Jeanette Miller’s comments to the Cannabis Control Board last week were raw, unfiltered, and brutally honest. Her words were a powerful expression of her frustration and desperation as a cannabis farmer. She even wore a noose around her neck to emphasize her point. Miller’s remarks resonated with other farmers, processors, and potential store operators who are also struggling and in need of assistance. However, the state Office of Cannabis Management doesn’t want the public to hear this message.
Surprisingly, when the agency posted a video of the meeting on YouTube, the entire public comment period was conveniently missing. The office justified this omission by citing Miller’s controversial remarks. They claimed that the video is being edited to remove a section where Miller made a threat of self-harm and violence. While it’s worth noting that the video was posted almost a week after the meeting, allowing plenty of time for editing, it raises suspicions that the agency deliberately chose to omit the comment period.
Regardless of the agency’s intentions, the question remains: why censor Miller? She stands by her words and believes that many others share her sentiments. Miller’s journey has been unconventional, from being homeless at 14 to becoming a teacher. However, she eventually decided to pursue a different path and established a polyculture farmstead on 70 acres of land in Newfane, Erie County. When the opportunity to become a licensed cannabis grower arose, she took the risk, banking on the state’s promises of success.
Unfortunately, the state’s failure to establish retail stores for selling cannabis has left Miller and other growers stranded with no market for their crops. Last year’s strong cannabis crop has gone to waste, resulting in financial devastation for Miller and ruining her life. She trusted the state, fulfilled her part of the bargain, but the state failed to deliver. Miller is now left wondering why the state isn’t taking responsibility for the harm it has caused.
Miller asked these tough questions during the Cannabis Control Board meeting, even resorting to extreme measures like bringing a noose to get the board’s attention. However, her broader message has been deemed unsuitable for public consumption. To Miller, it’s bitterly ironic that the Office of Cannabis Management can drive farmers to such a desperate state, ignore their struggles, and then declare their honest expressions of desperation too much to handle.
In Miller’s eyes, cannabis farmers in New York are trapped in an abusive relationship characterized by Kafkaesque rules and deceit. She feels gaslighted by the state and believes that the situation is a disaster caused by their incompetence. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that Governor Kathy Hochul and other officials will step in to help. In fact, the Cannabis Control Board recently decided to allow major medical marijuana companies, often referred to as “Big Weed,” to enter the recreational-use market, further intensifying the challenges faced by small growers.
Miller’s frustration is palpable. She believes that the state is not listening or simply doesn’t care about the struggles of small cannabis farmers like herself. Despite the obstacles she faces, Miller refuses to regret her words and continues to fight for change.
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