Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Brian Applegarth in Gilroy, California.
Applegarth, the visionary behind the creation of Oakland’s Cannabis Trail, is co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Cultivar Brands, a strategic marketing and events agency specializing in cannabis travel.
Join the conversation as Applegarth shares insights about the Cannabis industry, highlights of experiencing the diverse destinations along Oakland’s Cannabis Trail, medicinal applications, historical anecdotes, and the brutal struggles -- as well as accomplishments -- of today’s legal marijuana growers.
Applegarth is the founder of the Cannabis Travel Association International and creator of The Cannabis Trail, a nine-county cultural journey that celebrates the history, pioneers, and story of the cannabis legalization movement.
Applegarth says, “Oakland has been at the forefront of cannabis education, compassionate patient access, and human rights. With the city facing strong economic headwinds during deindustrialization and the loss of manufacturing jobs throughout the 1950s - 1980s, by the 1990s, city leaders were open to exploring uncharted avenues for downtown revitalization.
The potential for much-needed commerce spurred a new perspective on cannabis regulation and taxation, long before other cities across the country followed suit.”
For nearly two decades, Oakland has been a cannabis policy leader at the state and federal level, the legacy of cannabis in Oakland is one of the historic firsts, shaped by resilient advocates (like Richard Lee, Dale Sky Jones, Jeff Jones, Tucky Blunt, dress wedding, and Steve and Andrew DeAngelo) and defined by hard-fought legislation (Prop 215, Tax Measure F, Equity Program), all in the face of continuing federal criminalization and stigmatization (thanks in large part to the War on Drugs).
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