Northern California’s Calaveras County Votes To Ban Weed
The post Northern California’s Calaveras County Votes To Ban Weed appeared first on High Times.
This month, the great state of California recently hit the green light on the green and legalized weed for recreational use. We’ve been so busy celebrating this win for the cause of legalization, that we seem to have forgotten one thing. Not everyone is on board with bud. We can see this clearly in one county in California. Last week, a Calaveras County board voted to ban weed in the area.
Cutting Cannabis In Calaveras County
Situated in the northern part of California, Calaveras County is in dire financial straits. Three years ago, a wildfire devasted the area, destroying homes and businesses and displacing hundreds of people living there. During the initial process of statewide weed legalization, county officials were all for it. After all, according to sources, Calaveras County has generated over seven million dollars in tax revenue from cannabis growers alone since 2016. One would think that it would be wise to maintain this source of revenue. Especially since there are now 200 licensed farmers in the county.
But instead of welcoming these growers and fully integrating them into the local economy, Calaveras County is doing the exact opposite. There are four new members of the County Board of Supervisors, all of whom ran on distinctly anti-weed platforms. And so, last week the Board voted to ban the herb. The decision, sources say, was due to the backlash of a sudden and dramatic influx of weed farmers. Locals had alleged that the influx brought on environmental damage.
This move to ban growing weed in the county was decided upon less than a month after the state of California implemented the new laws regarding the plant. The Board of Supervisors has reportedly given the farmers three months to stop growing. In other words, these farmers have only three months to wind everything down and try to mitigate the financial damage this move will no doubt cause. All while figuring out their next move.
Final Hit: Northern California County Votes To Ban Weed
The decision to ban weed in Calaveras County seems like a backward slide to the days of prohibition. But the farmers who grow the plant are not taking this decision sitting down. Especially since the permits to grow legally cost $5,000. Not to mention the absolute injustice of it all. These cannabis farmers brought in millions of dollars in tax revenue, and now the Board of Supervisors bans them? A decision like this doesn’t only disrupt and possibly destroy hundreds of people’s livelihoods and careers. A move like this has the potential to be economically disastrous for the entire county.
The weed farmers of the once pro-pot Calaveras are suing the county. According to sources, they will also make an attempt to reverse the ban through a ballot measure. While the fate of weed in Calaveras County is uncertain, one thing is for sure. The farmers who are affected are doing their best to shape the future they want so they’re not stuck in the situation they are in at present.
The post Northern California’s Calaveras County Votes To Ban Weed appeared first on High Times.
