CA Immigration raids invade the fight with Trump for marijuana-calm

From Alexey KossefCalmness

This story was originally published by CalmattersS Register about their ballots.

Following massive federal attacks last week at two cannabis farms in southern California, the United Odds Farm workers publishes an emergency message to his social media accounts. As weeds remain illegal under the federal law, the Union advises workers who are non -US citizens to avoid jobs in the cannabis industry, even in state -licensed facilities.

“We know this is unfair,” workers wrote at United Ferms on Monday, “but we encourage you to protect yourself and your family.”

Glass House Farms Camarillo and Carpinteria facilities at the Camarillo and Carpinteria Immigration, one of the largest licensed cannabis companies in the country, upset the legal industry in Californ

The chaotic scene brought to the fore for fears that weed farms could become an easy target as president Donald Trump He strengthens deportations because just working in the industry could provide the criminal pretext of arresting even a legal immigrant.

He also appeared for many traumatic memories of raids during the “war against drugs”, raising the alarms that the Trump administration can solidify its position against what remains a federal illegal substance.

“It makes sense that the community has become a little smug in our legalization balloons,” says Karen Woodson, senior compliance and licensing of KIVA brands and chairman of the Board of the California Association of Cannabis Industry. “We are definitely in a moment of uncertainty.”

Fears from California Cannabis producers have largely faded in recent decades as voters have legalized medical marijuana in 1996 and its entertainment in 2016. The legal market was Nearly $ 4.9 billion last year and hired 83,000 people are expectedAlthough his growth is uncertain as it a fight for a competition with a stubbornly healthy illegal industry.

But every sense of ease was clicked by immigration attacks last week, which were tied to suspected work disorders by Glass House Farms. Federal authorities eventually report More than 360 arrests Of people who suspected that they were illegally in the country and the restoration of 14 minor immigrants. Farms Glass House did not answer questions via email.

“There is an absolutely increased risk of working for a cannabis facility. It shouldn’t be so,” Woodson said. “People must be aware of this risk and we must be prepared as an industry to manage this risk.”

The Trump administration did not indicate whether these operations were an isolated incident or a reflection of the displacement of the priorities for the use of cannabis. The US Drug Administration did not answer questions via email.

Defenders hoped that Trump could finally lead the way to the laxation of federal cannabis restrictions. But since then prompt during his campaign Last fall, he would lower the weed classification so that his medical uses could be more easily studied, Trump has does not make movements to reschedulingS

Other developments signal that inertia can move in the opposite direction. During his hearing to confirm the Trump candidate to lead DEA will not commit to removing cannabis from the list of serious drugs and in congress there is continuous effort Block its pre -classificationS

“We can’t take anything for granted,” Steph Sherr, CEO of the advocacy group “Americans for Safe Access,” warned members of the video call industry last week after raids. “We are dependent on this wider layer of support for medical cannabis currently being tested.”

She suggested that the producers learn how to read a search order, have a criminal lawyer on the retainer, and plan how they would pay for a warranty.

Not everyone believes it’s time to panic. Some local cannabis industry has noted that Glass House facilities are surrounded by other weed farms that have not been attacked by federal authorities, which may mean that the operation is not fully related to drugs.

The California Department of Cannabis Control subsequently confirmed that it was active Investigation of a child labor complaint against the company.

“The employment of persons under the age of 21 in the cannabis industry is a strictly illegal, serious question and is not tolerated,” said spokesman David Hafner in a statement.

This article was Originally Published on CalMatters and was reissued under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Noderivatives License.