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About Applegater. (Jacksonville, OR) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2014)
20 Summer 2014 Applegater Legal marijuana in southern Oregon: now and later by hAlEy mAy In the spirit of this issue’s theme of “environment, fire and recreation,” I’ll begin this article about marijuana in the Applegate with the question: How does the growing of legal marijuana affect the environment in the Applegate area? For more information about this, I talked to Laird Funk, a long-time political activist in Williams, who has extensive knowledge of cannabis and its laws in Oregon. It’s the illegal growers, Laird explained, who employ worrisome practices like the use of pesticides, herbicides and rat poison because folks who are growing illegally are probably doing it for the money and want to get the most product they can, using nonorganic means to proliferate their crop. Perhaps this is the situation Jakob Shockey was writing about last winter in his Applegater article, “Poisoned marijuana grows are silencing our forests.” According to Laird, “Legal growers are growing organically in this area and have zero negative impact on the environment,” though he says some may be using fertilizers like 13-13-13 (known as triple 13). In November 1998, Oregon voters passed the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act allowing for the cultivation, possession and use of marijuana prescribed by a doctor. The Act does not affect federal law, which prohibits cultivation and possession, but this doesn’t prevent about 11,400 people in Josephine and Jackson counties from using medical marijuana. All of that cannabis needs to grow somewhere, probably in the country as opposed to town. Patients can grow for themselves or get their medicine from a licensed grower or caregiver. Caregivers can grow, transport, buy from growers on behalf of patients and do any other needed task surrounding medical marijuana without prosecution. Growers simply grow, for no more than four patients at a time, and may possess no more than six mature plants, 18 seedlings under 12’’, or 24 ounces of usable marijuana at one time. (This also goes for caregivers who grow.) A typical plant produces one-half to one pound of marijuana. We can’t track how many acres are used for illegal marijuana, of course, and so we can’t regulate the use of pesticides, rat poison and herbicides or follow the contamination of mold or mildew. But for legal marijuana, House Bill 3460 gives this job to the dispensaries. This bill, which went into effect on March 1 of this year, authorizes the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to establish procedures to license and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. Nonprofit dispensaries are a way of connecting medical marijuana patients to the medicine they need for conditions such as severe migraines, seizures or PTSD (post- traumatic stress disorder). Dispensaries also provide growers with a lawful outlet for surplus marijuana, preventing it from entering the black market. At the moment, there are two issues with this legislation. First, how will we go about testing for mold, mildew and pesticides? How often? What are the standards? What levels of toxins are acceptable? Second, Senate Bill 1531 allows (though it does not mandate) cities to ban dispensaries. Ashland and Grants Pass have such moratoriums in place, which will last for up to a year. Problems like these come with the process of “learning” how to have medical marijuana in Oregon and make everyone happy. Hopefully these issues will be non-permanent and, according to Laird, we should expect a ballot measure this November asking for votes for or against legalizing marijuana as a recreational drug in Oregon. And, he says, we should expect it to pass. Haley May • hmaylmt@gmail.com Author’s note: Information for this article was drawn from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA) website, marijuana-caregiver. com, southernoregonalternativemedicine. com, oregon-medical-marijuana-program. info, the winter 2013 Applegater, and an interview with local political activist Laird Funk of Williams. Summer hikes offered by Williams Community Forest Project by jANIS bOgdANOVIch The Williams Community Forest Project (WCFP) loves our local forest ecosystem! Our backyard woods provide the Williams community with physical, emotional and spiritual sustenance. Our valley’s public and private forest lands consist of a diverse mix of flora and fauna, some of which are endemic to the region. These woodlands of conifers, hardwoods and brush species, with miles of clear streams running through them, provide habitat for myriad species of wildlife and fish. Our local forest ecosystem provides clean air and water, miles of recreational trails to enjoy, and opportunities to wildcraft the bounty of the forest. The community’s relationship with the forest and its species enables a close connection that is mutually sustaining for all. WCFP, which is dedicated to sustaining the ecological balance of the forest through education, outreach and advocacy at the local, state and national levels, is happy to announce its first summer season hike schedule! Come one, come all (and leashed dogs). Hope you can make at least one or all of the hikes. The following descriptions of the hikes include length and difficulty. Wear comfortable walking shoes and be sure to bring water and snacks. We will meet at the Williams Grange at 10 am to carpool. Each hike will happen rain or shine. Maps of the hikes can be seen on our website at williamscommunityforestproject. org. For more information, call Janis at 541-846-0813 or email info@ williamscommunityforestproject.org. • June 29 Shooting Star Trail System at Marble Gulch and White Oak Difficulty: Moderate with an elevation gain of 750 feet Distance: Approximately 4 miles, loop trail This hike will give you the experience of a diverse ecological forest with some old growth. The trail includes Marble Gulch, home to a marble mine that provided a block for the Washington Monument. • July 20 Glade Fork Creek Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 2.5 miles round trip Hiking opportunities abound in our mountains. Photo: Pam Sewell. This beautiful trail offers several creek crossings, with a combination of shade and sun. • August 10 Lower Grayback Mountain Trail Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 3.5-mile loop Lower Grayback trail is a cool hike in the summer under a canopy of second- and old-growth diverse conifers and hardwoods. Janis Bogdanovich Williams Community Forest Project info@williamscommunityforestproject.com
