Local farmers recently raised what seemed like a simple question: Anyone growing hemp legally in Kern County ought to be able to sell it on the side of the road just like growers of other crops, right?
The idea was never to get customers high — unlike its twin, marijuana, hemp has very little THC and so isn't psychoactive. But consumers could still buy and smoke the stuff as a tobacco alternative, as they do in other parts of the country.
kAmq6D:56D[ H92EVD E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? AF77:?8 :E 2?5 E2<:?8 5C@AD @7 E96 A@AF=2C 96>A 6IEC24E <?@H? 2D rqsnk^Am
kAm~9[ 3FE E96 :DDF6 :D?VE E92E D:>A=6 3J 2 72C D:89E]k^Am
kAmr@F?EJ @77:4:2=D 2C6 5:G:565 @? H96E96C C@25D:56 96>A DE2?5D D9@F=5 36 A6C>:EE65 6IA=:4:E=J 7@C E96 AFCA@D6 @7 D>@<:?8] p?5 =682= 6IA6CED D2J E96C6VD ?@ 62DJ 2?DH6C @? H96E96C :EVD =682= :? r2=:7@C?:2 E@ D6== E96 A=2?E :? E92E <:?5 @7 D6EE:?8]k^Am
kAm(92E 5@6D D66> 4=62C :D E92E D6EE:?8 FA 72C>\E@\E23=6 96>A D924<D 4@F=5 :?G:E6 2 H@C=5 @7 EC@F3=6 7@C E96:C @A6C2E@CD[ 6G6? E9@F89 D@>6 :? E96 :?5FDECJ G:6H E9:D <:?5 @7 4@>>6C4:2= 24E:G:EJ 2D ?@E9:?8 >@C6 E92? E96 4@?E:?F:?8 ?@C>2=:K2E:@? @7 2 4C@A 7@C H9:49 z6C? r@F?EJ 92D 56>@?DEC2E65 2 5:DE:?4E 277:?:EJ]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6VD D@ >F49 DE:8>2 2?5 4@?46C?D 23@FE E96 %wr 2?5 H92E?@E] v6E @G6C :E[Q D2:5 q2J pC62 96>A 2EE@C?6J !2EC:4< v@88:?[ 86?6C2= 4@F?D6= E@ E96 r2=:7@C?:2 w6>A r@F?4:=] QxEVD 2== 366? =682=:K65 :? E96 DE2E6]Qk^Am
kAm|2J36 D@[ 3FE :? E96 23D6?46 @7 4=62C 7656C2= 8F:56=:?6D[ 4@F?EJ @77:4:2=D D2J E96J H:== DE:4< E@ =@42= CF=6D] u@C ?@H[ E92E >62?D 2?J@?6 D6==:?8 D@ >F49 2D 2 C@==65 96>A 4:82C6EE6 >:89E 86E 92F=65 @77 E@ ;2:=]k^Am
k9bm(wxrw x$ x%nk^9bm
kAmQx7 E96J 2C6 D6==:?8 :E E@ D>@<6[ E96? :E :D >2C:;F2?2[ ?@E 96>A[Q z6C? r@F?EJ $96C:77VD ~77:46 DA@<6DH@>2? p?86=2 |@?C@6 D2:5 3J 6>2:=[ 4:E:?8 5:C64E:@? 7C@> E96 56A2CE>6?EVD ?2C4@E:4D D6C862?E] Qw6 2=D@ D2JD :7 E96J 2C6 D6==:?8 3F5D[ 282:?[ E92EVD ?@E :?5FDEC:2= 96=A] %92EVD >2C:;F2?2]Qk^Am
kAm%96 H9@=6 E9:?8 92D AFE E96 4@F?EJ 28 4@>>:DD:@?6C :? 2 5:77:4F=E A@D:E:@?]k^Am
kAmv=6?? u2?<92FD6C D2:5 2E =62DE EH@ =@42= 8C@H6CD 92G6 2AAC@24965 9:> 23@FE E96:C AC@A@D2= E@ D6E FA C@25D:56 96>A DE2?5D 7@C E96 AFCA@D6 @7 D6==:?8 D@>6 @7 E96:C 4C@A E@ D>@<6CD]k^Am
kAmp?5 J6D[ 96 D2:5[ E96 72C>6CD :? BF6DE:@? 2D<65 E@ D6== E96 7=@H6C — E96 3F5 — ?@E :ED =62G6D @C DE6>D] %92EVD E96 A2CE @7 E96 A=2?E H:E9 E96 9:896DE 4@?46?EC2E:@? @7 rqs[ @C 42??23:5:@=[ H9:49 >2?J 4=2:> :>A2CED 2 D6?D6 @7 A6246[ 2>@?8 @E96C AFCA@CE65 962=E9 36?67:ED]k^Am
kAmQ%92E :D <:?5 @7 2 ?6H ?:496 >2C<6E E92E E96JVC6 H@C<:?8 @?[ :D D>@<23=6 96>A 7@C E96 rqs 36?67:E[Q u2?<92FD6C D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6 564=:?65 E@ :56?E:7J E96 8C@H6CD[ H9@ 5:5 ?@E C6DA@?5 E@ 2 C6BF6DE 7@C 4@>>6?E A=2465 H:E9 u2?<92FD6C]k^Am
k9bm%t$% #t$&{%$k^9bm
kAmqJ 7656C2= =2H[ 96>A 4@?E2:?:?8 >@C6 E92? _]b A6C46?E %wr :D >2C:;F2?2 2?5 >FDE 36 56DEC@J65]k^Am
kAm#646?E E6DED A6C7@C>65 3J u2?<92FD6CVD @77:46 @? D2>A=6D @7 >@C6 E92? a_ =@42= 96>A 7:6=5D 92G6 2== E6DE65 36=@H E96 7656C2= =:>:E 6I46AE @?6[ 2?5 96 D2:5 E92E 7:6=5 E6DE65 H6== 36=@H _]b A6C46?E @? 2AA62=] %96 C2?5@>:K65 E6DED 2C6 5@?6 @? 2 >2D9FA @7 E96 H9@=6 A=2?E[ ?@E ;FDE E96 3F5[ H9:49 2=D@ 4@?E2:?D E96 A=2?EVD 9:896DE %wr =6G6=D]k^Am
kAms:D28C66>6?E @G6C 9@H E@ AC@4665 H:E9 =@42= D2=6D AC6D6?ED 2? 62C=J 4@>A=:42E:@? E@ z6C?VD 7=658=:?8 6IA6C:6?46 2D E96 DE2E6VD =625:?8 AC@5F46C @7 96>A] }@ @E96C 4@F?EJ 6I4665D z6C?VD >@C6 E92? e[g__ C68:DE6C65 24C6D :? AC@5F4E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 4C@AVD 9:896DE G2=F6 :D 36=:6G65 E@ 36 7@C rqs[ H9:49 D6==D @?=:?6 7@C 36EH66? d 2?5 a_ 46?ED A6C >:==:8C2>] !C@46DD:?8 rqs :?E@ @:=[ :ED >@DE 4@>>@? 4@>>6C4:2= 7@C>[ C6BF:C6D 2 DA64:2= A6C>:E >@DE =@42= 96>A 8C@H6CD 5@ ?@E 92G6]k^Am
kAmx? 2 4@F?EJ E92E 92D 2== 3FE 32??65 >2C:;F2?2[ 4@F?EJ @77:4:2=D 92G6 D2:5 E96J =:<6 96>A 4F=E:G2E:@? 3642FD6 E96 A=2?E 4C@DD\A@==:?2E6D H:E9 2?J :==682= >2C:;F2?2 8C@H:?8 ?62C3J[ =@H6C:?8 E96 :==:4:E 4C@AVD %wr =6G6=D]k^Am
k9bm$|~zx}v wt|!k^9bm
kAm$>@<:?8 96>A >2J ?@E 36 A@AF=2C :? r2=:7@C?:2[ 3FE :EVD ?@E F?4@>>@? 6=D6H96C6]k^Am
kAm~?=:?6[ A24<D @7 a_ 96>A 4:82C6EE6D D6== 7@C 23@FE S`` E@ S`e] !C6\C@==65 96>A\7=@H6C Q;@:?EDQ 8@ 7@C 2D >F49 2D Sd_ 7@C 2 A24< @7 `a 2?5 4@>6 :? 2 G2C:6EJ @7 DEC2:?D]k^Am
kAmp 4=6C< 2E 2 =@42= rqs D9@A D2:5 96 92D C646:G65 C6BF6DED 7@C D>@<23=6 96>A] qFE 96 2?5 @E96CD D2:5 :EVD ?@E 2G2:=23=6 7@C D2=6 =@42==J]k^Am
kAm%96 AC6D:56?E @7 E96 25G@424J 8C@FA '@E6 w6>A[ tC:4 $E66?DEC2[ D2:5 E96C6 :D 2 QD:8?:7:42?EQ 2>@F?E @7 D>@<23=6 96>A D2=6D :? @E96C DE2E6D[ 2?5 E92E D@>6 4@?DF>6CD D66 :E 2D 2? 2=E6C?2E:G6 rqs 56=:G6CJ >6E9@5]k^Am
kAmxEVD 2 H2J 7@C D@>6 A6@A=6 E@ <:4< E96:C E@3244@ 923:E[ 96 D2:5[ 255:?8 E96 AC@5F4E >FDE 36 AC@A6C=J >2C<65 H:E9 :ED %wr =6G6= 4=62C=J :?5:42E65]k^Am
kAm$E66?DEC2 D2:5 96 925 ?@E 962C5 @7 8C@H6CD ECJ:?8 E@ D6== E96:C 96>A @? E96 D:56 @7 E96 C@25 3FE E92E[ <?@H:?8 72C>6CD[ 96VD ?@E DFCAC:D65]k^Am
kAmQ%96D6 72C>6CD 2C6 AC6EEJ 4C62E:G6[Q 96 D2:5] Q%96J =:<6 E@ 8@ 5:C64E E@ 4@?DF>6CD]Qk^Am
k9bmwtp{%w* wpqx%nk^9bm
kAm%C6?E y@?6D[ 2 4@F?EJ\C68:DE6C65 96>A C6D62C496C :? q2<6CD7:6=5[ D2:5 3FC?:?8 96>A D>6==D >@C6 =:<6 E@3244@ E92? >2C:;F2?2]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 96 D2:5 96 92D ?@ A=2?D E@ >2C<6E 9:D 4C@A 7@C D>@<:?8 AFCA@D6D[ E96C6 :D D@>6 DF886DE:@? E96 A=2?E[ =:<6 2== 7@C>D @7 42??23:D[ >:89E 24E 2D 2 4FC2E:G6[ 2?E:\:?7=2>>2E@CJ 286?E]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6VD 2 DEC@?8 2C8F>6?E 7@C 96>A E@ 364@>6 2 E@3244@ C6A=246>6?E[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmu2?<92FD6C[ E96 28 4@>>:DD:@?6C[ 25>:ED 96 H2D F?DFC6 H96E96C 4@F?EJ C68F=2E:@?D 2==@H C@25D:56 96>A D2=6D 7@C D>@<:?8 AFCA@D6D] qFE :E 2AA62C65 E@ 9:> 2D E9@F89 72C>6CD >:89E 92G6 2 C:89E E@ D6== E96:C 4C@A @? E96 D2>6 AC@A6CEJ H96C6 :EVD 8C@H?]k^Am
k9bm}~% {p$pv}pk^9bm
kAm%96J 5@ ?@E[ 2DD6CE65 {@C6=6: ~G:2EE[ 5:C64E@C @7 E96 4@F?EJ !=2??:?8 2?5 }2EFC2= #6D@FC46D s6A2CE>6?E]k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 3J 6>2:= E92E 2?J@?6 9@A:?8 E@ 6DE23=:D9 2 QE6>A 7CF:E DE2?5Q 7@C 96>A D2=6D :? E96 4@F?EJ H@F=5 7:CDE 92G6 E@ 4@>6 E@ 96C @77:46 — 2?5 ?@ @?6 92D 5@?6 D@]k^Am
kAmxE H@F=5 36 7:?6 7@C 8C@H6CD E@ D6== 328D @7 5C:65[ 4FC65 96>A E92E 92D 366? E6DE65 2?5 46CE:7:65 =682=[ D96 D2:5] qFE E96J 42?VE 92H< :E 2=@?8 H:E9 A:A6D @C C@==65 :?E@ 4:82C6EE6D[ H9:49 H@F=5 4@?DE:EFE6 AC@46DD:?8]k^Am
kAmQ*@F 42? D6== E@>2E@6D 2E 2 E6>A 7CF:E DE2?5[Q D96 HC@E6] Q*@F 42?VE D6== A2DE2\>2<:?8 6BF:A>6?E E@ >2<6 =2D28?2 H:E9 :E]Qk^Am
k9bm‘v#~(x}v !px}$’k^9bm
kAmv@88:?[ H:E9 E96 w@32? {2H vC@FA[ D2:5 =@42= ;FC:D5:4E:@?D H:== =:<6=J 9@=5 DH2J F?E:= E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E :DDF6D CF=6D @? 96>A D2=6D]k^Am
kAmw6 42==65 E96 C@25D:56 D2=6D :DDF6 A2CE @7 :?5FDECJ Q8C@H:?8 A2:?DQ 2?5 2 D:8? 4@?DF>6C EC6?5D 2C6 @FEA24:?8 C68F=2E:@?D] %@ 9:>[ >F49 @7 E96 AC@3=6> 4@F=5 36 C6D@=G65 3J E649?@=@8J 7@C E6DE:?8 %wr =6G6=D @? E96 DA@E]k^Am
kAm{@D p?86=6D 96>A 2EE@C?6J vC:776? %9@C?6 D2:5 E92E H9:=6 r2=:7@C?:2 92D 76H =2HD DA64:7:4 E@ 96>A D2=6D[ 2?5 ?@E9:?8 E92E DA64:7:42==J A6C>:ED D>@<:?8 @7 96>A[ @E96C DE2E6D 92G6 32??65 5:C64E\E@\4@?DF>6C 3F=< D2=6D @7 E96 A=2?E]k^Am
kAmp8C66:?8 E92E =@42= ;FC:D5:4E:@?D 42? D6E E96:C @H? CF=6D 7@C ?@H[ 96 D2:5 =2H 6?7@C46>6?E 286?4:6D H:== =:<6=J 4@>6 FA H:E9 Q4C62E:G6 H2JDQ E@ A6?2=:K6 C@25D:56 96>A D2=6D]k^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 2?J 72C>6C ECJ:?8 E@ 5@ D@ :D E2<:?8 2 C:D<]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6 :D ;FDE D@CE @7 2 32D<6E @7 :DDF6D 96C6[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
