Legalization for 2012 is already stirring.  David Downs in his excellent column, Legalization Nation, put a piece on what is happening already in the marijuana world.  He talks about Richard Lee’s new coalition that is working to put legalization on the ballot and he has an informative and well written piece on Humboldt’s local situation which I’ve excerpted below.  But I highly recommend reading the whole thing.

Hippies and Rednecks Unite!

Some fifteen years after Californians okayed medical cannabis, one of

the pot-growing capitals of the world, Humboldt County, is finally

grappling with how to regulate what is largely regarded as its number

one economic engine. The Humboldt County Planning Commission drew

vicious snarls of discontent from rural growers January 7 by debating

a new “Marijuana Land Use”    ordinance that critics say is

unworkable.

Humboldt Medical Marijuana Advisory Panel spokesperson Charley

Custer said the planning commission took no action, but he expects to

have an ordinance on the books by this time next year. Parts of the

ordinance drawing ire include a preposterous “no odor” rule for rural

outdoor farms, and strict environmental rules on diesel use, water

withdrawals, effluent, and housing codes. Such environmental mandates

seem hypocritical given the level of impact from local vineyards,

ranches, dairies, and the once-mighty timber industry, critics say.

For example, the proposed rules say there shall be no edibles in

Humboldt County, Custer said. “What does that have to do with

encouraging industrial growth through proper regulation? They are

eagerly quashing modes of economic development.”

Custer said the draft rules are copied from urban codes designed to

crush indoor pot farming in Arcada. But such municipal regulations

are unworkable in rural areas, where rednecks and hippies alike

bristle at government involvement. “It’s widely observed that county

building codes end 500 feet from the road,” said Custer.

The issue of regulating pot is being swept into a macro-narrative of

“city versus rural” that predates pot’s presence in Humboldt, he

said. Growers have privately called the draft ordinance “bullshit”

and “a continuing attempt to punish and control hippies.”

“There’s always been deep cultural division among progressives in

Humboldt, between the urban leather-patch-on-the-elbows types and the

feral hippies in the hills,” Custer added.

Unlike in pot stronghold Oakland, industry leaders don’t participate

financially in county politics. “Pot people express their will in

sheer numbers, like a flash mob at the courthouse with hundreds of

people waving pitchforks,” Custer said. They inherently resent the

“pay-to-play” system of government, and consequently, county planning

staff is not on their side. Pot farmers are just now learning to flex

their political muscles via donations, Custer said.

The Humboldt Medical Marijuana Advisory Panel holds meetings on the

draft ordinance this week, Custer said.

__________

Hat tip to Woods who pointed out something I had yet to read