I was running in my neighborhood…

As I passed a local funeral home, I ran through a back parking lot shared with several small stores—mainly bodegas. It’s L.A., so a mix of all kinds of shops. I recently found out there’s even a trap shop there, just a couple hundred feet from a police station.

I stopped as I rounded the corner. I saw two groups of young men, Hispanic and white, all wearing flannels and sunglasses—around 15 to 20 people in total. One of them, hobbling and using a cane, was surrounded by others as they walked toward the entrance of the funeral home.

Closer to where I was coming from, three people in flannels were gathered. As my dog and I tried to pass quietly along the side, I caught a strong whiff of weed from about 10 feet away. I saw one of them hand an open turkey bag to another, containing what looked like a half-ounce of indoor nugs. He twisted the bag shut and tucked it into his flannel. No worries from me, fellas. I’ve been in the industry myself—despite the look of my running gear, my Stanford hat repping my wife’s team, and my goofy, cow-licked dog. I’m just always surprised at how brash some people are about it.

As I turned the corner, I noticed people posted at each corner, keeping watch. I don’t know their business, but I can make assumptions. I don’t know who had passed that they were there to honor, but I have my guesses—probably just conspiracy theories. But after four years in this space, I wouldn’t be suprised.

The old ways in this industry need to change if it’s to survive. Otherwise, it’s bursting at the seams, pushing people to act out of self-interest or self-preservation. That’s never a recipe for success.

The half-in, half-out, pussyfoot approach to legalization has caused significant harm. Legitimate businesses engage in questionable practices. People in illegal markets transport from legal ones. Testing is manipulated. Products go missing. The state can’t effectively regulate this market. Only federal legalization can provide a solution. Otherwise, the biggest brands will keep trapping, backdooring, and spraying in order to stay on top. You shouldn’t be surprised by this—everyone in this industry knows it’s the truth.