Posted on 04/28/2022 4:24:14 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Proposed legislation could soon allow cannabis cultivators to sell pot products at licensed events in California, such as farmers markets.
Assembly Bill 2691 passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee on Tuesday. The sponsor of the bill, Assm. Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, sent KCRA 3 the following statement:
Advertisement “It is no secret that cannabis businesses throughout the state are struggling, whether it’s taxes, compliance costs, competing with the illicit market or other challenges, but the focus of AB 2691 is to help legal cannabis farmers who grow less than 1 acre of cannabis get consumer recognition for their unique products, much as has been done for craft beer, artisanal wine and other family farm agricultural products. Giving these smaller farmers opportunities at locally approved events to expose the public to their products increases consumer choice and offers farmers a better chance to reach retail shelves which is their ultimate goal. This is not about circumventing retailers, but growing the industry overall. My office has always been open to those who may have concerns about this bill and I’m here to listen to their concerns and their proposed solutions.” Genine Coleman, executive director of Origins Council, said she supports the bill. Origins Council is an advocacy organization that represents the historic rural cannabis-producing regions across California. They have around 900 members.
"The vast majority of them are producing half an acre or less of cannabis, so this is definitely a huge potential opportunity for our membership,” Coleman said. "For small-scale producers to have direct marketing and sales opportunities with consumers is really critical."
While some are excited about the legislation, others are uninterested. Davis Farmers Market Alliance Executive Director Randii MacNear said that she oversees what she describes as a "food business," and even if the legislation goes through, the Davis Farmers Market will likely stay as it is.
"We really are interested in selling food, so at this point, cannabis is not a food,” MacNear said. "We're trying to increase our local farmers. We're trying to get new, emerging Yolo County farmers in here and give them a space to sell, so I think that probably we would stick with that concentration."
MacNear added that the decision is also up to the Davis City Council.
"I'm sure you'll see some of this product at other markets but not here in Davis,” MacNear said.
Still, some in the community said the new bill is another way of normalizing cannabis.
"I think it's super, super awesome and I like that they're kind of getting rid of that guilt or that dark cloud that they have around the whole weed industry,” Davis resident Crystal Molina said.
According to the California legislature website, AB 2691 is now headed to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It would then need to pass through the full Assembly and full Senate, before reaching the governor’s desk.
Supporters of the bill argue the bill would help producers connect directly with consumers, explaining that the state's current framework makes it difficult to do so for nearly all independent small urban and rural producers, according to an analysis from the Assembly Bill Policy Committee.
Opponents of the bill, including the United Cannabis Business Association, said the bill would violate Proposition 64, which passed in 2016. Those against the bill also argue that it would not expand market access, which supporters said it would.
I would just like to point out that anyone who opposes this bill needs to explain why we have this toxic, mind altering substance that is sold at movie theaters, restaurants, theme parks, and grocery stores that kills hundreds of thousands a year called “alcohol”
at licensed events = taxed
“Honey, I know the game is on but I really need some tomatoes and cucumbers from the farmer’s market.”
‘YES MAM! I’ll be more than happy to run down there for you right now. ‘
They want everyone stoned including the underagers. It’s another way they hope to keep control.
People know the dangers of alcohol. It’s not an Islamic religion like pot.
Pot is a gateway drug to socialism.
Yup. The limit of beer a single person can brew without taxation is limited too, which is one reason one seldom sees homebrew at such markets. What you do see is meant for sales and suitably taxed.
When China lost the opium wars and had to face the prospect of the British shipping in thousands of tons of Opium to addict their people, they realized that about the only thing they could do is to destroy the market for Opium by growing their own and undercutting British profits.
And so they did.
It wasn't as good of quality as the British opium imported from India, but it was much cheaper and it slowed the growth of the British opium industry. Even so, the opium disaster continued from 1840 to WWII.
If we are going to tolerate this weed bullsh*t, then at least we can see all the profit driven out of business by people growing their own weed.
Some industries should never be allowed to take root in the first place.
Because it's been legal and used for 3 million years.
The hippies up in NorCal will be happy to hear this, they were hit hard when pot went legal.
Interesting,
“Humboldt” pop in my Head!
.
No, I’m Not a USER.
Dave’s not here.
Will the cannabis be FDA tested/approved?
I mean, what did these “cannabis cultivators” put in the soil to “enhance” their product?
Heroine, Fentanyl, PCP, rat poison, snake venom? Wait... snake venom would be APPROVED by the FDA.
The only way to be safe is to “...get high with a little help from my friends.”
Gilroy Garlic Festival is history but not for that reason. These people want the same.
Keith Richards was asked in an interview if he still smoked pot, his reply was - only if its from Northern California.
Your concern for users is commendable, but such contaminants are easily avoidable by not using it in the first place.
“The hippies up in NorCal will be happy to hear this, they were hit hard when pot went legal.”
International drug cartels are the big growers in California now. And unlike the old domestic growers they are very dangerous. A pal of mine is a deputy sheriff who is often involved in raids on these grows. On one recent raid they found more than a dozen dead bodies, all of them illegals from Asia. It was a hit by a rival cartel. The killers didn’t even bother to take the huge pile of cash and drugs at the site.
Oh Heavens! How will the government be able to tax it? 🙄
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