by Veronica Castillo
photo credit: Accuweather.com
Washington was the first state that I toured a Cannabis farm in. Washington introduced me to $5 infused joints, $10 eighths, and my first ocean living experience. While there, nature was happy, green, growing fruit, and enjoying crisp weather.
Today, that same nature is under attack due to the 2020 wildfire season.
Wildfires aren’t typical in Washington, not even in Oregon. California experiences this season but in 2020, we are seeing that not a hurricane, not a snow storm, not a wildfire, not a pandemic- is leaving the U.S behind. Seattle Times reports that destructive wildfires continue to rip through the state, with firefighters battling some 30 fires in Washington.
Since the fires started about a week ago, about 790K acres have been burned. Washington state doesn’t have a lot of outdoor/sun grown farms due to the region being wet most of the year and all, but the Cannabis community is still in and experiencing devastation. Many like me, thought that outdoor cultivators have it worse but, Seattle Weekly interviewed testing labs across the country and were told:
“As bad as it may seem for outdoor grow-ops, indoor facilities have it worse. Hydroponic systems, ceiling tiles, drywall, and other construction materials can all absorb and hold on to airborne toxins. In some cases, just wiping down the walls and flushing hydration systems may be enough for a producer to get back to normal- but in others, entire facilities may have to undergo severe renovations before they are clear”.
Washington contributed to Cannabis in various ways:
- In 1971, the Washington State Legislature recognized that marijuana is neither an opiate nor a narcotic.
- By the 1990s, the public continued questioning the effects of marijuana so much that law enforcement stopped aggressively pursuing users.
- In 1998, Washington state legalized for medicinal use under initiative 692.
- The state of Washington, which along with Colorado, was actually one of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2012.
No matter where we may all be in the world; Washington needs our collect love. These wildfires are raging.