For Immediate Release: December 20th, 2021 Cartels Moving to California to Profit from Lucrative Black Market, New Article Shows Last Friday, the Courier-Journal released an article titled "Marijuana wars: Violent Mexican drug cartels turn Northern California into 'The Wild West,'" describing how Mexican cartels have moved to California to reap profits off the widespread illicit marijuana market. According to the article, "Mexican drug cartels are horning in on America's burgeoning multi-billion-dollar marijuana industry." The article also states, "Lured by America's push toward legalized cannabis, cartels have abandoned many decades-old marijuana farms in Mexico, moving their operations to Northern California," and "Americans' growing embrace of marijuana has given the cartels an avenue to expand their reach." This is not the marijuana market that Californians were promised by legalization advocates. They were told that regulating marijuana would get rid of the black market. Yet, as said by Governor Gavin Newsom, the problems of a thriving black market "are getting worse, not better." The presence of dangerous cartels in the black market has increased violence in Californian communities, too. Mike Sena, executive director of Northern California's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task forces is quoted in the article saying, "It's [Northern California] the Wild West. We've got people in gunfights on a regular basis over marijuana." And local community members are now beginning to realize that legalization fails to fix the problems advocates promised. "'The whole process [of legalization] has failed,' said Katie Delbar, a sixth-generation rancher in Mendocino County." This article is published in the context of an array of policy missteps in California. San Francisco is now eliminating marijuana taxes, for example, despite taxation being a key reason many support legalization. ### P.S. Please consider an end of year tax deductible donation to SAM. Our educational work depends on you! About SAM Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nonpartisan, non-profit alliance of physicians, policy makers, prevention workers, treatment and recovery professionals, scientists, and other concerned citizens opposed to marijuana legalization who want health and scientific evidence to guide marijuana policies. SAM has affiliates in more than 30 states. For more information about marijuana use and its effects, visit www.learnaboutsam.org. Media Contact: Jordan Davidson (203) 295-5020 [email protected]  ‌ ‌ ‌ Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) | 107 S. West Street, Suite 757, Alexandria, VA 22314 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!