Cannabis Cultivation Collective Proposal - Cultivate the Garden State
Media coverage of proposal
Writing in Heady NJ, Dan Ulloa referred o this proposal as “fascinating.” His report accurately conveyed the thrust of the proposal. In the process of interviewing this proposer, Bob Witanek, Dan also offered critique – he stated that he liked the idea in general but that he had concerns if there is the wherewithal to make it happen. His criticism is well taken because this will ONLY move forward if there is a significant response – please complete the “interested party” form below to offer your support and ideas.
It has just been learned that a topic was set up in Reddit to discuss this proposal – most of it is debating about if it is easy or hard to grow good product but hopefully this conversation can be leveraged to further these proposals and the collective collaborative effort of movign this forward.
This is only a preliminary sketch of this proposal – the idea is that this proposal itself will be developed by those who become part of this collective effort.
The purpose of this collective will be:
Policy Advocacy
* To support the leadership of legal grow advocates calling for the maximum number of plants per person
Legal Advocacy
* To develop a legal narrative challenging the inequality of allowing unlimited grow of a still controlled substance for those who have been anointed by the political process in NJ – specifically controlled by international investors for their benefit. Develop support for a legal challenge of this system along the lines of Ed Forchion’s challenge of NJ cannabis laws.
* Recruit pro-bono attorneys and develop legal strategy and support for those who continue to be arrested and prosecuted under NJ’s cannabis laws and in particular those arrested for grow. In addition to legal assistance, mass support demanding dropping of charges and if possible rallying outside the courthouse etc. when they are prosecuted.
Police Monitoring and Advocacy
There will soon be a fierce crackdown on all of uncontrolled markets. The police are basically now the hitters for the legal cannabis industry – taking out the competition so that the high priced and lower quality products can control the market – to undermine the competition.
We need to support the legal and political fight of those excluded to be included in the legalized cannabis system and also condemn the police crackdowns as they occur.
We need to demand NO tax funds for police enforcement of grow ban and other cannabis enforcement. This needs to be robust demand. We need to monitor the operations, how they are investigating it, what they are looking for – and we need to make this information public with analysis so interested parties can make decisions.
We need to state and organize around the demand of: ABSOLUTELY NO FUNDING FOR ANY LEVEL NJ POLICE ENFORCEMENT OF CANNABIS PROHIBITION LAWS.
Vision Advocacy
The workers and farmers of NJ own the means of production of cannabis – dirt, sun – they can get some lights and irrigation set ups, etc. NJ is trying to deny that control of the means of production through complex laws that Canada firms have admitted make it perfect for them to invest 10s of millions so THEY can be the ones to profit – not NJ workers and farmers. The revenue that cannabis will generate should go to everyone in the state – nobody needs to get rich but everyone should be able to get a hand up from this. There should be NO limits to grow – – aside from the market. The goal of unlimited grow is to minimize financial burden from corporate over priced weed and to give ordinary NJ residents the ability to improve their revenue position from the changes to cannabis law. The billionaires trying to reap all the profits – they do not need more billions but NJ workers and farmers are struggling from economic disaster that NJ currently is. We should be able to plant the cannabis plants next to our tomato plants. That is the best way for the best product to be available at the best price across the state – further improving the financial position since cannabis expenses will be reduced. The NJ system where the billionaires get paid first has to go!
Sharing of Knowledge and Resources
If there is any success in gaining grow rights – the collectives can provide growing advice and support so that growers can produce maximum quality and quantity based on their specific needs and wants. Equipment advice – grow insertions – rentals – set up assistance – consultation – ongoing care – all of these services can be offered. For most effective grow there will need to be a whole layered approach with grow start experts who can provide seedlings and immature plants, slightly mature, etc. to best suit the needs of the growers. There will likely be a whole set of laws developed to try to undermine these collective approaches – those rules need to be studied to determine the best way to get around the limitations. Those laws to continue this new flavor of prohibition also need to be opposed.
Equipment Supply Chain
It is possible that police could be monitoring purchases of grow support equipment so a means to supply from off the grid source or possibly by providing the parts that will be less subject to monitoring and assembly instructions.
Other
There are other aspects of course that need not be delineated completely and immediately. The best way to minimize every risk needs to be determined by all those who decide to be cultivators. Fact is cultivation will occur – regardless of the laws. We need to pressure NJ NOT to fund enforcement and criticize and attack all of the canna-task forces that will be forming – perhaps even WORSE than it was before we voted 2 to 1 to legalize. The idea that cannabis tax dollars are financing the canna police task forces needs to be denounced and opposed. Every aspect of funding of cannabis enforcement needs to come under political attack. We need to demand town by town policing to back off and fight back all of the towns putting bans in (See Sativa Cross participation schedule.) – which will basically give their cops even more reasons to go after weed even though it is legal. We need to also oppose any enforcement of those ordinances and challenge the constitutionality of the ordinances. Part of the effort to spread the seed around – – is full scale fightback against the onslaught of backlash with the local governments voting down local engagement.a
Leveraging the full potential of this proposal.
Stay tuned for more !
A list in formation of events around this proposal
Join the fightback – Here are the groups and initiatives organizing around this issue:
