Stifling taxes in California’s cannabis system threaten to push legacy growers out of business. That could erase a major part of cannabis history.

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The cannabis industry’s famed Emerald Triangle is made up of the lush growing regions in Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties of Northern California—but high taxes and large corporations are threatening this community of multi-generational farmers who want to grow high quality weed as a passion, not just for profit.

One local Humboldt advocate and farm owner, Rose Moberly, is bringing awareness to the plight of the Emerald Triangle by circulating a petition to gain support.

Moberly has an impressive and extensive history working in the cannabis history. Starting from her roots interning for the Colorado Senate as an environmental lobbyist to rising in the ranks of a trimming job, grow facilities and even a track-and-trace METRC auditor, she’s explored many facets of the cannabis industry. Things really took off two years ago when she was invited to travel to California to educate small farmers about the track-and-trace system.

Ultimately, this path led her not only to find love, but also to her current role as co-operator of a second-generation farm called Huckleberry Hill Farms. “Long story short, I wound up falling in love with a certain legacy farmer [John Casali], who challenges me to be a better woman everyday, and I moved out [to Humboldt] over two years ago.”

Moberly describes Huckleberry Hill Farms “as mom-and-pop as it can get!” and her passion for cannabis advocacy and growing knows no bounds. However, small farmers in the Emerald Triangle are facing a dire situation. The tight-knit region of farmers are being challenged by corporations, who jumped onto the cannabis bandwagon once it hit mainstream popularity, without little effort in advocacy or legalization assistance.

“I think it’s important for people to realize where a multi-billion-dollar industry is being created from, and what they had to go through with the War on Drugs in order to legalize this amazing powerful plant,” Moberly told High Times.

More importantly, the shockingly high cultivation taxes that are required to grow in California makes operation difficult for all small farmers, not just those who operate within the Emerald Triangle region. If the current trajectory for taxes doesn’t change, it could be game over for small farmers everywhere. “All farmers no matter where they are in the state of California are suffering from over taxation and over supply,” she explained. “Together we need to communicate with regulators that if they are going to continue to permit farms without federal legalization, they will continue to drive the price down. The Emphasis on the Emerald Triangle has to do with protecting a culture that is not found anywhere else in the entire world, not just California.”

Moberly is confident that some of the nation’s best and most unique cannabis strains are bred in the Emerald Triangle, and if those farmers are forced to shut down due to exorbitant tax requirements, those strains could also disappear forever. “Furthermore, the Emerald Triangle is like the Amazon jungle of genetics. Some of the Legacy Growers here, I’m sure, hold a unique strain of cannabis that might even have the cure for cancer, or Autism, epilepsy, etc,” she said. “If those Farms aren’t able to make it in today’s climate some of those strains and cultivars might possibly be lost forever.”

Moberly shared that a recent local survey showed that 50 to 60 percent of cannabis farms won’t survive through 2022 if some kind of emergency regulations are put in place. Which is why she decided to take action and start the petition “Save the Emerald Triangle Legacy Cannabis Farmers.”

“As a result, farmers who sold flower products last year at $1,400 a pound are now forced to sell their products at $300 per lb to pay their bills,” she wrote on the petition webpage. “Due to the state’s fixed dollar tax, those farmers will be asked to pay a 53 percent cultivation tax of $161.28; while the remaining leaf product which some farmers had to offload as low as $15 per pound will be charged $48 per pound for state taxes. At that price, they’re being subjected to a 320 percent tax rate!”

With enough signatures, she will send a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, as well as state legislature, to plead the case on behalf of California farmers everywhere. In the meantime, you can help support the cause by visiting the petition here.

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A new cannabis film documentary entitled Lady Buds, releasing this weekend, explores the lives and challenges of female business owners.

The cannabis industry has heavily benefitted from niche documentaries, which present a professional way to educate viewers about the stigma of cannabis, its history on the War on Drugs or its effectiveness as a medicine. Films such as WEED (2013), featuring CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, who opened up the conversation about medical cannabis to the nation. Weed the People (2018) explores the effectiveness of medical cannabis for children. Grass is Greener (2019) examines the history of music and its depiction of the War on Drugs.

Now it’s time to enjoy a new cinematic adventure in the form of Lady Buds—a unique perspective about female cannabis business owners from all walks of life.

Lady Buds recounts the lives and businesses of a diverse cast of individuals in Northern California, varying in race, age and sexual orientation. Seven women, who represent six cannabis businesses, are featured in Lady Buds: Sue Taylor, Chiah Rodriques, Felicia Carbajal, Karyn Wagner and The Bud Sisters (Pearl Moon and Dr. Joyce Centofanti). From cultivation to dispensary ownership and topical creation, these women all faced numerous challenges during the 2017-2019 window when the documentary was filmed. Lady Buds presents an intimate look at the lives of each subject, but also challenges the stereotypes both of “stoners” in general, as well as those of women in the industry.

Check out this exclusive clip from the film, featuring Karyn Wagner who shares an experience that her business ran into shortly after legalization in California went live. Enjoy this sneak peek!

High Times conducted an exclusive interview with Director, Producer and Writer Chris J. Russo in the High Times’ November Issue, aka the Women’s Issue, where she offered an inside look at her film and what kind of experience it presents to audiences. According to Russo, Lady Buds is the first of its kind—and it all began with a statistic about women in the industry that stuck with her. A few key studies have produced some shocking data about women in the industry, or lack thereof.

Back in 2015, according to a study conducted by Marijuana Business Daily (MBD), 36 percent of women held executive roles in the industry. By 2017, that percentage dropped by 26.9 percent, and then increased back up to 36.8 percent by 2019. MBD’s 2021 report entitled “Women & Minorities in the Cannabis Industry” shows a continued decline both in women, as well as people of color.

Lady Buds illuminates the issues that women face in this industry, but also highlights the challenges of all small cannabis businesses fighting to compete with larger cannabis corporations. “This film is kind of nothing like you’ve ever seen before because there hasn’t ever really been a film that’s showed such a wide range of areas that’s just like seeing it through a female lens,” Russo told High Times. “In my film, you explore the challenges of the entire supply chain with the women who are directly engaged in it. I like to make films that I want to see, so I want see more women in the positions of power in roles that are very positive.”

If you live near Los Angeles or San Francisco, check out the following live theatrical events:

November 26-27: Glendale Laemmle Theatre, 207 N. Maryland Ave., Glendale, CA 91206

November 29: Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St. San Francisco, CA 94103

The film will be releasing in select theaters on November 26, and will also be available on video on demand services such as iTunes.

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A Northern California federal judge ruled this month that Siskiyou County officials cannot stop trucks delivering water to Hmong unlicensed cannabis growers, writing that the ban raises “serious questions” about their right to be free of racial discrimination. 

In a decision handed down earlier this month, Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller wrote that preventing the deliveries to the Mount Shasta Vista subdivision in the Big Springs area of inland Northern California also leaves the families living there without a source of water for drinking, cooking and bathing. To enforce her order, Mueller issued a temporary injunction against the county’s ban on water deliveries trucked into the community.

“Without an injunction, the plaintiffs and other members of the Shasta Vista Hmong community will likely go without water for their basic needs and will likely lose more plants and livestock,” she wrote. “Fires may burn more homes. People may be forced to leave their homes and land behind without compensation.

“The plaintiffs have also raised serious questions about their constitutional right to be free from racial discrimination,” Mueller added.

Thousands of Illicit Greenhouses

Officials estimate that there are 5,000 to 6,000 greenhouses growing unlicensed marijuana in the Big Springs area, many of them in the Shasta Vista subdivision operated by Hmong and Chinese immigrants and their families who have moved to the community over the last five years. Officials say the illicit grow sites have led to a rise in crime in the area and complaints from residents who say the cannabis cultivation operations are causing their wells to run dry.

To address the issue, Siskiyou County officials approved ordinances this spring to prohibit selling well water without a permit and to ban water trucks on roads leading to Shasta Vista. County deputies enforced the ordinances by aggressively pulling over people they believed were hauling water illegally, according to reporting by the Sacramento Bee.

Attorneys for a group of Hmong farmers filed suit in federal court in Sacramento to block the ordinances, arguing that they were racially motivated and left the families without water for their homes, gardens and livestock. They also noted that the ban left the community without water to fight wildfires, such as the Lava Fire that burned through parts of Shasta Vista in June after a nearby lightning strike.

Suit Alleges Ordinances Were Racially Motivated

Mueller wrote in her September 3 ruling that the growers have a case to allege “the ordinances are motivated by racial animus,” but acknowledged that Siskiyou County attorneys had presented a compelling case that crime was on the upswing in the area.

“Violent crime in Shasta Vista has also spiked in recent years,” she wrote. “The Sheriff’s Office has responded to reports of armed robbery, assault and murder. In just one recent week, a man was pistol-whipped and robbed; another was the target of gunshots fired by a neighbor, and six people were bound and robbed by gunmen wielding AK-47s. Few similar crimes were reported in Shasta Vista before illegal cannabis cultivation took hold.”

Mueller let stand a county ordinance that specifically banned selling water for illegal cannabis cultivation. The injunction only applies to water sales and deliveries to the community intended for needs including bathing and gardening. Mueller rejected county arguments that the prohibition on water deliveries was needed to protect residents of Shasta Vista, many of whom live in unpermitted residences and are subject to unsafe living conditions. The judge ruled that the county has other laws including zoning ordinances to address those issues.

“Shasta Vista residents might drink and bathe in unpotable water trucked into Shasta Vista from nearby agricultural wells, but the alternative is very little water or no water at all,” she wrote. “If potable water is in fact ready available, as the county claims… this order in no way prohibits officials from helping the people in Shasta Vista find and use that potable water.”

The attorneys for the lead plaintiff, Dilevon Lo, are Allison Margolin and James Raza Lawrence of Margolin & Lawrence. Raza Lawrence said that he hopes that Mueller’s injunction becomes permanent in order to avert a “humanitarian crisis” in the area.

“Now they can finally get back to living their lives like normal on their land,” he said.

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The cannabis cup is virtual this year—virtually awesome, that is, with our People’s Choice edition making it possible to judge safely from the comfort of your home. Here are the winners of the Cannabis Cup Northern California: People’s Choice Edition 2021.

Thank you to all the judges who put their hearts and souls into judging the competition entries to help crown the best of Northern California! For more info on how to become a judge and to sign up for updates, please visit CannabisCup.com/preregister.

Indica Flower

First Place: Atrium Cultivation – Juice Z

Second Place: LitHouse – Runtz

Third Place: Top-Shelf Cultivation – Whoa-Si-Whoa

Fourth Place: Green Dragon – Mamba Mints

Fifth Place: Caliva – Kush Mints

Sativa Flower

First Place Garcia Hand Picked – Super Lemon Haze

Second Place: Sovereign – Mother’s Milk

Third Place: Green Dragon – 80’s Baby

Fourth Place: LitHouse – Orange Daquiri

Fifth Place: Ember Valley – Jack Cake

Hybrid Flower

First Place: Sovereign – Miracle Alien Cookies

Second Place: Sense – Rainbow Chip

Third Place: UMMA Sonoma – Apples & Bananas

Fourth Place: LitHouse – 5Alive

Fifth Place: Phinest Cannabis – Carbon Fiber

Sungrown Flower

First Place: High Supply – Gordo

Second Place: Phinest Cannabis – Fresh Squeeze OG

Third Place: Fumé – Dank Fruit

Pre-Rolls

First Place: Cream of the Crop – Diamond Barrel Infused Pre-Roll

Second Place: Kingpen – Cannalope AK x Cannalope Kush Infused Kingroll

Third Place: Sovereign – Solventless Mother’s Milk Fatso Geode Pre-Roll

Fourth Place: Atrium Cultivation – ’92 OG Pre-Roll

Fifth Place: Heavy Hitters – Diamond Infused Pre-Roll

Solvent Concentrates

First Place: URSA Extracts – Orange Creamsicle Diamond Holy Water

Second Place: Mohave Gold – Zkittle Mints Badder

Third Place: Gold Drop – Orange Fruity Pebbles Diamond Badder

Fourth Place: Green Dragon – Lucky #7 Badder

Fifth Place: Phinest Cannabis – S.P.B.S. Live Resin

Non-Solvent Concentrates

First Place: HolyWater x Grandiflora x Oakfruitland – UNHOLY Piña Acai Live Rosin

Second Place: Jetty Extracts – Garlic Cookies Solventless Cold Cure 90μ

Third Place: CritiCal x DNA Genetics – Ztrawberriez Live Rosin

Fourth Place: Lowell Farms – Bianchetto Live Rosin

Fifth Place: CLSICS – LMK Live Rosin

Sativa Vape Pens

First Place: Dripp – Grape Soda Sativa Vape

Second Place: Buddies – Berry Jane – Sativa Vape

Third Place: Dime Industries – Mango Diesel Sativa Vape

Fourth Place: Jetty Extracts – Cannalope Haze Live Resin Sativa Vape

Fifth Place: Select – Elite Live Orangezina Sunset Sativa Vape

Indica Vape Pens

First Place: Kingpen – Zookies Indica Vape

Second Place: Jetty Extracts – Banana Creme Solventless Indica Vape

Third Place: CLSICS – GMO x Silver Grape Solventless Indica Vape

Fourth Place: Phinest Cannabis – Wedding Pie Live Resin Indica Vape

Fifth Place: Caliva – Alien OG Fresh Flower Indica Vape

Edibles: Gummies

First Place: Green Revolution – Doozies Mango Chile Gummies

Second Place: Kanha – 1:1:1 CBN Tranquility Gummies

Third Place: Sensi – Bedtime Blueberry Melatonin Gummies

Fourth Place: Good News – Pride Sour Gummies

Fifth Place: KIVA: Lost Farm – Super Lemon Haze Strawberry Lemonade Live Resin Gummies

Edibles: Non-Gummies

First Place: Bhang – Ice Chocolate Bar

Second Place: KIVA: Lost Farm – Blue Dream Blueberry Live Resin Fruit Chews

Third Place: Dollar Dose – Fruit Punch Lozenge

Fourth Place: Santa Cruz Mountaintops – Ganja Doses Blue Dream Mints

Fifth Place: Jelly Wizard – White Chocolate Magic Morsels

Edibles: Beverages

First Place: Manzanita Naturals – The Fizz Infused Cola

Second Place: House of Saka – Spark Mimosa

Third Place: Wunder – Sessions Grapefruit Hibiscus Beverage

Fourth Place: Santa Cruz Mountaintops – Beber Heal Beverage Mix

Fifth Place: TONIK – Mixed Berry Seltzer

Topicals, Tinctures and Capsules

First Place: Dr. Raw Organics – Relax Formula Twist up Topical Balm

Second Place: THC Living – Freeze 1:1 Cold Therapy Roll-On

Third Place: Select – Squeeze Hint of Sweet Beverage Tincture

Fourth Place: Green Revolution – Deep Rest Avocado Oil Tincture

Fifth Place: Day Dreamers – Liquid Dreams – Indica Capsules

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