Putting a whole new meaning to "getting high off the great outdoors," a marijuana crop is currently burning in California.
By now, we all know that California is engulfed in flames, with nearly 200,000 acres burning in Northern California. The fires have devastated the area's vineyards, particularly in Napa and Sonoma Counties. But besides wine, there's another budding industry that's taking a hit by way of flames. https://www.instagram.com/p/BaHMoiQl8hB/?taken-by=sfgate Just months before its debut, recreational marijuana crops residing in Sonoma County and Mendocino County have been scorched by the wildfire. Currently, the area is the center of California's marijuana industry. Mendocino is one of three California counties that make up the Emerald Triangle. This is where much of the United States' marijuana is produced. This creates some devastating news not just for marijuana lovers, but for those who have dedicated their entire lives to their grow in the area. Tens of thousands of cannabis growers live in Northern California -- and unfortunately, due to federal restrictions, none of them have insurance. Hezekia Allen, the executive director of the California Growers Association, said on October 12 that at least seven farms have been destroyed. And the number is only expected to climb. Even crops that may not have been touched by flames may suffer significantly from smoke, soot, and ash damage, and be ultimately unusable. Growers will have to work double time to assess the damage, test their product, and make some tough decisions on what product is usable and what isn't. https://www.instagram.com/p/BaLTN-kBKg7/?tagged=northerncaliforniafires It's a sticky situation for these growers (puns aside). It's a pretty devastating hit to their business and livelihoods. While the average customer may not care what their weed tastes, looks, and smells like, those are very important components that dispensaries and bulk-buyers are looking for. Not only that, but beyond aesthetic and smell, smoke tends to stick to marijuana, so the crops that were exposed to contaminants could present a health risk to consumers. Quality marijuana crops pull their value on flavor and scent -- they don't call it "Super Lemon Haze" for nothing. Allen claims, "If it's supposed to smell like lemon and it smells like wildfire, that's going to be a significant detractor."
On top of it all, October is the end of growing season in Northern California -- meaning these destroyed crops were close to harvesting, so this completely throws off the production timelines of these farms. Which is incredibly unfortunate, especially for a state that has long been medically legal but, just last November, voted to legalize recreational marijuana, allowing 21+ consumers to possess limited amounts of personal use. The law was expected to take place in January 2018.
Hopefully, these farms will be able to salvage what they can, in hopes of not falling into ruin. This exact situation brings into light the extremely important matter of federal agencies respecting state regulations so farms, establishments, etc., can get the proper insurance for their product.
California has been the country's marijuana growing hub for years, and its market alone is estimated to be worth about $7 billion. A worthwhile investment for the country to try and protect.
