It is time to revolt. Over taxation without representation must not stand. Join the protest.

No Drug War V2 Rally + Press Conference January 13 @ 11 am, California State Capitol | Sacramento, CA West Side, in front of the steps MASK UP! Bring your noisemakers, bring your signs. We’ll be there alongside

The advancements that the cannabis legalization movement has made to this point have been the result of great risk, sacrifice, and thousands of hours of good old-fashioned shoe-leather organizing. Activists and their advocate allies all over America have gone up against the most powerful entity on earth—the United States Government—and in many states across the land we’ve fought the law and the law did not win.

But in many ways, it feels as if we have taken two steps forward and one step back with unreasonable regulations, unfair taxation, and half-baked social equity programs that inadequately address the injustices meted out to communities of color and other disenfranchised citizenries.  Corporate carpet baggers have rushed in to exploit the green rush, displacing and edging out legacy farmers, and overzealous local governments have sought to drain the cannabis community of as much revenue as possible. Many in the cannabis industry old and new feel like this “legalization” appears a lot more like prohibition 2.0. Californians have had enough.

It is time to revolt. Over taxation without representation must not stand. Under Prop 64 we are experiencing a 53% cultivation tax. This simply cannot stand. We say no to Prohibition 2.0. We’ll be in Sacramento on Thursday, who else will be there? We are looking at the makings of a Drug War V2. If tax rates remain as is, small businesses will be pushed out of business by the unregulated market via better prices.

This rise of the unregulated market will lead to an increase in law enforcement activity in Black and Brown communities attempting to tamp it down. We can all agree no one wants to see that play out again. It didn’t work last time. It won’t work this time. When we say #NoDrugWarV2 we are saying YES to a robust regulated cannabis economy. The most direct path for Black, Brown, small farmers, and social equity operators to recover and compete is through sweeping tax reform. With the new state budget being released on January 10th, now is the optimal time to talk taxes to the @cagovernor’s office. Shoot an email. Pick up the phone.

We have seen throughout history that there is no match for the POWER OF THE PEOPLE when the people decide they have had enough.  Peaceful protest is our national right and our moral responsibility and there are times when we must stand up to our governments, federal, state, and local, for the redress of grievances. Nothing is more American. SKUNK Magazine stands with our cannabis community in the struggle for fair taxation, reasonable regulations, the demand for organic cultivation standards, and tangible and effective social equity that recognizes that communities of color have been historically disproportionally targeted, arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated throughout prohibition. And we are talking about a prohibition that is still raging today despite the historic advancements we have achieved by coming together and demanding justice.

We are calling on anyone who can attend to join us on this quest to finish the job and defeat prohibition for good. That includes legalization that supports and empowers small and legacy farmers, attends to the needs of the medical cannabis community, allows for domestic hemp production unfettered by ridiculous regulations and requirements, and enacts just, reasonable taxation at every step in the chain of production and distribution. And we demand real social equity now.

If we don’t overcome, we’re coming over! The time is now for the Green Rennaissance. Let’s get this done.