What drought could mean for legal weed states that are running out of water

In recent months, photos and reports of unprecedented and dramatically low water levels in the Southwest United States have made front pages of national news. Boats and even bodies have been discovered at the bottom of lakes many never thought would get so dangerously deep. This water crisis has triggered the need and demand for immediate changes in the way some states use and allocate water.

Several of these states, including California, Arizona, and Colorado, have thriving cannabis industries but now dwindling water supplies. It’s no secret that consistent watering is essential to a successful marijuana harvest, but this precious resource is under threat. So how is this water shortage affecting the marijuana industry, and is there hope that a drought in dry places could bring positive results for cannabis?

Photo by Lealnard Riengkaew/EyeEm/Getty Images

The state hardest hit by this drought is also the nation’s largest marijuana producer — California. The state is in such a state of water vulnerability that the governor announced $2.9 billion to plan to keep some of California’s vital water flowing in its natural habitats. In fact, according to Modern Farmers, “the state will pay farms to keep thousands of acres empty this growing season.”

While this sounds like a relief for farmers, the cannabis industry may not make the cut. “Heading into another brutally dry summer, struggling cannabis growers in California could be locked out of the state’s latest water conservation relief plan.” wrote the Water Education Foundation in relation to this latest plan.

Cannabis farms are already subject to strict water regulations in several states, and some illegal marijuana growers have given these compliances a bad name by association. According to that Washington PostAs of last year, “water thieves, many of them illegal marijuana growers, have been tapping into fire hydrants and drilling unauthorized water wells, officials said, threatening local residents’ water supplies.”

This type of behavior by illegal growers only widens the divide between the cannabis industry and other farming communities. Finally, while the cannabis industry is an extremely profitable industry, in many places it’s not a top-tier business when it comes to water rights.

“Cannabis growers have a junior right and are the first in line to be restricted during a drought,” said Ted Grantham, co-director of the UC Berkeley Cannabis Research Center said the Public Policy Institute of California. In other words, if a water disaster strikes, the cannabis industry will feel the impact before most other agricultural industries.

While cannabis may not qualify for some of the same protections as other crops, there is relief for this highly profitable crop. Take the Department of Cannabis Relief in California, for example said it “encourages cannabis licensees affected by the ongoing nationwide drought – including growers looking to conserve water – to request disaster relief.” They make it clear that there are many circumstances in which growers can apply for relief to ensure that their operations don’t dry up – literally and figuratively.

The drought is also exacerbating already dangerous wildfire conditions that can be detrimental to the cannabis industry. Both California and Arizona have already done so reported Wildfires this year, more likely. “As drought and climate change ravage the West, many outdoor growers face a new obstacle. Wildfires not only destroy crops, but also contaminate crops when soaked in fire retardant or contaminated by excessive smoke.” corresponding NBC News.

Drought is never good news for farmers. However, there is some research showing that a controlled drought can actually make marijuana more potent. “There is a clear association between drought stress and elevated levels of cannabinoids in cannabis flowers,” said Russell Pace III, President of the Cannabis Horticultural Association to To the petrol. “The plants that sense stress are induced to produce more of their secondary metabolites, which include cannabinoids and terpenoids.” In other words, a controlled drought can produce stronger, more potent marijuana.

While these results come from a controlled environment, it may be some optimistic news for growers and marijuana enthusiasts in states that are likely to struggle with water problems for years to come. Finally, as growing marijuana becomes more difficult and expensive, it would be nice if you could at least get a little more bang for your buck.

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