Art foundation has a pot farm to fund art projects

A northern California art foundation called Life is Art funds projects from the proceeds of its marijuana farm. From the New York Times:

At a going wholesale rate of $200 or more an ounce in the Bay Area for high-quality medical marijuana, it’s a lot simpler than raising money the traditional way, the project’s organizers point out. And – except for the nagging fact that selling marijuana remains a crime under federal law – it even feels more honest to the people behind Life Is Art. They see it as a way of supporting the cause with physical labor and the fruits of the land instead of the wheedling of donors, an especially appealing prospect in an economy where raising money has become more difficult than ever.

Photo slide show by Jim Wilson

In California, Pot Is Now an Art Patron

• [Anonymous]

  That’s not a really noble way to make money… Raking in huge profits off the suffering of others… Yes, weed is ridiculously expensive, $200 an ounce is 200 times more than it costs to grow. Yes, you can make shitloads of money hand over fist, but by doing so, you’re overcharging sick and dying people to line your own pockets. Sure, it’s nice that they’re using the money to make art etc, but I don’t think they should be so proud of themselves.

  I’m always surprised when people talk about this, they mention the moral dilemma of whether or not it’s right to break silly federal rules, but they completely glaze over the fact they’re ripping off dying people, charging hundreds of times more than they need to. They could sell the stuff for $10 an ounce and still make shitloads of profit, without taking advantage of people who have no choice and need the medicine to lead a normal life.

  • [teapot]

    That’s not a really noble way to make money… Raking in huge profits off the suffering of others… Yes, weed is ridiculously expensive, $200 an ounce is 200 times more than it costs to grow.

    Spoken like a true ignoramus.

    Show me data that suggests it costs $1 per ounce to grow weed? Maybe if you are talking crap bush weed you are right on the money (though in water costs ALONE you would be looking at more than $1 an ounce, so I still don’t buy it). How much do you know about the process for the production of high grade marijuana? By the sounds of your arugment, I’d say not a lot.

    Put it this way: If the money I am forced to waste on buying weed (cos i’m not gonna take the risks to grow it myself) can go to art projects instead of my dealer then it’s aabsolutely a good thing.

  • [the_headless_rabbit]

    While I agree that the medicinal marijuana is overpriced, and this can be bad for the patients, if it were to be sold to patients below the regular street price, that would create an incentive for regular users without medical problems to fake that they have something wrong with them, making it difficult for medicinal dealers to ensure that only proper patients get the stuff.

    By overpricing the medicinal stuff so it’s the same price as weed on the street, that potential problem goes away.

    Hopefully, if California decriminalizes weed, the pathetic excuse for a government we have in Canada right now will follow suit, since the Conservative Party’s platform seems to be, “do whatever America wants”
    America…start wanting decriminalized weed!

    • [jamiethehutt]

      Hopefully, if California decriminalizes weed, the pathetic excuse for a government we have in Canada right now will follow suit, since the Conservative Party’s platform seems to be, “do whatever America wants”
      America…start wanting decriminalized weed!

      In the UK that’s our government line as well… So I’ve actually tried to donate to the yesto19 people :-D Turns out they only take donations from US residents… I might not be a resident but your laws effect me!!

    • [Anonymous]

      “if it were to be sold to patients below the regular street price, that would create an incentive for regular users without medical problems to fake that they have something wrong with them, making it difficult for medicinal dealers to ensure that only proper patients get the stuff.”

      Have you been to a medical marijuana clinic? There’s a lot of that going on regardless of the price, it’s a matter of quality and convenience.

• [doingdoing]

  This isn’t anything new… Seems like telling everyone isn’t very smart though…

• [Anonymous]

  Unfortuneately Prop 19 is re-criminalizing all of the super people who are part of the prop 215 culture. Including the medicinal users. They can only buy from companies that pay the government to grow. Prop 19 is a corporate wet dream. The state gets taxes and law enforcement gets more money and permission to go after all of the beautiful peaceful medicine farmers once again.

• [jamiethehutt]

  Seems like telling everyone isn’t very smart though…

  With the vote on proposition 19 coming up in a few weeks it’s more important that even to let people know about the real people that use cannabis, that it’s not just a bunch of drug addicts or fratboy idiot stoners.

  This article, in the New York Times, shows what legalisation can do, it takes cannabis from dangerous armed criminal cartels and gangs then gives it to people like this harmless bunch of creative artists.

  Basically it’s pro-legalisation piece just before people are to take a vote on it. I’d expect and hope to see a few more of these in the coming weeks.

  If cannabis get’s legalised in California hopefully it’ll be a bit harder to just dismiss and brush under the carpet here in the UK.

• [pinehead]

  I haven’t smoked weed in about ten years, but I wish I could have a toke every now and then. Unfortunately, my job makes that impractical. Oh well! I guess I have to stick to black market pharmaceuticals and hard liquor. I sure feel safer knowing a bunch of armor-plated jackasses are keeping the eeebuhl weeds from me. I might prick my finger on a stem or something.

• [Zipidedooda]

  Oh for crying out loud, I can think of a million things worse than what they’re doing. In fact, I find it pretty inspired.