An Industry Blossoms.

The legalization of cannabis has created a budding economy in Sonoma Valley, CA. Meet the family men and mothers, heroes and honest people, healers and innovators who are harnessing the full potential of this cash crop.

- Rocky Rakovic

The face of the marijuana industry has always been that of your friendly but shady local drug dealer. You know him.

We all know him. He’s the kid down the dorm room hall with his parents’ money, a Bob Marley poster and the schwag weed, or the guy in your neighborhood who smells of stale American Spirits and will drop off at your place but won’t leave until you pack a bowl and watch four Adventure Times (“Yo, we should order a pizza!”) or the dude who keeps coming around the tattoo shop and will totally smoke you up if you fix his sleeve. Those characters aren’t the right ambassadors of marijuana, Now that states have legalized cannabis, leading lights in the industry have emerged, and they aren’t crusty (though some are a little crispy)—they are responsible fathers and mothers, hardworking laborers and sharp businessmen, brilliant scientists and honest farmers.

The cannabis industry is going through a similar period as tattooing did a short while ago—let’s not forget that tattooing was illegal in New York City until 1997. Historically most conservative politicians who have no insight into the fringe cultures of the inked and the enjoyers of marijuana have refused to learn about either and instead collected votes by fearmongering about both to their older constituents. But now cannabis is helping grandpas with their cancer and you can walk into any Chuck E. Cheese in America to find almost every mother there has a tattoo or three. While tattooing seems safe under this new presidential administration, cannabis is under fire.