As the cannabis landscape experiences profound changes both within Utah and beyond, I find myself reflecting on the significance of these transformations. This edition is packed with insights, interviews, and reviews that my team and I are eager to share with you.
The seismic event currently reverberating throughout the cannabis realm is the DEA’s decision to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. Our veteran cannabis reporter, Benjamin Adams, dives deep into this development and its ramifications. While unquestionably a leap forward for the industry and the cannabis movement—ushering in expanded research, legitimacy, and financial avenues—it does evoke a measure of apprehension. The reshuffling of schedules may inadvertently cede significant control to pharmaceutical behemoths, potentially eclipsing the grassroots efforts of small businesses and pioneering activists who’ve long championed cannabis rights across the nation and in Utah. I remain steadfast in my conviction that complete descheduling is the sole path to genuine freedom and equity in this budding industry.
This cautious optimism reflects a broader trend I’ve observed: the evolution of many early cannabis activists into career-focused professionals, their advocacy shifting from plant-centric ideals to economic and personal pursuits. This metamorphosis echoes historical precedents, akin to the transformation of the idealistic hippie movement into the pragmatic boomer generation. The core tenets of legalization appear compromised when pioneering advocates find solace in the status quo, perhaps even profiting from it. Demanding hard-earned money from state residents merely to obtain legal patient status feels antithetical to the legalization vision I’ve long upheld. While acknowledging the need for checks and balances, this current system falls short. As the industry matures, it is incumbent upon us to strike a delicate balance between profit-driven incentives and the foundational principles of advocacy and communal empowerment.
Once a unified front under a singular banner, our cannabis movement now finds itself fractured amid the waves of legalization. As cannabis laws shift across the nation, our once-unified community has fractured into various factions. Regulatory flux, orchestrated by governmental hands, has unwittingly sown seeds of discord among us. Hemp versus cannabis, medical cannabis versus adult-use cannabis, dispensary versus CBD shop, THC versus THCa—divisions once inconceivable now create divisions among us. Gone are the days when we stood shoulder to shoulder, united against the chains of prohibition. It’s time to acknowledge that our true foe lies not within but in the divisive specter of fragmented legalization.
Navigating Salt Baked City’s journey in a state like Utah has proven both enriching and arduous. Over the past four years, our perseverance has instilled in me a profound appreciation for even the smallest triumphs. This edition stands as a testament to the resilience and passion that animate our team and our devoted readers like yourself.
As we traverse this summer, let’s commemorate our progress while remaining vigilant to the trials ahead. Thank you for your loyal presence within the Salt Baked City community. Together, let us continue to advocate for a future where cannabis is accessible, safe, and liberated from undue constraints. Don’t forget home-grow rights, too!
Stay lifted and stay informed,
Cole Fullmer
Publisher, Salt Baked City
