Biography/Memoir

How red tape… [psychoactives] are buzzkills…

Advocates said a regulated… industry would push out the black market and generate more than a half billion dollars a year for the state… it’s not quite worked out that way; there’s the cost of operating legally, a major reason. For most people out here, the opportunity to participate does not exist.

The barriers to entry are too high. The costs are too high… it’s also not adding up for licensed… farmers. [One grower wrote], “I grow… because I really love it. I like to consume it. I like to be around it. It’s something that provides my being and consciousness with tremendous love and support.” But… ‘being and consciousness’ is getting strangled by red tape and a laundry list of requirements. So when you factor in consulting fees – you know… just did a back of the napkin calculation that over the last three, four years… permits… farm this size… profits… no. It turns out… unlicensed shops don’t have to pay for state and local permits and can sell… much cheaper because they don’t charge customers… taxes. Which can reach as high as 45 percent.

Original Article (CBS News):
How red tape and black market weed are buzzkills for California’s legal marijuana industry
Artwork Fair Use: Jarek Tuszyński 

Biography/Memoir

Patented…

Biography/Memoir

…launch of…