News&Comment

Proliferation of Pot Crime continues – Kidnappings in Santa Rosa

Isn’t it swell to have green pharming in our once bucolic, rural county?Thanks Board of Supervisors and Cannabis Lobby. MARTIN ESPINOZA AND BILL SWINDELL THE PRESS DEMOCRAT May 4, 2019 Following an armed search and standoff with officers Saturday afternoon, a Santa Rosa man was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping two brothers over a marijuana…
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NFPA Journal – Hazards of the Trade

Hazards of the Trade As with any industrial process, marijuana production comes with an assortment of hazards, some more exotic than others. In general, the hazards break down into those associated with growing, and those associated with the THC extraction process. Growing hazards include: Egress—With space at a premium, most grows are very crowded, with…
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Pharmers cause fire – illegal wiring in unpermitted building Mark West Watershed

Mark West Watershed neighborhood had a major incident today. Just a few hours ago one of the County’s PRP grows again put the safety of the public at risk. Illegal wiring in an unpermitted drying shed burned the building to the ground in a heavily forested area accessible only by a narrow, steep, dirt dead end…
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Legalizing pot doesn’t come without societal costs. Just look at Colorado, anti-marijuana advocate says

By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com Wondering what Pennsylvania would look like if recreational marijuana was legalized here may only require looking at Colorado’s experience to see how it has worked out there. Let’s just say it was described as less than desirable at a session Friday at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference, an annual gathering of conservatives.…
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Stinky Situation: An investigation into Cathedral City’s cannabis odor problem

By: Jake Ingrassia Posted: Feb 08, 2019 05:06 PM PST Updated: Feb 12, 2019 08:20 PM PST CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif.- – After nearly two years of legal cannabis cultivation in Cathedral City, the industry generated $1.5M of tax revenue last year and is expected to exceed $2.5M this year. When it first took off, the pungent smell…
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Open Letter From Save Our Sonoma Neighborhoods: How Sonoma County Fouled Up Planning for Cannabis Cultivation

SONOMA, Calif., April 4, 2019 (Newswire.com) – The following is an open letter from Craig S. Harrison, retired environmental lawyer, a founding member of Save Our Sonoma Neighborhoods and president of the Bennett Valley Community Association. Save Our Sonoma Neighborhoods is a coalition of concerned Sonoma County residents dedicated to representing neighborhoods in lobbying the county for the common-sense…
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Santa Barbara Cannabis and Its Discontents Critics Push Back Against New Industry

Santa Barbara Cannabis and Its Discontents Critics Push Back Against New Industry Ann Louise Bardach may be world famous as an investigative reporter, but in Santa Barbara County she’s emerged as a high-octane political pot-stirrer, far more inclined to use vinegar than honey to catch the proverbial flies. In recent months, Bardach teamed up with…
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The wrong way to plan for cannabis cultivation

On April 16, the Board of Supervisors will decide whether to direct Permit Sonoma to address the severe compatibility problems with cannabis cultivation in rural neighborhoods. Last year the supervisors publicly committed to amending the cannabis ordinance to fix these problems, but ultimately failed to do much. The supervisors need to acknowledge the fundamental problem.…
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Letter to Supes – Keep Phase 2 Cannabis Ordinance Review

March 15, 2019 Re: Phase 2 of Cannabis Ordinance Dear Supervisor ____ _____ As you know, Sonoma County was a trailblazer in the State of California to bring forth and legitimize the Cannabis business in our County.   And as you know, even with best of intentions, our ordinance did not foresee the many problems that…
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Natural Green Herb Update: Spike in ER visits in Colorado following marijuana legalization, and edibles are doctors’ biggest concern

A new study documents a sharp rise in emergency-room visits linked with marijuana following legalization in Colorado. A key driver of the ER trips appears to be edibles like weed brownies and cookies. Despite their meager sales, edibles represented a far higher proportion of weed-related ER visits compared against those for smoked marijuana. Looking for a uniquely…
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