Landmark Marijuana Forum to be Held in Ukiah

“This is an event for our entire community to come together and learn from each other” -MMMAB member and workshop coordinator Pebbles Trippet

(UKIAH, Calif.) - The Mendocino Medical Marijuana Advisory Board and Cannabis Law Institute are presenting a forum and participatory workshop entitled, “Life After Legalization: Marijuana Enters the Mainstream.”

The event, consisting of presentations and a hands-on, community stakeholders’ workshop will take place on April 24 at the Saturday Afternoon Club, 107 S. Oak Street in Ukiah, beginning at 1:00 p.m. According to MMMAB member and workshop coordinator Pebbles Trippet, “The convergence of the state ballot initiative, changes to the county’s medical marijuana nuisance ordinance and increasing public interest in regulating legalized cannabis prompted the need for the event.“

The event will be moderated by criminal defense attorney Omar Figueroa, co-founder of the Cannabis Law Institute, where attorneys instruct other attorneys how to represent cannabis patients. Figueroa has represented defendants in 31 California counties and Federal court. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale College and was a graduate of both the Stanford Law School and the Trial Lawyers College. He will be discussing “The State of Our State.”

Richard Lee, founder of Oaksterdam University and the major proponent behind California’s Tax Cannabis 2010 ballot initiative, will present a talk entitled “What Will it Legalize?”

Edie Lerman is the lead attorney for an upcoming constitutional challenge to Mendocino County’s medical marijuana cultivation ordinance- Hill versus Mendocino County. The title of her presentation is “Are County Cannabis Laws Unconstitutional?’

Ellen Komp is the Deputy Director of California’s National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws - CalNORML. A journalist and activist, Komp has managed the “Very Important Potheads” website since 2001, which includes biographies of a variety of individuals who have “inhaled,” such as Bob Hope, Robert Louis Stevenson, Newt Gingrich and Cameron Diaz. Komp will be on hand to answer audience questions from the NORML perspective.

Tim Blake, a Mendocino County resident and medical marijuana patient and grower, is the proprietor of Area 101, a spiritual sanctuary and multi-cultural event center. Blake has recently been featured in several high profile media interviews regarding the annual Emerald Cup competition held at the site, including Rolling Stone magazine and “Cash Crop”, a new documentary film depicting the marijuana economy. Blake will speak on “Cannabis Collectives and the Creation of a Viable Niche Economy.”

Bert Mosier, President and CEO of the Greater Ukiah Chamber of Commerce will be speaking on “A Realistic Business Approach,” and WEST Company Chief Operating Officer Loyd Hambrick’s talk is entitled“Diversify Your Income.”

“What’s After Pot?” is the name of an interactive workshop designed and facilitated by Humboldt County resident and KMUD talk show host Anna Hamilton, who garnered international attention last month when hundreds of attendees participated in a ground-breaking conversation regarding the economic and cultural impacts of legalized marijuana in California. The format is based upon an inclusive representation of community stakeholders filling out surveys documenting the effects of legalization upon their particular group, followed by questions and answers. Hamilton will bring this workshop to Ukiah, where participants will be encouraged to openly discuss the ramifications of taxing, regulating and legalizing marijuana. “This is an event for our entire community to come together and learn from each other,” notes Trippet. A suggested donation of $10 dollars is requested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. No photography will be allowed during the event. For more information phone 964-9377 or email info@mmmab.net.