US (CA): As Napa considers cannabis cultivation, the experiences of other counties may be helpful

What would legal commercial cultivation of cannabis look like in Napa Valley?

Last week, the Board of Supervisors said they would conduct community outreach meetings starting next year before deciding if the county should allow cannabis cultivation. Supervisors said they would proceed cautiously given concerns about how a future cannabis industry could coexist alongside Napa’s wine industry.

“There is no other place in the state of California where we can point to a county (wine/cannabis) ordinance that works,” Supervisor Diane Dillon said. “Being asked to invent the one that will is quite the challenge."

Stephanie Honig of Honig Vineyard & Winery, a co-founder of the Napa Valley Cannabis Association (NVCA), said Napa can learn from other regions that have legalized commercial cultivation. “We really care about protecting Napa’s brand – (commercial cannabis cultivation) won’t hurt that brand, it’ll enhance it,” Honig said. “Lake County has been successful. People keep using Santa Barbara as a warning, but we don’t want to be like Santa Barbara either.”