THE BLUNT ON HUMBOLDT

Northern California County Is Called 'Marijuana Capital Of North America'

Humboldt County is known for one thing: marijuana. The county, located in
the northern tip of California, is referred to as the marijuana capitol of
North America, and has been mentioned in countless rap songs. It is home to
the best hemp this side of Amsterdam, and with it comes an unparalleled
reputation.

Humboldt State University, located in the city of Arcata, is well known for
its reputation as a "stoner" college. A recent issue of High Times magazine
named Humboldt State number 8 in its list of the "Top 10 cannabis colleges."

The county has been dealing with marijuana problems for years, and
consequently the school's image suffers because of it.

Some students at Humboldt State feel the school's marijuana reputation is
exaggerated by people outside the area.

Esmeralda Santana, a senior psychology major at Humboldt State, said the
school's reputation is larger outside the area than it is on campus.
Santana says students are aware of marijuana and its prominence in
Humboldt, but aren't so concerned with it.

"It's known to be more common here, but it's the same on all college
campuses," Santana said. Nicole Alvarado, Humboldt State's Associated
Students President, feels the recent High Times article exploits the
school's negative image on a large scale. "We do not have any more of a
marijuana problem than any other university does," said Alvarado.

Billie Waltz, an undeclared sophomore at Humboldt State said he agrees with
Alvarado. "If you look for it, you'll find it, but no more than you would
anywhere else," Waltz said.

Roberto Quintana, associate professor of exercise physiology at Sacramento
State, is a Humboldt State alum.

Quintana said recreational activity and parties at Humboldt State are
similar to what happens at Sac State and other universities. "The big
difference between Humboldt State and Sac State is the centralized campus
and liberal community of Humboldt compared to the commuter campus at Sac
State," Quintana said.

Humboldt's reputation for marijuana is based on the area's history as a
liberal, agricultural community. The environment gives prospective
marijuana growers a perfect location to plant their crops.

Alvarado said the community is liberal and more open to talk about
marijuana, which may lead to people to make assumptions. "It is talked
about more in the public eye, which makes it more of an issue," Alvarado said.

Former Arcata resident James Long said he left the county after six years
because of the lack of job opportunities. He said that marijuana was
prevalent when he lived there.

"I was invited to smoke weed more times up there than when I grew up in Los
Angeles," Long said. He says the amount of marijuana available is directly
related to the environment and the agriculture.

Waltz said the environment is suited for growing marijuana.

Despite an ideal environment for harvesting marijuana, significant amounts
are rarely seized from Humboldt County.

According to the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting's Web site, Humboldt
County ranked 10th among California counties with 15,809 plants seized in
2004. Riverside led the list with 97,104 plants seized.

CAMP works in conjunction with local Sheriff's departments to eradicate
marijuana plants from all over the state. This year, the group has broken
all previous records for seizures including taking over 20,400 plants from
Humboldt County in early August.

The university occasionally attracts new students based on the regions
reputation for marijuana production. The CAMP numbers indicate that
production is not as large as originally predicted. Thomas Dewey, interim
police chief for Humboldt State said in an e-mail that students who come to
Humboldt because of the county's reputation would face stiff penalties for
marijuana violations. "We give no breaks to anyone selling or furnishing
marijuana on campus," he said.

Students caught will face both administrative charges from the university
as well as criminal charges.

Police at Humboldt State make an average of 100 citations or arrests each
year for marijuana violations. Dewey said these arrests include both
students and non-students who are arrested during campus events such as
concerts.

Medical marijuana patients pose a dilemma for university police since state
law conflicts with federal law. State law allows card carrying medical
marijuana patients to possess the substance, while federal law prohibits it.

Humboldt State police enforce the school policy on drugs on campus, which
means even medical marijuana patients can be arrested for possession of the
substance. Off campus, the officers enforce the California Highway Patrol
policy which favors the possible release of card carrying medical marijuana
patients.

Dewey says marijuana remains a controlled substance as defined by federal
law, therefore the university will prohibit the drug on the federally
funded campus.

"The bottom line is that medical marijuana patients must keep their
marijuana off campus," Dewey said.

In spite of its reputation, Humboldt State provides strong academic
programs. Humboldt State is the smallest school in the CSU system with just
over 7,500 students enrolled. The university offers 23 student run
organizations, the most of any CSU campus. The small enrollment allows for
small class sizes as well as better communication between students and faculty.

Alvarado said the county's image has taken attention away from Humboldt
State's academic programs. She said the school has a very strong biological
sciences program as well as the only Native American studies program in the
entire CSU system.

Waltz said that academics are not downplayed and that students that go to
the school get a quality education. "Some students come here under the
assumption that we're a party school, but they leave with a good
education," she said.

"It is important for people outside of Humboldt to realize that we breed
social conscious individuals who are more apt to be leaders," Alvarado
said. She said she hopes that people will look at Humboldt for its
educational value rather than its marijuana image.