Mixing science and religion usually doesn’t work out well, as Galileo discovered when his empirical verification of Copernican theory — Earth goes round the sun, not vice versa — brought him up against the prevailing Catholic belief about the supremacy of man, and therefore the centrality of our planet in the cosmos. (To the credit of the church, the Vatican finally acknowledged its error in 1992 — 359 years after persecuting the dude.)

Another more current example comes from today’s headlines, in which we find die-hard Christian conservatives still opposing Darwinian evolution despite overwhelming evidence that, as Theodosius Dobzhansky succinctly put it in a 1973 essay, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.”

Lately, in our post-Matrix (i.e. since 1999) world, the notion that we may be simulated entities living in a simulation has been popularized by the media, with books by “serious” scientists, in podcasts, YouTube videos, The Simpsons, Black Mirror and the like. The time has come, it seems, for us to seriously consider the possibility that the lives we’re living aren’t the Real Thing. Isn’t this, though, another case of mixing science and religion?

The simulation hypothesis maintains that the world as we know it was created by an intelligent being, and that we’re part of that world, believing ourselves to be free agents living real lives, when we’re actually artificial, digital entities, able to be manipulated by an unseen creator. Which sounds like monotheism, doesn’t it? An omniscient creator who can control us and the world around us: think of Moses parting the Red Sea, or Jesus raising the dead. (Is our simulator herself a simulation? Was God created by Uber-God? –ad infinitum.)

The Matrix aside, the simulation hypothesis was given its current boost into scientific circles in 2003 by Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom. He put forward the argument: If there are many civilizations, and some of them run simulations of self-conscious beings (very advanced versions of SimCity entities), there will be many more simulated conscious beings than real ones. So the odds are that you and I are simulations.

None of this is new, of course. Plato anticipated Bostrom 2,500 years ago, with his “prisoners in the cave” allegory: The prisoners are chained so they only see shadows on the wall of the cave, taking the shadows to be the real world. Or the monk who wrote, “Once I, Chuang Chou, dreamt I was a butterfly. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.” Or Descartes and his evil demon.

I’ve written about the simulation hypothesis before (here, here and here), but I can’t get enough of it. A recent interview by professional skeptic Michael Shermer with philosopher David Chalmers (who popularized the easy vs. hard problem of consciousness) reignited my interest. (For Chalmers, digital entities are as real as flesh-and-blood entities, deserving of the same rights. As is Mr. Data.)

At one level, the notion that I’m a simulation is as absurd as the idea that an omniscient God hears and responds to prayers, all the while allowing untold suffering in the world. Of course I’m not a sim, I’m a free agent, choosing these words, watching my fingers magically translate them to the screen of my iPad here in Old Town Coffee on a Thursday morning. On the other hand (as if it’s a dichotomy!), I’ve been pre-programmed: input sufficient data into a super-supercomputer, run the “sim.barry” program, and consciousness just happens as an “emergent property.”

I love how New Yorker contributor Adam Gopnik summed it all up after seeing The Matrix: “…everybody could grasp the basic set-up instantly…We’re not strangers to the feeling that, for much of our lives, we might just as well be brains-in-vats…”

Nah, ridiculous. Here, I’ll show you. See this spinning top?

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Every morning when I get the ferry, I cross the Bosphorus. It’s one of the busiest waterways in the world. This thin strait not only connects Europe with Asia, but also the Black Sea with the Mediterranean via the Dardenelles to the southwest. You can see vessels, from the huge container ships to hotel-sized luxury liners to sleek metal-grey warships at any time, bound for ports from Russia to North Africa, and beyond.

These days, I find myself casting a pensive, or at least more watchful, eye to the north as the ferry takes us over to the European side. The grey waters of the Bosphorus pass beneath the bridges, past the hillsides of the city and on up to the Black Sea, which has kept the war in Ukraine at a relatively comfortable distance. Or more precisely: 528 miles, the distance from Sile, an Istanbul district on the Black Sea coast, to the shores of Odesa. That’s roughly the same distance from Eureka to Seattle, just for perspective.

Standing on the ferry deck and peering north, all appears normal. One sees the ferries making their routine journeys back and forth beneath overcast skies, a cargo ship faint in the distance already beyond the Martyrs’ Bridge steaming north. The waters themselves are smooth, green-grey, the current rippling south toward great mosques jutting up from the shores of the Golden Horn.

Yes, all quiet on the Turkish front, you could say. Still, you can’t help but imagine the prospect of waking up one morning to the sight of battleships on the horizon, or even worse, to the sound of their big guns booming. Fortunately, such imaginings remain remote, but when you reflect on the strategic importance of this waterway, and its proximity to the current conflict, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

Could the Bosphorus have a role to play yet in this war? Yes, and no. Thanks to the 1936 Montreux Convention, an international agreement regarding usage of the Bosphorus and Dardenelles passageways. Under the agreement, ships are guaranteed free access during peacetime, but in the event of war, Turkey has the right to deny access to the Bosphorus to those deemed to be active participants. There is a caveat. Passage cannot be denied if the ship is bound for its home port. Officially, Turkey could deny Russian naval vessels access to the Bosphorus, but in the current context this old agreement could be moot, since the Russians already reportedly amassed a large fleet in the Black Sea, well before the war began in late February. However, some experts have said the Montreux agreement could come into play should the conflict drag on and on, and Russians need to deploy reinforcements or retreat. And of course, there is the concern that Russian President Putin may choose to disregard such agreements, along with everything else, as he continues to raise the stakes.

I know – I’m no diplomat or general, so all of this is general hearsay, gleamed from the news. Also, one wonders, given the importance of Russia as a trading partner, whether the Turkish government would not any case feel pressured to make exceptions to these old rules down the road. Turkey has officially denounced the war, and is playing a neutral role in trying to bring peace. Still, the country relies heavily on Russian tourism (you wonder, with all the economic sanctions, how badly this will affect Russian tourism this summer), just as Russia depends on Turkey for fruits and vegetables, and these ties would definitely factor into any decisions regarding the Bosphorus. The bigger fear is that such a scenario could very well put Turkey’s neutrality to the test.

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All of this is speculation, “big picture” stuff, over which we here in Istanbul have little or no control, just as we have no idea how long the war will last, or how many refugees will continue to arrive in the country. Just as we have no control over the inflation that has spiked in recent months and seen our hard-earned liras go all to shit. Like the old song goes, We’re just a pawn in the game.

Some 60,000 Ukrainians, as well as 14,000 Russians, have already come to Turkey (as of mid-Wednesday, the time of writing this), according to local news reports. They have taken the journey by bus to the border town of Edirne before making their way to Istanbul or elsewhere. I say this only to indicate that, unlike the Syrian war, which saw untold numbers of refugees depart for Europe in boats, we have yet to see any refugees floating in boats here in the Bosphorus. That may sound trite, and highly unlikely given the heavy presence of Russian ships in the Black Sea, but these days you never know what could happen next.

Maybe that’s why I have been keeping this watchful eye on the Bosphorus each morning, an anxious eye to the north. My wife and I and our son live in a small apartment on a hill that overlooks the Bosphorus. We can walk to the end of our street and look right out at the ships passing. It is one of the reasons why we bought the place four years ago. The view is a post card, the location central, a five-minute walk from the ferry station. In those normal times of a few years ago, we figured it was a sound long-term investment. Even now, the apartment is likely worth twice what we paid.

But what would happen if one morning the relative tranquility of those waters were shattered, if we awoke one morning (or night) to the strange sounds of heavy artillery? Our post card view suddenly, nightmarishly transformed into a balcony seat of a naval battle? It would be hard to take our son to the nearby park with the prospect of nearby shelling.

Again, fortunately these imaginings remain just that, imaginings. Since the conflict began, several people have messaged from America asking if we are “OK.” I always say, yes, we are. And I remind them and myself that, between Syria, Georgia, Crimea, Afghanistan, Iraq and now Ukraine, we in Turkey have had war in one form or another at our borders for as long as I have been here, and well before. We have been surrounded by war. It’s no accident that Turkey houses more refugees than any other country, is it?

“Peace in Turkey, peace in the World,” said the great Turkish general and president Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. I find myself wondering what Ataturk would have made of the present conflict. Before his untimely death at age 58 in 1938, Ataturk shored up Turkey’s borders by establishing peaceful relations with all of Turkey’s neighbors, a far-seeking course that kept his young republic out of the Second World War. It should be noted too that the aforementioned Montreux agreement was signed while Ataturk was still at the helm, a far-reaching agreement that underscored Ataturk’s determination to forge an independent course for his nation. His distant successor, current President Erdoğan, seems bent on staying this course, having played an active role as a mediator in the current war.

Looking out at the Bosphorus, on a grey overcast day, I think of these and other things – my wife and son at home – and can only hope the war to the north will end soon (wouldn’t it be great if the war were over by Sunday, the day you, reader, are reading this and hence it’s irrelevant?). If little else, one can only hope that the war stays over there, beyond the bridge, beyond the Bosphorus and horizon, and out of our lives here. That may sound selfish, but after years of war to the south and west, followed by the pandemic, two years of living in lockdown and isolation, we would very much like to get on with our own lives here. And I suspect we are not alone.

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James Tressler, a former Lost Coast resident, is a writer and teacher living in Istanbul.

With gas prices spiking and a climate crisis making you feel guilty every time you get into your car, you might be thinking about dragging your bike out of the garage for a ride. But what about the rusty chain, the flat tire and old brakes? And what about your own anxiety: Will I look dumb? Where is it safe to bike?

Your friends at Moon Cycles are here to help! Sage and Sprout, the owners of Moon Cycles, Arcata’s queer-owned bicycle shop, join Gang Green to talk about getting back on your bike and how they are working to make bicycling more inclusive. 

AUDIO: 

“The Econews Report,” March 26, 2022.

REQUIRED READING:

• Check out Moon Cycles.
• Want to learn skills? Talk to Eureka Bike Kitchen!
• Humboldt Bay Area Bike Maps

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Update, 2:50 p.m.:

Highway 101 remains closed in both directions north of Laytonville in Mendocino County. The CHP expects one-way controlled traffic to resume later tonight.

“Fuel tanks have been pumped out by HAZMAT…should be done tonight around 2100 HRS,” according to an update on the CHP Incident Information Page. “Once the truck and [trailer] are removed we can have one-way traffic control in place.”

An earlier update indicated the spill was close to but had not reached a nearby waterway. 

Update, 10:40 a.m.:

Bell Springs Road is closed a half-mile north of Highway 101, according to the CHP Incident Information Page. Highway 101 remains closed.

A spokesperson with the Laytonville Volunteer Fire Department told the Outpost traffic is being directed to Branscomb Road and State Route 20.

Previously:

An overturned big rig carrying hazardous chemicals has completely shut down traffic on U.S. Highway 101 just south of Bell Springs Road in northern Mendocino County. There is no estimated time of the highway reopening at this time.

The California Highway Patrol reported a traffic collision shortly after 5:15 a.m. involving a semi hauling corrosive chemicals including “organic peroxide, phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide,” according to the CHP Incident Information Page. No injuries have been reported.

At 5:54 a.m. the CHP reported “leakage of two to five gallons” on the roadway and requested a clean-up crew. Residents in the surrounding area are being advised to shelter in place due to the chemical spill.

We will update this post when we know more.

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As the regulated California cannabis market continues to evolve, it’s become clear that size matters.

According to Headset, a cannabis data, analytics, and intelligence firm, two leaders have emerged in terms of packaged flower sales here in the Golden State – Lowell Farms and Glass House farms, each garnering just over a 3% market share. Lowell Farms boasts of nearly a quarter-million square feet of greenhouse production while Glass House sits at half a million, adding another 5.5 million square feet of greenhouse canopy this year. For perspective, with 436 acres in production, Humboldt has just under 19 million feet – probably far less by year-end.

As the bulk market has tanked the best way to make a living farming ganja has been to sell packaged products to dispensaries. With the passage of recreational cannabis sales several years back everyone knew that bulk pot prices would crater. They have, precipitously. What Humboldt didn’t know is that most of what we produce would be destined for bulk sales.

Our egos were perhaps a bit inflated as the country’s main producing region for decades. We simply didn’t have much competition and many growers felt their products were much better than they were. Our “premium” sun-grown flower hasn’t been much of a draw in the marketplace and instead, is often garnering bids as biomass for extraction.

The current market dynamics have been met with understandable frustration and fear. Folks who produced for decades are being priced out of the market and are looking for solutions. A growing area of focus is the formation of Cannabis Co-ops. Mendocino just announced one and I assume Humboldt will follow in short order.

A co-op is simply a cooperative and autonomous association of persons united to meet shared economic, social, or cultural needs. They are common in agricultural production and offer scale and the ability to penetrate markets and garner market share. A well-run co-op offers living wages to producers and can be a viable path forward that offers small farmers a way to compete with larger corporate players.

I applaud the concept in theory but think implementation, especially in the realm of cannabis, will be a challenge.

Management

Many co-ops fail as they are complicated structures with many moving parts and stakeholders – employees, producers, manufacturers, distributors, and retail. Getting and keeping everyone on the same page is a monumental task that few have been able to master. Whoever is going to manage a Humboldt Cannabis Co-op will need to be an excellent communicator, a skilled negotiator, and an astute business person who can see opportunities, then create and drive processes to capitalize on them efficiently and effectively. This person should also have an intimate understanding of the California cannabis marketplace and be well apprised of developments across the nation and the world. This person is out there somewhere but attracting and retaining them may be a challenge. As many cannabis operators are struggling and strapped for cash, funding a co-op, its legal formation, its marketing efforts, and paying for staff may be out of reach.

Quality & Consistency

As I wrote about in the past, producing premium flower is about genetics, environmental exposure, process and inputs, and everyday execution. Genetic selection is critically important. Without the right genetics, no farming process can make your flower pop. Bunk cuts are out there and if you ever come across one it can collapse your season. The market currently favors exotic genetics and flavors, preferably purple in color. This can change quickly, but it’s what we have now.

Environmental exposure is also critical to product quality. When temperate and humidity parameters get out of whack, flower quality and appearance suffer. While sun-grown ganja is my favorite, open-air deps often darken and bronze near maturity. Growing under skins or greenhouse plastic that cuts a bit of UV creates shinier flower that sparkles and is in higher demand.

Process and inputs also matter. The way you shape and manipulate plants has a huge impact on flower size and density as does your amendment or fertilizer regimen.

The everyday effort, or how hard and how smart you and your team work also matters. Teams that grind it out daily will do better than teams who half-ass it or regularly take shortcuts by avoiding the meticulous and physically taxing processes that separate winners from losers.

As we look across a subset of say 100, or 500, or 5,000 farms there will be an enormous variety of environmental conditions and processes implemented. A strain produced in one region could be entirely different than the same strain produced in a different area of Humboldt. This will cause challenges concerning distribution and retail efforts where quality and consistency matter.

In the case of Lowell Farms and Glass House Farms - who are both winning in the marketplace and proclaim to produce artisan craft cannabis of high quality and unique genetic variety – they have centralized production hubs, one process that guides the cultivation efforts, and one consistent set of environmental parameters where flowers are grown. Slight modifications to processes are likely made for different cultivars, but generally speaking, they will produce products of similar quality time and time again.

Here in the hills if we have crappy spring or fall weather, or scorching hot dry summer days our product quality can suffer. It will be harder and harder to garner retail shelf space without the quality and consistency retailers and ever discerning consumers demand. As retail consolidates to fewer and fewer larger operators with multiple storefronts, they are going to source products from reliable producers who can provide the consistency and volume they need to successfully brand and differentiate.

For my dime, a successful cannabis co-op will need to homogenize processes, inputs, and processing techniques in order to be successful and gain lasting traction in the marketplace. If some areas of Humboldt lend themselves well to exotic strain production, that’s where they should be produced. If others grow fire OG’s or Sour’s, they should be grown by co-op members in those areas. One processor should trim all flowers to ensure consistency there. One processor trimming naked while another leaves more sugar leaf will similarly hurt distribution and sales efforts.

One thing I promise is that radically different expressions of the very same genetic will hamper sales and market penetration efforts and will be a losing proposition. On the other hand, offering 10,000 pounds of a consistent, high-quality flower of the same stain will turn heads and allow Humboldt to brand effectively and stay on the map.

Retail Relationships

In terms of building retail relationships, Humboldt has it dead wrong. Again and again, I see plastered all over Instagram how stupid dispensaries and budtenders are for focusing on high THC products and ignoring things like terpenes.

Firstly, calling or insinuating that others are stupid is childish and arrogant…it certainly won’t help us make friends or gain influence. It alienates others and makes us look bad. We should, instead, seek to understand current market realities and retail/distribution needs and work diligently to meet them. Trying to “educate” the masses can be a meaningful tactic, but it can also take you out of business if you continue to swim against the tide. While I respect having core principles and philosophies and serving as an educator and disruptor in business, the way we go about it needs to be more tactful.

We may care about terpenes and the entourage effect as seasoned consumers and sun-grown farmers, but not everyone else does. While in a medicinal context this focus makes more sense, I feel we are fighting a losing battle, especially in the context of adult-use markets. Like it or not, many people consume to get high. In my personal experience, I get higher when smoking an 89% live resin cartridge from my friends at BEAR than I do when smoking a joint. Moreover, I can take one puff off a cartridge and get lifted while I have to hit a joint many times before achieving the same effect. Financially, it’s far more efficient for me as well.

Am I wrong for this?

Am I stupid when I go into a dispensary looking for high THC products, which I do every single time?

Is someone telling me I’m wrong going to change my decisions or make me cozy up to that person?

I am a believer in markets. I believe markets, or the collective wisdom they represent, are “right.” Questioning them or arguing with them might make us feel righteous or like we have a cause, but it doesn’t seem to make much business sense to me.

As we embark on a countywide journey to secure our economic future and sustain the farming lifestyle many of us cherish, a cannabis co-op may indeed be part of the solution. A co-op that fully understands market needs and demands, is skillful in honoring others and creating winning business relationships, and one that places consumers at the forefront may indeed gain traction. With a focus on product quality, consistency, high volume, and unique genetic varietals, a Humboldt Cannabis Co-op can gain a foothold in California and beyond.

Failure to implement this correctly will cost precious time and energy our community can’t afford to lose. With fresh frozen prices at $35-50 a pound, I expect outdoor to garner $250-$350 a pound this season. With mixed light at $700-900 before the tsunami of greenhouse product hits the market in the coming months, it promises to be another challenging year. Without changing the equation quickly and finding a way to get our ganja to market, many farmers are facing their last ride.

I am rooting for us all and am sending you my very best!

Much love,

Jesse

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Jesse Duncan is a lifelong Humboldt County resident, a father of six, a retired financial advisor, and a full-time commercial cannabis grower. He is also the creator of NorCal Financial and Cannabis Consulting, a no-cost platform that helps small farmers improve their cultivation, business, and financial skills. Please check out his blog at, his Instagram at jesse_duncann, and connect with him on Linkedin.

Born November 3, 1990, Chad passed peacefully surrounded by family on March 18, 2022 at the age of 31 following a seven-year battle with brain cancer.

Chad is survived by his loving wife, Morgan June Douglas. After being together 5 years, they married May 31, 2020 at Morgan’s grandparent’s home. Chad and Morgan made the most of their time together; first and foremost, their favorite place was the family cabin. This is where Chad proposed to Morgan. They went to concerts and made road trips to California and Oregon. They toured the east coast, where Chad made certain he had a Philly Cheese Sandwich in Philadelphia. There was a cruise to Alaska where they toured and hired a helicopter to go onto a glacier. They flew to Europe and traveled to several countries, learning about German beer and how to make pasta.

Chad loved to barbecue and got the grill out as often as he could. He had the chicken recipe down to a science. Often, they would host dinners at their house and Chad would BBQ meats, shellfish and chicken for dinner accompanied by the meat and fish they smoked. Chad was proud that the food was almost always things he had hunted or caught.

Chad and his dad, Larry, fished, crabbed, dug clams and hunted deer, elk and birds. Chad harvested his last elk from the Crescent City area in the fall of 2021. In the past they had hunted in Montana, New Mexico, Nevada and Oregon. Hunting and fishing were his passion… Larry and Chad were so compatible doing this together; it was a blessing for both of them.

Chad attended local elementary schools and graduated from Eureka High School in 2009. Following classes at College of the Redwoods and U.C. Davis, Chad followed in his father’s footsteps and worked as a PG&E estimator for 10 years. He loved the challenge and enjoyed the work and people he worked with. Friends from work came to see Chad when he was ill, which cheered him immensely.

Chad, his dad and their friends used to go to the family cabin on Pilot Ridge where they had many competitive shoot outs and card games. Morgan and Chad went to the cabin often. The cabin was remote, tranquil and off the grid. The cabin was especially important to Chad because of the memories it held. Chad also enjoyed his Thursday nights playing cards with the poker group.

Chad loved his mom, Shirley, and was proud of the great meals and the warm and loving home she kept. Shirley provided the foundation for the generous and gracious person he became. She was always volunteering in his classes growing up and went on many field trips with him. Chad always said he had a great childhood.

He loved his grandpa, Ibe Kryla, who passed several years ago. Chad was very attentive to his grandpa’s needs in his later years.

Chad is survived by his loving parents, Larry and Shirley Kryla. He is also survived by his Aunt Sue and Uncle Bruce Alton and cousins Rustin and Steven Alton; Aunt Linda Dudley and cousins Daryl and Michael Seaton; and by Morgan’s family, David and Sylvia Douglas and their daughters Tara (Robert) and Erin and her son River, along with many numerous cousins and friends.

Chad’s humor and bravery in his illness were epic. He never complained or was gloomy. He always took the high road and remained upbeat and happy. With the difficulties he faced, it was incredible and inspiring.

The family wishes to thank Chad’s best friend, Cameron Shively, for his devoted, lifelong friendship. Everyone should have a friend as good as Cameron.

John 16:33:

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

A memorial mass will be held at St. Bernard Church located at 615 H Street, Eureka on April 1 at 10 a.m. followed by the Catholic Rite of Burial at St. Bernard Cemetery. Chad’s Celebration of Life will be held 2 – 5 p.m. at the Sequoia Conference Center located at 901 Myrtle Avenue, Eureka.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Bernard Church for masses for Chad or Hospice of Humboldt.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Chad Kryla’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.

After seeing that the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) made several drug-related arrests in Arcata yesterday, including  two individuals who were arrested and booked for selling psilocybin mushrooms, some folks might be a little confused. Didn’t Arcata decriminalize shrooms? Why are people still getting arrested for them, man? you might be asking yourself.

And it’s a valid question. The Arcata City Council did pass a resolution last year that decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms, mescaline, ayahuasca and other entheogenic plants in the City. But what exactly the resolution means for the community, may need some further explanation. Reached by the phone late Friday morning, Sergeant Matthew Tomlin offered some clarification as to why the task force made the shrooms-related arrests.

“First of all, it’s illegal to sell psilocybin mushrooms anywhere in the state of California,” Tomlin told the Outpost. “And what direction the council gives to their own law enforcement agency, that’s their choice. But that does not affect how the drug task force is going to enforce the law.”

So, yes, the HCDTF – which operates out of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s office – does not need to adhere to Arcata’s resolution. But, to be clear, the resolution also does not prohibit the Arcata Police Department from making arrests for the sale of magic mushrooms or other entheogenic plants. From the resolution, drafted by local advocacy group Decriminalize Nature Humboldt:

… Investigation and arrest of persons for planting, cultivating, purchasing, transporting, distributing, engaging in practices with, or possessing Entheogenic Plants and Fungi or plant compounds which are on the Federal Schedule 1 list shall not be a public safety priority for the City of Arcata; and that only limited City funds and resources be used to investigate, detain, arrest or pursue prosecution for an alleged violation of State and federal law regarding the use of Entheogenic plants by a person twenty-one (21) years of age and older when other code violations are present such as a public disturbance, driving while under the influence, use in the presence of minors, or jeopardizing public safety.

Basically, Arcata’s resolution directs law enforcement to treat the possession and use of psychedelics – like shrooms – as a low priority, and says that police should only really arrest people for the use of psychedelics if they’re breaking another law or causing a ruckus. The resolution also doesn’t really offer any protection for the sale of psychedelics, although it does cover “distribution.”

Arcata Police Chief Brian Ahearn told the Outpost that his department certainly has adhered to the council’s wish to not prioritize psilocybin mushrooms or other psychedelics and the department has not been making arrests related to these types of substances. The APD already didn’t consider psychedelics a priority, even prior to the resolution, Ahearn said.

Picture of psilocybin mushrooms and meth confiscated in Arcata Thursday | Photo: HCDTF

But Ahearn does feel that sale of any drugs on the street – shrooms included – is a problem, and one that he does want to prioritize addressing.

“[Dealing] is illegal, regardless of the substance,” Ahearn told the Outpost. “That’s a message that’s important for us to send…We have a significant addiction problem in Arcata and that applies to adults and applies to youth. And if we as a police department aren’t working to try to keep people away from [drugs], then I’m not doing my job.”

Ahearn says drug sales on the Arcata Plaza have been an ongoing issue and something that the department receives many calls about from concerned community members. Because of the volume of calls, Ahearn decided to ask the DTF for assistance and requested that agents “engage in undercover operations regarding continued complaints of controlled substances on the plaza,” he said. Ahearn added that he didn’t specify which substances he wanted the DTF to look out for, but just made a general request for assistance.

But Tomlin assured the Outpost that busting people for shrooms was not one of the goals of Thursday’s sting operation. Like the APD, the HCDTF does not consider psilocybin mushrooms a priority when it comes to enforcement and is much more concerned with more dangerous substances, such as methamphetamines, heroin and fentanyl – a drug that the HCDTF is especially concerned about right now, with Humboldt County seeing a recent uptick in overdoses from fentanyl.

“We don’t go out actively looking for psilocybin mushrooms,” Tomlin told the Outpost. “But it is our responsibility – and something Sheriff Honsal takes great pride in – to address neighborhood oriented types of problems. By that I mean when local agencies reach out to the Drug Task Force and advise us on issues in their area, that we will assist them.”

Wanting to help Arcata address the issues with drug dealing on the plaza, the HCDTF sent undercover agents on a buy operation. Tomlin said that the agent did not actively search for psilocybins, but asked about purchasing other, harder substances – meth, heroin, fentanyl. After arresting two individuals for methamphetamines, the agents returned to the Plaza and asked around some more. Tomlin said that this time no one said they had access to those substances, but one person did say he knew someone selling “shrooms” and put the agent in contact with them. The two individuals selling the shrooms were then arrested. 

When contacted about the arrests, Arcata Councilmember Sarah Schaefer – who had placed the resolution to decriminalize entheogens on the city council agenda – said that she feels the police acted correctly in this instance. Schaefer did say that these arrests have prompted her to initiate another meeting with the APD and Decriminalize Nature Humboldt to discuss safety concerns and education surrounding the sale of psilocybin mushrooms. The purpose of Arcata’s resolution was to decriminalize entheogenic plants for personal use and to show that Arcata understands the therapeutic benefits these plants can have, Schaefer said. 

“We don’t want to see people dealing drugs on the Plaza — where students, families, kids are hanging out,” Schaefer told the Outpost. “The spirit of the resolution is not seeking out people who are using [entheogens] for personal use and personal benefits. But there were mass sales going on, which is not permitted under the resolution.”