Bowing to federal pressure, Mendocino County will no longer issue permits to medical marijuana growers. The County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to end the popular permit program, which was the first of its kind in the nation.
The vote also makes it illegal to cultivate more than 25 plants, reducing the amount from the previous limit of 99 plants. The county will not continue to issue permits, but will not prevent growers with existing permits — who are operating under state law — to continue growing a plot of 25 plants or less.
Dozens of medical marijuana growers who packed a conference room in Ukiah today expressed passionate support for the permitting program. One speaker who identified himself as Nick said the decision to stop regulating marijuana cultivation would be a boon for illegal growers.
“With no inspectors, no sheriffs, nothing like that present, it’s just going to bring back an era of lawlessness that we had before.”
But Supervisor Dan Hamburg said a threatened lawsuit by US Attorney Melinda Haag gave the county little choice but to stop issuing permits.