Pot gets the green

I wanted to ask you if you have any ideas on how to invest in some way. I have some cash, but I do not have any idea on how or which way to invest—either in production or sales would be great. I read your weekly column and regard you as an expert. I appreciate any insight and info you can provide.

—Sally C.

Indeed. You know, a random dude asked me just this morning how to get in on the cannabis industry. He had no idea what he wanted to do—he just wanted to “make money,” as if it were that simple. Keep a few things in mind: I am not a financial expert. For real. And: Cannabis is still illegal under federal law. Depending on what happens this November, California’s cannabis industry could be full of social justice, money and fat buds, or chaos and chicanery. People can and do lose money.

That being said: The ArcView Group (www.arcviewgroup.com) is a good place to start. You just missed the International Cannabis Business Conference, but the Marijuana Investor Summit is happening in San Francisco this weekend. More info at www.marijuanainvestorsummit.com. Do your due diligence and try to talk to people who have been in the marijuana business for at least five years. Have fun and good luck!

Hey man, is there any good news in California? Please help.

—Poly Anna

I can indeed bring you good news! It turns out that some towns and counties are looking to shed their NIMBYness (NIMBYosity?) and embrace the 21st century.

Out in the SoCal towns of Adelanto and Desert Hot Springs, local officials—gonna say it once more for the politicians in the back: local officials!—have decided to create reasonable regulations and encourage large-scale cannabis cultivation projects. According to reports, industrial property values in Adelanto have already seen a huge spike in growth. Not bad for a former-Air-Force-town-turned-prison-town-turned-early-pioneer-in-the-cannabis-industry. Imagine that: Pot, not prison, may save this town.

In Desert Hot Springs, city officials expect to generate at least $5 million per year through fees and taxes, and plan to turn their town into a sort of regional hub for the cannabis industry.

I would like to thank the activists and lawyers and political figures who worked to bring these towns into the future. While I may have my own concerns about large-scale, super-commercial grows, I think that the cannabis industry could be a boon for many small towns looking for ways to boost their economy. Hell, it worked for Humboldt County after the logging industry fell off. Weed can also work for other towns. Fresno and Stockton, I’m looking at you.