Why is national Politico reporter Natalie Fertig so interested in Oregon? | EP 41

Natalie Fertig is the National Cannabis Policy Reporter for Politico. Fertig, who grew up in Washington State and attended Portland State Universiy, wrote a riveting, terrifying article title "‘Talk About Clusterf---’: Why Legal Weed Didn’t Kill Oregon’s Black Market" that exposes a serious problem in Southern Oregon: cartel-control marijuana grows and a law enforcement/regulatory infrastructure not equipped to respond. When Fertig visited, she heard gun shots (that were likely warning her and her guide to stay away) and gathered stories from residents who have been victims of intimidation. In this episode, we talk about the arch of marijuana policy in Oregon and how the federal landscape and political environment has changed since Oregon's legalization in 2014. We talk about the economics of illegal marijuana grows and the tools that law enforcement and state regulators do and do not have to fight back against the cartels.