Santa Ynez Valley News Editorial Board
It was clear from the start of the push to legalize cannabis growing and marijuana use that it would be a big, booming industry. But it seems that reality has overtaken expectation, and government agencies are scrambling to meet the demands of both the legal and illegal markets. At the same time, policy makers now own the responsibility of making sure the cannabis industry functions properly and legally, at every level, and pays for itself through taxes and fees. Not a simple assignment, and a task not likely to succeed if local authorities can’t get control of the illegal black market.
