me?

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If Californians legalize marijuana under Proposition 64 in November, legal cannabis sales in the state likely will climb by $1.6 billion within the first year of implementation, according to a report released Tuesday.

That would put the state's medical and recreational market on track to hit $6.5 billion in revenue by 2020 up from $2.8 billion in 2015, industry research firms Arcview Group and New Frontier state in the report. And the researchers argue it would serve as a "watershed moment" for the industry in and outside the United States.

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As Secure As San Quentin Seems, Contraband Slips In

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. - Condemned murderer Michael Jones was acting strangely and profusely sweating when guards escorted him in chains to the San Quentin medical unit that doubles as the psych ward on death row.

"Doggone, I don't think you're ever going to see me again," he told a fellow inmate, Clifton Perry.

Hours later, Jones was dead.

Toxicology tests later found that he had toxic levels of methamphetamine in his blood.

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Many Glowing Remarks Come From the Same Ip Address, a Software Flaw Shows.

Millions of consumers treat Weedmaps like the Yelp for pot, relying on the Irvine company as their definitive guide to marijuana dispensaries, varieties and doctors.

But a key feature - user reviews of pot businesses - may be tainted by thousands of potentially fraudulent comments, a flaw in the company's software revealed.

Reviews on the site are pseudonymous, and visitors reasonably expect that each is written by a unique customer. But data that Weedmaps mistakenly leaked suggests that a large proportion of glowing remarks come from individual users leaving multiple reviews of a single business.

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EDITOR: Now that we're embracing another one of the big vices, marijuana (gambling was the first big one), it's time to consider the next one. Perhaps we can embrace prostitution and the state gets a percentage? Nevada does that. California is missing out.

But let's start thinking bigger. For a fee, young men could speed down the freeway at 100 mph without getting a ticket. For a fee, the cops will look the other way while you kill someone. Robbers would be allowed to steal if they give a cut to the police.

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Humboldt County's proposed excise tax for medical marijuana farms has created a rift between local growers.

Several farmers have come out against the tax model, calling it premature, hasty and partial to larger farms. Other cultivators say they are supportive of it and feel that the time is ripe to pay their fair share in society to bring in badly needed revenue for county schools, roads and mental health services among others.

But the recently created Humboldt County Cannabis Chamber of Commerce argues the tax measure as written "misses the mark" on those funding goals.

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In 1987, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America aired a public service announcement that went on to become a classic of modern pop culture. It likened an egg to "your brain" and a hot pan to "drugs." The egg was then fried in the pan, and the viewer was informed that "this is your brain on drugs." The ad concluded: "Any questions?" Presumably this was meant to be rhetorical, but now the ad is back in a revamped form, which includes children asking questions about drugs. "Mom, Dad, did you ever try drugs?" asks one child.

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Federal officials remain in a haze when it comes to articulating a comprehensible policy on marijuana.

Perhaps last week's ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals curtailing the feds from prosecuting legitimate growers and distributors will help clear the air.

Half the nation's states, led by California, permit medicinal applications. Four states and the District of Columbia allow recreational use. In November, California could become the fifth.

Yet the federal government still sees marijuana as a dangerous drug and dispensary operators as prosecution targets.

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