Places near the California border

The following are places near the California border. If Prop 19 passes, California border towns with legal weed stores may do a lot of business among out-of-state residents. I've also included cities with large populations that are somewhat close to the California border. Traffickers may originate in those cities. This blog post is primarily about potential smuggling on California roadways if Prop 19 passes, although there are several other ways of smuggling marijuana out of California.

People with a doctor's recommendations might currently grow and smuggle, ship, transport marijuana out of California, but Prop 19 makes homegrowing legal for every person in California. More growers means more smugglers. And if cities allow weed stores and produce industrial volumes and prices drop, high amounts of cheap available California weed means more profit for smugglers if street prices stay relatively high elsewhere in the US. Prop 19 creates incentive for criminals or criminal organizations to relocate to California or increase their presence in California since growing marijuana will be legal, buying cheap marijuana will be legal in cities that allow weed stores, and industrial volumes of cannabis might be produced in California. More growers also means more opportunities for theft. And a wave of international drug tourists means more opportunities for hard drug sales.

For some perspective, California is the most populous state in the US with over 36.9 million people, 8 of America's 50 most populous cities, and has the 2nd and 6th biggest census statistical areas in the US. California has the largest GDP in the US, and is responsible for 13% of US GDP. California's GDP is larger than all but 8 countries in the world.

California has 840 miles of coastline. The Port of Los Angeles/Port of Long Beach is the largest in America, and handles 1/4 of all container cargo traffic in the US. There are 10 deep water seaports in California: Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Port Hueneme, Redwood City, Richmond, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Stockton.

California has 300 airports. Of those, 128 are general aviation airports. LAX is the 6th busiest airport in the world with over 56.5 million passengers last year. SFO is the 24th busiest airport in the world with over 37.3 million passengers last year.

California is 3rd largest US state by area with over 163,000 square miles. It borders 3 US States: Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona. The California/Oregon border is about 219 miles long. The California/Nevada border is about 609 miles long. The California/Arizona border is over 158 miles long. Six Interstate Highways pass through California: I-5, I-8, I-10, I-15, I-40, and I-80. Seven U.S. Routes go through California: US 6, US 50, US 95, US 97, US 101, US 199, and US 395.

Los Angeles County is the gang capital of America with an estimated 120,000 gang members and it alone has over 1,300 gangs. Mexico and Tijuana Cartel turf in Mexico are adjacent to California. The California/Mexico border is about 140 miles long. There are 6 US/Mexico border crossings in between California and Mexico. California also borders Arizona which borders Mexico. There are already drug cartels present in California. If Prop 19 passes, I can only imagine an increase in their illegal activity (and now legalized activity).

Prop 19 will allow anyone in California to legally homegrow, regardless of criminal record or gang affiliation, but perhaps a gang injunction could be used to ban gang members from growing or transporting marijuana. Wikipedia says Los Angeles experimented with gang injunctions in the 1980s. But the first gang injunction to make headlines was one in 1987 by LA City Attorney James Hahn vs the Playboy Gangster Crips based in West LA. In 1993, the LA City Attorney office filed for an injunction against 500 members of the Blythe Street Gang of Panorama City. The ACLU opposed the injunction but it was issued anyway. Gang injunctions have also been issued in Burbank, Modesto, Oxnard, Pasadena, Redondo Beach, San Diego, San Jose, and Westminster. Wikipedia says there are currently 37 gang injunctions in Los Angeles, against 11,000 gang members in 57 gangs. Wikipedia says from 2001 to 2006, gang membership in Los Angeles declined 33%, from 57,000 members to approximately 39,000 members. (Incidentally, a RAND paper from July stated that about 20,000 houses in California could supply the entire US, like I blogged about here. Prop 19 supporters have argued that Prop 19 could cripple Mexican drug cartels, but why wouldn't drug cartels move to California or employ Californians and look to eliminate their smuggler competition? Earlier I blogged about Prop 19's potential impact on drug cartels.)

Drug smugglers traveling on California roadways might take these routes. Smugglers might smuggle from small towns near the California state line to small towns on the other side of the state line, they might smuggle from small towns near the California state line to large cities in other states, they might smuggle from large cities in California to small towns on the other side of the state line, they might smuggle from large cities in California to large cities in other states. There may be smugglers originating Calfornia that do all the above. If Prop 19 passes, criminal organizations will fight over territory and trafficking routes. Independent smugglers may very well be robbed or killed by large crime syndicates.

There may be more smuggling from cities/counties that allow retail weed stores if retail marijuana is priced considerably lower than the current street value of marijuana in other states (or other cities/counties in California. Currently only 1 out of 10 cities in California allow legal medical marijuana dispensaries). Although Prop 19 will allow legal homegrowing statewide. Homegrowing near the California state line would allow for quick trips across the border (or even underground tunnels), although law enforcement may have a large presence in California counties along the California state line.

If Prop 19 passes, smugglers could homegrow legally in under 25 square feet and keep any harvests, and groups of smugglers could legally transport 28g of marijuana separately until near the California state line, where perhaps their goods would be combined in one or more vehicles for transport across the California border and into other US states (although it might be less risky for them to just leave big cities with pounds and pounds of marijuana and drive a straight shot over the border, possibly changing cars in another state). Criminal organizations could legally grow as much as possible, and legally funnel their harvests to central locations near the California border, where possession would also likely be legal, since possession of any harvest in a residence would be legal. Smugglers would only have to worry about (1) loading more than one ounce into a vehicle for crossing the border, (2) hiding it, (3) crossing the border. (But there are plenty of ways to smuggle things out of California besides driving a vehicle over the border, although vehicle smuggling may be the most popular.) If the goal of smugglers is to smuggle high amounts of cannabis over the California border, they might as well do their legal growing as close to the Calfornia border as possible to cut the distance where they're at risk for arrest in California (although they'll be at risk for arrest the entire time while in other US states). If criminal organizations already have large existing presences in California cities, they may do all their growing there, and their growers would not stand out in the population. Then they would combine their harvests, and employ mules to do the border crossing.

I've marked many of these places on this custom public Google map.

*most data on population and housing units is from the 2000 Census, some figures are newer

Table of Contents

1. Places in northern California near the Oregon border
2. Places in eastern California near the Nevada border
3. Places in south-eastern California near the Arizona border
4. Places in southern California near the Mexico border

Places in northern California near the Oregon border

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The California counties that border Oregon are Del Norte, Siskiyou, and Modoc County. As of the 2000 Census, Del Norte County had over 27,500 people, Siskiyou County had over 44,300 people, and Modoc County had over 9,400 people. The only incorporated city in Del Norte County is Crescent City. The biggest city in Siskiyou County is Yreka. The only incorporated city in Modoc County is Alturas.

I've read that Khoonkhwuttunne, CA in Del Norte County is a (perhaps former) Tolowa Indian settlement at the mouth of Smith River.

I've read there are about 1,200 Tolowa members of Tolowa Nation, Smith River and Elk Valley Rancherias and they still live in their traditional territories. Harbor, OR is a place very close to the California border along the Pacific coast. Khoonkhwuttunne, CA to Harbor, OR is a 8.8 mile, 17 minute drive on U.S. Route 101, the Oregon Coast Highway. Harbor, OR is a CDP with over 2600 people, and is 1.2 miles from Brookings, OR, which has over 6,400 people and an airport. The total population of the Brookings area is over 13,000, which includes Harbor and other areas.

South of Khoonkhwuttunne is Tolowa Dunes State Park. The supermax prison Pelican Bay State Prison is west of US 101 and east of Tolowa Dunes State Park. In April 2001, Mike Geniella of the The Press Democrat, a daily newspaper published in Santa Rosa with the largest circulation on the Aryan Brotherhood, Black Guerrilla Family, Mexican Mafia, Nazi Lowriders, and Nuestra Familia coordinating outside operations via secret communications inside Pelican Bay's Security Housing Unit.(source)

Further south on US 101 is Crescent City, CA, the only incorporated city in Del Norte County. It has a population over 7,300, over 1,750 housing units, and is about 20 miles from the Oregon border. Crescent City, CA to Harbor, OR is a 25 mile, 36 minute drive on US 101. Nine miles east of Crescent City on U.S. Route 199 is Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. It was established in 1929 and covers 40 square kilometers.

South of Del Norte County is Humboldt County, which is known for its marijuana (particularly the Trainwreck strain), and has an estimated population of 129,000. Eureka, CA is the county seat of Humboldt County, has over 26,000 people, and over 11,600 housing units. The greater Eureka area has over 42,200 people. Eureka, CA to Harbor, OR is a 109 mile, 2 hour 4 minute drive on US 101. Near Eureka is the 56,585-acre Yurok Indian reservation in Del Norte and Humboldt Counties. There are over 3,500 enrolled Yurok tribal members and they live on the Yurok Reservation, and the Big Lagoon, Blue Lake, Elk Valley, Resighni, Smith River, and Trinidad rancherias as well as areas near and in Humboldt County. The Yurok tribe is the largest Indian tribe in California.Arcata, CA in Humboldt is home to Humboldt State University, and has over 17,000 people. Arcata, CA to Harbor, OR is a 102 mile, 1 hour 57 minute drive on U.S. Route 101.

Gasquet, CA is an unincorporated community northeast of Crescent City, and is 22 miles south of the Oregon border, and has a population over 500. Gasquet, CA to Cave Junction, OR is a 37.5 mile, 57 minute drive on U.S. Route 199. Cave Junction, OR has over 1,750 people.

Hornbrook, CA in Siskiyou County is a CDP with a population over 280. Hornbrook, CA to Ashland, OR is a 24 mile, 29 minute drive. Ashland, OR has over 21,600 people and over 9,000 housing units. Ashland, OR to Medford, OR is a 13 mile, 22 minute drive north. Hornbrook, CA to Medford, OR is a 37.1 mile, 46 minute drive north on Interstate 5. Medford, OR has over 77,000 people and over 26,000 housing units. The Medford metro area has over 207,000 people, the 4th largest in Oregon.

Yreka, CA is the county seat of Siskiyou County and has over 7,200 people and over 3,300 housing units. Yreka, CA to Ashland, OR is a 38 mile, 44 minute drive north on Interstate 5. Yreka, CA to Medford, OR is a 51.2 mile, 61 minute drive north on Interstate 5.

Weed, CA is in Siskiyou County and has over 2,900 people. The greater area has over 6,300 people. Weed, CA to Ashland, OR is a 66 mile, 73 minute drive north on Interstate 5. Weed, CA to Medford, OR is a 79.2 mile, 1 hour 29 minute drive north on Interstate 5.

Dorris, CA is a city in Siskiyou County with over 880 people and over 390 housing units. Dorris, CA to Klamath Falls, OR is a 20 mile, 25 minute drive on U.S. Route 97. Klamath Falls, OR has over 21,300 people and over 8,700 housing units. Dorris, CA to Altamont, OR is a 22.6 mile, 28 minute drive on U.S. Route 97. Altamont, OR is an unincorporated community and CDP with over 19,600 people and over over 8,300 housing units.

California State Route 161 runs along the California/Oregon stateline.

Tulelake, CA is a city in Sikiyou County with over 1,000 people and over 450 housing units. Tulelake, CA to Malin, OR is a 7.4 mile, 18 minute drive across the state line. Malin, OR has over 630 people and over 210 housing units. Tulelake, CA to Merrill, OR is a 9 mile, 12 minute drive on CA 139 and OR 39. Merrill, OR is a city in Klamath County with over 890 people and 380 housing units.

Goose Lake overlaps the California/Oregon border and is 26 miles long and 9.3 miles wide.

Davis Creek, CA is an unincorporated community in Modoc County near Goose Lake. 100 people may live there. Davis Creek, CA to New Pine Creek, OR is a 19.3 mile, 24 minute drive on U.S. Route 395. New Pine Creek, OR is an unincorporated community on U.S. Route 395 near the California border. Further north is Lakeview, OR. Davis Creek, CA to Lakeview, OR is a 33.6 mile, 42 minute drive on U.S. Route 395. Lakeview, OR is the county seat of Lake County, has over 2,600 people and over 1,200 housing units. South of Davis Creek is Alturas, CA. Alturas, CA is the county seat of Modoc County. It has over 2,800 people and over 1,300 housing units. Alturas, CA to Lakeview, OR is a 53.7 mile, 69 minute drive on U.S. Route 395.

In 2008, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that 12 counties along the CA/OR border wanted to secede and form the State of Jefferson.

Places in eastern California near the Nevada border

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Washoe County, Nevada is bordered by 5 counties in California: Modoc County, Lassen County, Sierra County, Nevada County, and Placer County. Areas of Plumas County are also very close to Washoe County (via Lassen County). The county seat of Washoe County is Reno.

Cedarville, CA is a unincorporated community in Modoc County 23 miles east of Alturas, CA. It has has over 800 people, and over 450 housing units. From Cedarvilla, CA you can enter Nevada via California State Route 299 to the east, or via Surprise Valley Road and Nevada State Route 447 to the south. Cedarville, CA to Gerlach-Empire, NV is a 87 mile, 2 hour 13 minute drive on Suprise Valley Road and Nevada State Route 447. Gerlach-Empire, NV is a CDP in Washoe County with a population over 500, over 290 housing units, and is part of the Reno/Sparks metro area.

Chats, CA is a (perhaps former) settlement in Lassen County on the Nevada–California–Oregon Railway. Chats, CA to Cold Springs, NV is a 12.7 mile, 19 minute drive on U.S. Route 395. Cold Springs, NV is a CDP in Washoe County with a population over 3,800, over 1,300 housing units, and is part of the Reno/Sparks metro area.

Chilcoot-Vinton, CA is a CDP in Plumas County, has over 380 people and over 200 housing units. Chilcoot-Vinton, CA to Cold Springs, NV is a 15.7 mile, 21 minute drive on California State Route 70 and U.S. Route 395. Chilcoot-Vinton, CA to Reno, NV is a 29.7 mile, 36 minute drive on US 395.

Portola, CA is a larger city to the west in Plumas County, has over 2,200 people, and over 1,000 housing units. Portola, CA to Cold Springs, NV is a 33.3 mile, 38 minute drive on California State Route 70. Portola, CA to Reno, NV is a 47.3 mile, 53 minute drive on California State Route 70 and US 395.

Loyalton, CA is a city in Sierra County, has over 860 people, and over 340 housing units. Loyalton, CA to Cold Springs, NV is a 28.1 mile, 34 minute drive on California State Route 49, California State Route 70, and U.S. Route 395.

Doyle, CA is an unincorporated community in Lassen County, and has over 1,100 people. Doyle, CA to Cold Springs, NV is a 29.5 mile, 35 minute drive on U.S. Route 395.

Susanville, CA is the county seat of Lassen County, has over 13,500 people, and over 3,800 housing units. It is the home of the high security California High Desert State Prison and the minimum/medium security California Correctional Center. Susanville, CA to Cold Springs, NV is a 70.4 mile, 78 minute drive on U.S. Route 395. Susanville, CA to Reno, NV is a 84.4 mile, 93 minute drive on US 395.

Sun Valley, NV is a CDP in Washoe County, a northern suburb of Reno, has over 19,400 people, and over 6,700 housing units. Sun Valley is 6.5 miles and 15 minutes from the heart of Reno. Cold Springs, NV to Sun Valley, NV is a 15.5 mile, 21 minute drive on U.S. Route 395.

Floriston, CA is a former settlement in Nevada County. Floriston, CA to Verdi-Mogul, NV is a 13.5 mile, 15 minute drive on Interstate 80. To the southwest of Floriston is Truckee, CA. Truckee, CA is a town in Nevada County with over 13,800 people and over 9,700 housing units. Truckee, CA to Reno, NV is a 32 mile, 38 minute drive on Interstate 80. Truckee, CA to Verdi-Mogul, NV is a 25.3 mile, 30 minute drive on Interstate 80. Verdi-Mogul, NV is a CDP in Washoe County with over 2,900 people and over 1,200 housing units. Two of the closest Nevada casinos to California are in Verdi-Mogul, Gold Ranch Casino and Boomtown Hotel & Casino.

Yuba City, CA is the county seat of Sutter County. It has over 60,300 people and over 13,900 housing units. As of March 2010 Yuba City has the 3rd highest unemployment among US cities, with 20.8%. The Yuba City metro area has over 164,300 people, the 21st largest in California behind Redding and Chico. Sacramento, CA to Yuba City, CA is a 43.2 mile, 48 minute drive north on CA 99. Yuba City, CA to Reno, NV is a 123 mile, 2 hour 24 minute drive on CA 20 and Interstate 80.

Chico, CA is the most populous city city in Butte County with over 87,000 people and over 24,300 housing units. The Chico metro area has over 212,000 people and is the 14th largest metro area in California. Chico, CA to Reno, NV is a 162 mile, 3 hour 10 minute drive on CA 20 and Interstate 80.

Roseville, CA is a city in Placer County in the Sacramento metro area. It has a population over 112,000 and over 31,900 housing units. Roseville, CA to Verdi-Mogul, NV is a 109 mile, 1 hour 57 minute drive on Interstate 80. Roseville, CA to Reno, NV is a 115 mile, 2 hour 5 minute drive on Interstate 80.

Sacramento, CA is the capital of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It has over 486,000 people, is the 7th largest city in California, and has over 163,900 housing units. The Sacramento metro area has over 2.1 million people.

Sacramento, CA to Reno, NV is a 132 mile, 2 hour 23 minute drive on Interstate 80. Reno, NV is the county seat of Washoe County, has a population over 220,000 and is the 4th most populous city in Nevada. The Reno/Sparks metro area has a population of about 420,000.

Sacramento, CA to Elko, NV is a 420 mile, 6 hour 51 minute drive on Interstate 80. Elko, NV is the county seat in Elko County, has over 16,980 people and over 6,900 housing units. The Elko micropolitan area has over 46,900 people.

Sacramento, CA to Bend, OR is a 437 mile, 7 hour 56 minute drive on Interstate 5 and US 97. Bend, OR is the largest city in Central Oregon and the county seat of Deschutes County. It has over 82,200 people estimated, and over 22,500 housing units. The Bend metro area has over 170,700 people estimated, the 5th largest in Oregon.

Sacramento, CA to Eugene, OR is a 474 mile, 8 hour 4 minute drive on Interstate 5. Eugene, OR is the county seat of Lane County, and is the 2nd largest city in Oregon with over 154,000 people and over 61,400 housing units. The Eugene/Springfield metro area has over 345,000 people, the 3rd largest in Oregon, and the 144th largest in the US. The University of Oregon is located in Eugene.

Sacramento, CA to Boise, ID is an 553 mile, 9 hour 48 minute drive on Interstation 80 and U.S. Route 95. Boise, ID is the most populous city in Idaho, the county seat of Ada County, and the capital of Idaho. Boise has over 205,000 people and over 77,800 housing units. Boise is the 98th most populous US city, the 3rd largest city in the Pacific Northwest, and the largest city between Portland, OR and Salt Lake City, UT. The Boise metro area has over 585,000 people estimated.

Sacramento, CA to Twin Falls, ID is a 585 mile, 9 hour 38 minute drive on Interstate 80. Twin Falls, ID is the largest city in Twin Falls County, the largest city in a 100 mile radius, and is the county seat. It has over 40,300 people estimated, and over 14,100 housing units.

Sacramento, CA to Salt Lake City, UT is a 649 mile, 10 hour 23 minute drive on Interstate 80. Salt Lake City, UT is the capital of Utah in Salt Lake County, and is the most populous city in Utah with over 183,000 people, and over 77,000 housing units. The Salt Lake City metro area has over 1.13 million people estimated. The Wasatch Front urban area has over 2.29 million people estimated.

Sacramento, CA to Pocatello, ID is a 698 mile, 11 hour 29 minute drive on Interstate 80. Pocatello, ID is the largest city in Bannock County and is the county seat. It has over 53,900 people estimated, and over 20,600 housing units. Pocataello is the 4th largest city in Idaho, the home of Idaho State University, and a portion is on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.

Sacramento, CA to Evanston, WY is a 730 mile, 11 hour 38 minute drive on Interstate 80. Evanston, WY is the county seat of Uinta County, has over 11,500 people, and over 4,600 housing units.

Sacramento, CA to Idaho Falls, ID is a 744 mile, 12 hour 12 minute drive on Interstate 80. Idaho Falls, ID is the largest city in eastern Idaho and the county seat of Bonneville County. It has over 50,700 people, over 19,700 housing units, and over 122,900 people in the metro area.

Sacramento, CA to Green River, WY is a 816 mile, 12 hour 53 minute drive on Interstate 80. Green River, WY is the county seat of Sweetwater County, has over 11,800 people, and over 4,400 housing units.

Sacramento, CA to Rock Springs, WY is a 833 mile, 13 hour 10 minute drive on Interstate 80. Rock Springs, WY is a city in Sweetwater County, has over 18,700 people and over 8,300 housing units. The Rock Springs micropolitan statistical area has over 37,900 people.

Sacramento, CA to Laramie, WY is a 1,038 mile, 16 hour 18 minute drive on Interstate 80. Laramie, WY is the county seat of Albany County, has over 27,200 people, and over 11,900 housing units. Sacramento, CA to Cheyenne, WY is a 1,086 mile, 17 hour 1 minute drive on Interstate 80. Cheyenne, WY is the county seat of Laramie County, the largest city in Wyoming, and the capital of Wyoming. It has over 57,600 people and over 23,700 housing units. Sacramento, CA to Denver, CO is a 1,183 mile, 18 hour 32 minute drive on Interstate 80. Denver, CO is the most populous city in Colorado and the capital. Denver is a consolidated city-county with over 610,000 people, making it the 24th most populous US city. The Denver/Aurora/Broomfield metro area has over 2.55 million people estimated, making it the 21st most populous US metro area. The Denver/Aurora/Boulder combined statistical area has over 3.11 million people estimated, making it the 16th most populous US metro area. Denver has the largest population within a 500 mile radius and is the 2nd largest city in the Mountain West/Southwest after Phoenix.

Los Angeles, CA is the county seat of Los Angeles County, and is the most populous city in California and the western US and the 2nd most populous city in the US. There are over 3.83 million people within city administrative limits which cover an area of 498 square miles. The urban area beyond administrative city limits is the 14th largest megacity in the world with over 14.8 million people. The LA/Long Beach/Santa Ana metro area has over 12.9 million people, and the LA/Long Beach/Riverside area has over 17.8 million people. Los Angeles is the 3rd most economically powerful city in the US (behind New York City and Chicago), is the 8th most economically powerful city in the world, and the LA combined statistical area is the 3rd largest economic center in the world after the Greater Tokyo Area and New York metro area. Los Angeles, CA to Phoenix, AZ is a 373 mile, 5 hour 58 minute drive (8 hours in traffic) on Interstate 10. I think this would be an extremely popular route among drug smugglers.

Redding, CA is the county seat of Shasta County with over 80,800 people and over 33,800 housing units. Redding is the 4th largest city in the Sacramento Valley and the largest city in California north of Sacramento. It's also the largest city on the 470 mile section of Interstate 5 between Sacramento, CA and Eugene, OR. Redding, CA to Ashland, OR is a 137 mile, 2 hour 24 minute drive on Interstate 5. Redding, CA to Klamath Falls, OR is a 142 mile, 2 hour 34 minute drive on Interstate 5 and US 97. Redding, CA to Medford, OR is a 150 mile, 2 hour 40 minute drive on Interstate 5. Redding, CA to Bend, OR is a 279 mile, 5 hour 22 minute drive on US 97. Redding, CA to Eugene, OR is a 315 mile, 5 hour 29 minute drive on Interstate 5.

Corvallis, OR is a city in central western Oregon and the county seat of Benton County. It has over 55,000 people estimated, and over 20,900 housing units. The Albany/Corvallis/Lebanon combined statistical area has over 181,000 people. Redding, CA to Corvallis, OR is a 359 mile, 6 hour 17 minute drive on north on Interstate 5. Sacramento, CA to Corvallis, OR is a 517 mile, 8 hour 51 minute drive north on Interstatet 5.

Seattle, WA is the northernmost major city in the lower 48 States, the largest city in Washington, the county seat of King County, and the largest city in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is a seaport at the center of the Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue metro statistical area, the 15th largest in the US, and the largest in the northwestern US. Seattle had over 617,000 people as of April 2009, with about 3.4 million people in the metro area. As of 2006 there were over 258,000 households in the city. Seattle is about 170 miles north of Portland and 140 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Redding, CA to Seattle, WA is a 595 mile, 10 hour 9 minute drive north on Interstate 5. Sacramento, CA to Seattle, WA is a 753 mile, 12 hour 43 minute drive north on Interstate 5.

Spokane, WA is the county seat and largest city in Spokane County, located on the Spokane River about 271 miles east of Seattle and about 110 miles south of the Canadian border. The city has over 202,000 people as of 2008, making it he 2nd largest city in Washington, and the 3rd largest in the Pacific Northwest behind Seattle and Portland. When the 2010 Census is tallied, the Spokane Metro Statistical Area is expected to be combined with Kootenai County and likely to be named the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Metro Area no later than 2013, and by that time the area will have over 650,000 people. As of the 2000 Census, there were over 81,500 households in Spokane. Redding, CA to Spokane, WA is a 663 mile, 12 hour 22 minute drive north on US 97.

Albuquerque, NM is the largest city in New Mexico, the county seat of Bernalillo County, has over 528,000 people, and is the 34th most populous city in the US. Albuquerque has over 198,400 housing units and the Albuquerque metro area has over 869,000 people estimated, the 57th largest in the US. The Rio Grande flows through the city, north to south. About half the people in New Mexico live in the Albuquerquer area.

Needles, CA to Albuquerque, NM is a 530 mile, 8 hour 11 minute drive east on Interstate 40.

Barstow, CA to Albuquerque, NM is a 673 mile, 10 hour 23 minute drive east on Interstate 40.

Victorville, CA to Albuquerque, NM is a 704 mile, 10 hour 51 minute drive east on Interstate 40.

San Bernardino, CA to Albuquerque, NM is a 742 mile, 11 hour 29 minute drive east on Interstate 40.

Riverside, CA to Albuquerque, NM is a 754 mile, 11 hour 41 minute drive east on Interstate 40.

Tucson, AZ is the county seat of Pima County, 118 miles southeast of Phoenix, and 60 miles north of the US/Mexico border. As of 2009, the city's population was estimated at over 548,000. As of July 2008, the metro area was estimated at over 1.02 million. Tucson is the largest city in southern Arizona and the 2nd largest city in Arizona after Phoenix. In 2005, Tucson was the 32nd largest city in the US and the 52nd largest metro area. Indio, CA to Tucson, AZ is a 362 mile, 5 hour 53 minute (7 hours in traffic) drive east on Interstate 10. Riverside, CA to Tucson, AZ is a 437 mile, 7 hour 7 minute drive east on Interstate 10. Oceanside, CA to Tucson, AZ is a 440 mile, 7 hour 0 minute drive east on Interstate 8.

Salem, OR is the county seat of Marion County and the capital of Oregon. It's located along the Willamette River. Salem has over 154,500 people, over 53,800 housing units, and is the 3rd largest city in Oregon after Portland and Eugene. The Salem metro area has over 383,000 people, the 2nd largest in Oregon. Redding, CA to Salem, OR is a 378 mile, 6 hour 36 minute drive north on Interstate 5. Sacramento, CA to Salem, OR is a 536 mile, 9 hour 10 minute drive north on Interstate 5.

Portland, OR is the county seat of Multnomah County, is the most populous city in Oregon, and the 30th most populous in the US. Portland has over 582,000 people and over 237,000 housing units. Portland is the 3rd most populous city in the Pacific Northwest after Seattle and Vancouver. The Portland metro area has about 2.2 million people, the 23rd most populous in the US. Redding, CA to Portland, OR is a 422 mile, 7 hour 23 minute drive north on Interstate 5. Sacramento, CA to Portland, OR is a 580 mile, 9 hour 57 minute drive north on Interstate 5.

Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America and exists in two California counties, Placer, and El Dorado, as well as three Nevada counties, Douglas, Washoe, and Carson City County. Lake Tahoe is about 22 miles long, has 72 miles of shoreline, and a surface area of 191 square miles. There are 12 California marinas for Lake Tahoe: North Tahoe, Sierra Boat, Tahoe City, Sunnyside, Homewood, Obexers, Meeks Bay, Camp Richardson, Tahoe Keys, Timber Cove, Ski Run, and Lakeside. There are 2 Nevada marinas for Lake Tahoe: Round Hill Pines and Zephyr Cove.

Kings Beach, CA is a CDP in Placer County on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, and has over 4,000 people and over 2,280 housing units. Kings Beach, CA to Crystal Bay, NV is a 1.6 mile, 4 minute drive on California State Route 28 along the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Incline Village-Crystal Bay, NV is a CDP in Washoe County on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. It has over 9,900 people, over 7,600 housing units, and the main campus of Sierra Nevada College is in Incline Village. Kings Beach, CA to Carson City, NV is a 30.4 mile, 42 minute drive on U.S. Route 50 and Nevada State Route 28. Carson City, NV is an independent city and the capital of Nevada. Carson City has a population over 52,000 and over 21,200 housing units. Carson City, NV to Reno, NV is a 30.1 mile, 40 minute drive on U.S. Route 395.

California State Route 28 and California State Route 89 run along the north and western shore of Lake Tahoe. Other areas along the California shore of Lake Tahoe in Tahoe National Forest include Tahoe Vista, Carnelian Bay, Dollar Point, Tahoe City, Sunnyside-Tahoe City, Homewood, Tahoma, Meeks Bay, and Frosts. Tahoe Vista, CA is a CDP on the north shore of Lake Tahoe with over 1,600 people and over 1,200 housing units. Carnelian Bay, CA is an unincorporated town on the north shore of Lake Tahoe with over 870 people. Dollar Point, CA is a CDP on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe with over 1,500 people and over 1,800 housing units. Sunnyside-Tahoe City, CA is a CDP on the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe with over 1,700 people and over 2,100 housing units. Homewood, CA is an unincorporated community on the west shore of Lake Tahoe with about 200 people and home of the Homewood Mountain Resort. Tahoma, CA is an unincorporated community on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, 2 miles southeast of Homewood.

Nevada State Route 28 runs along the north and east shores of Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Part of it runs through Lake Tahoe State Park. The Sand Harbor Beach State Recreation Area is near Nevada State Route 28 in Lake Tahoe State Park, has a large beach on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe near Sand Harbor, and has a boat launch. Further south in Lake Tahoe is Secret Harbor, Skunk Harbor, and Glenbrook Bay. Glenbrook, NV is the oldest settlement on Lake Tahoe. It's an unincorporated community in Douglas County. Part of U.S. Route 50 runs along the east shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Further south is Zephyr Cove-Round Hill Village, NV which is a CDP in Douglas County, and has over 1,600 people and over 1,400 housing units.

Lake Tahoe's largest city is South Lake Tahoe, CA in the Sierra Nevada mountains with a population over 23,000 and over 14,000 housing units. It's the home of Heavenly Mountain Resort, Lake Tahoe's highest ski resort. South Lake Tahoe, CA to Stateline, NV is a 3.6 mile, 9 minute drive on U.S. Route 50. Stateline, NV is a CDP in Douglas County on the east shore of Lake Tahoe. It has a population of over 1,200 and over 560 housing units. The population increases during the winter and summer seasons.

Mesa Vista, CA is a CDP in Alpine County with over 180 people and over 80 housing units. Mesa Vista, CA to Gardnerville Ranchos, NV is a 9.6 mile, 20 minute drive on NV 88. Gardnerville Ranchos, NV is a a CDP in Douglas County with over 11,000 people and over 4,100 housing units. Mesa Vista, CA to Minden, NV is a 11.6 mile, 21 minute drive north on Nevada State Route 88. Minden, NV is a CDP in Douglas County and the county seat, with over 2,800 people and over 1,200 housing units.

Cabazon, CA is a CDP in Riverside County with a over 2,200 people and over 720 households. It disincorporated in 1975 and is home to the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Cabazon, CA to the Banning Municipal Airport is a 6.3 mile, 12 minute drive. Cabazon, CA to Palm Springs, CA is a 17 mile, 22 minute drive on Interstate 10 and CA 111. Palm Springs, CA is a city in Riverside County in the Coachella Valley about 37 miles east of San Bernardino. It has over 42,800 people, and over 30,800 housing units. Cabazon, CA to Tijuana is a 138 mile, 2 hour 21 minute drive on Interstate 15. Cabazon, CA to Quartzsite, AZ is a 155 mile, 2 hour 32 minute drive east on Interstate 10.

Coachella, CA is a city in Riverside County in the Coachella Valley 28 miles east of Palm Springs. Coachella has over 22,700 people, over 5,000 housing units, and was one of California's fastest growing cities in the late 20th century.

Loope, CA is an unincorporated community in Alpine County on Monitor Creek. Loope, CA to Wellington, NV is a 32.8 mile, 38 minute drive on CA 89 (which is closed winters) and NV 208. Wellington, NV is an unincorporated town in Lyon County with over 1,100 people.

Coleville, CA is an unincorporated community in Mono County on the West Walker River in Antelope Valley with over 70 people. Coleville, CA to Wellington, NV is a 22.7 mile, 27 minute drive on US 395 and NV 208.

Bridgeport, CA is an unincorporated community, the county seat of Mono County, and has over 800 people. Bridgeport, CA to Smith Valley, NV is a 45 mile, 70 minute drive on CA 182 and NV 338. Smith Valley, NV is a CDP in Lyon County with over 1,400 people and over 600 housing units.

Benton, CA is an unincorporated community in Mono County, with over 190 people, and is about 6 miles southwest of the Nevada state line. Benton, CA to Dyer, NV is a 47.5 mile, 46 minute drive on US 6 and NV 264. Dyer, NV is a village in Esmerelda County with about 110 people; 6 miles southeast is the Dyer public airport.

Big Pine, CA is a CDP in Inyo County with over 1,300 people and over 660 housing units. It's located in between Kings Canyon National Park and Death Valley. Big Pine is the headquarters for the Big Pine Band of Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Indians. Big Pine, CA to Dyer, NV is a 55 mile, 82 minute drive on CA 168.

Bishop, CA is the largest city in Inyo County. It has over 3,500 people and over 1,800 housing units. Bishop, CA to Tonopah, NV is a 115 mile, 1 hour 52 minute drive on US 6 and US 95. Tonopah, NV is a CDP and the county seat of Nye County. Tonopah has over 2,600 people and over 1,500 housing units.

The Timbisha tribe live in Death Valley. The Death Valley Timbisha Shoshone Band of California was federally recognized in 1982. Indian Village, CA is an unincorporated community in Furnace Creek, Death Valley. Indian Village is located in their reservation, the Death Valley Indian Community. Furnace Creek, CA is a CDP in Inyo County, located 190 feet below sea level, making it the lowest CDP in the US.

Shoshone, CA is a CDP in Inyo County on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. It has over 50 people and over 30 housing units, as well as a single airstrip. Shoshone, CA to Pahrump, NV is a 27.1 mile, 32 minute drive on CA 178 and NV 372. Pahrump, NV is a CDP and unincorporated town in Nye County, the largest town in the county, and has over 41,600 people and over 11,600 housing units.

Tecopa, CA is a CDP in Inyo County in the Mojave Desert, with over 90 people and over 130 housing units. Tecopa, CA to Enterprise, NV is a 68.2 mile, 99 minute drive on the Old Spanish Trail Highway and NV 160. Enterprise, NV is an unincorporated CDP in Clark County with over 78,000 people and over 6,600 housing units. Enterprise, NV to Las Vegas, NV is a 9.5 mile, 15 minute drive on Blue Diamond Road and Interstate 15.

Henderson, NV is city in the Las Vegas metro area in Clark County. It has over 252,000 people estimated, over 71,100 housing units, and is the 2nd largest city in Nevada after Las Vegas. Baker, CA to Henderson, NV is a 90 mile, 1 hour 34 minute drive north on Interstate 15. Needles, CA to Henderson, NV is a 99.3 mile, 1 hour 57 minute drive north on US 95. Barstow, CA to Henderson, NV is a 153 mile, 2 hour 36 minute drive north on Interstate 15.

Mountain Pass, CA is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County with 30 people. Molycorp Minerals plans to reopen the rare earth element open pit mine there in 2011. Mountain Pass, CA to Jean, NV is a 44.5 mile, 45 minute drive on Interstate 15. Jean, NV is a commercial town in Clark county with no residents about 30 miles south of Las Vegas. It contains the Gold Strike Hotel and Gambling Hall with 811 rooms, a Nevada Highway Patrol substation, and Jean Conservation Camp, a minimum security all female Nevada correctional facility.

Nipton, CA is an unincorporated town in San Bernardino County on the northern edge of the Mojave National Perserve, which home of the Kelso Dunes. It has a population of 20, a five-room hotel, a trailer park, a general store, a cafe, and an 80KW solar generator. Nipton, CA to Searchlight, NV is a 21.6 mile, 26 minute drive east on NV 164. Searchlight, NV is a CDP in Clark County with over 570 people, and over 440 housing units. Two miles south of the central business district is Searchlight Airport (about 70 miles south of Las Vegas), which has one asphalt runway, no services, and is unlighted, unmanned, and uncontrolled.

San Bernardino, CA is the county seat of San Bernardino County. It has a population over 207,000 and over 63,500 housing units. It's the 18th largest city in California and the 99th largest in the US.

San Bernardino, CA to Las Vegas, NV is a 220 mile, 3 hour 35 minute drive on Interstate 15. San Bernardino, CA to Henderson, NV is a 222 mile, 3 hour 43 minute drive on Interstate 15. San Bernardino, CA to Phoenix, AZ is a 321 mile, 5 hour 8 minute drive on Interstate 10.

Oakland, CA to Reno, NV is a 212 mile, 3 hour 46 minute drive northeast on Interstate 80.
Oakland, CA to Las Vegas, NV is a 555 mile, 9h hour 18 minute drive on Interstate 5, CA 58, and Interstate 15.

Places in California near the Arizona border

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Baker, CA is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County with over 900 people. Baker, CA to Primm, NV is a 75 mile, 1 hour 16 minute drive on Interstate 15. Primm, NV is a small community in Clark County with over 430 people. A convenience store on the California side of the border is the closest place for people in Nevada wanting to play the California State Lottery and is reported to be the highest selling location in California. Baker, CA to Las Vegas, NV is a 88.5 mile, 1 hour 26 minute drive on Interstate 15. Baker, CA to Henderson, NV is a 90 mile, 1 hour 34 minute drive on Interstate 15.

Barstow, CA is a city in San Bernardino County with over 24,600 people and over 9,100 housing units. Barstow, CA to Baker, CA is a 64 mile, 63 minute drive on Interstate 15. Barstow, CA to Searchlight, NV is a 134 mile, 2 hour 23 minute drive on Interstate 15. Barstow, CA to Mohave Valley, AZ is a 150 mile, 2 hour 31 minute drive on Insterstate 40. Mohave Valley, AZ is a CDP in Mohave County with over 13,600 people and over 6,600 housing units. Barstow, CA to Las Vegas, NV is a 151 mile, 2 hour 28 minute drive on Interstate 15. Barstow, CA to Henderson, NV is a 153 mile, 2 hour 36 minute drive on Interstate 15. Barstow, CA to Kingman, AZ is a 205 mile, 3 hour 14 minute drive on Insterstate 40. Barstow, CA to Flagstaff, AZ is a 354 mile, 5 hour 28 minute drive on Interstate 40.

Victorville, CA is a city in San Bernardino County in Victor Valley, with over 112,000 people estimated, and over 22,400 housing units. Over 50% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race. Victorville is 81 miles northeast of LA, 34 miles south of Barstow, 48 miles east of Palmdale, and 37 miles north of San Bernardino. Victorville had the 2nd highest population growth rate in the US for the year ending July 2007, rising 9.5%. Victorville is the fastest growing city over 100,000 people in California for the decade ending July 2009. Northwest of Victorville is the federal prison United States Penitentiary, Victorville. It was opened in October 2004 and is located on the grounds of the former George Air Force Base.

Victorville, CA to Las Vegas, NV is a 182 mile, 2 hour 56 minute drive on Interstate 15. Victorville, CA to Henderson, NV is a 184 mile, 3 hour 5 minute drive on Interstate 15. Victorville, CA to St. George, UT is a 304 mile, 4 hour 52 minute drive on Interstate 15. Victorville, CA to Phoenix, AZ is a 360 mile, 5 hour 45 minute (7 hour 10 minute in traffic) drive on Interstate 10. Victorville, CA to Tucson, AZ is a 475 mile, 7 hour 40 minute (9 hour 40 minute in traffic) drive on Interstate 10. Victorville, CA to Grand Junction, CO is a 693 mile, 10 hour 46 minute drive on Interstate 15 and Interstate 70.

Needles, CA is a city in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County on the western banks of the Colorado River. Needles, CA has over 5,700 people and over 2,500 housing units. Part of the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation is located in Needles, CA, with a population of over 200 in that portion. The Fort Mojave Indian Reservation covers over 96 square kilometers in Arizona, 51 square kilometers in California, and 23 square kilometers in Nevada. About 1,100 members of the Mohave tribe live there. There are two tribal casinos on the reservation. Less than 50% of residents on the reservation are Native American. Much of the land has been leased to soybean, corn, and cotton farming companies which employ a large number of Mexican Americans and whites.

Needles, CA to Arizona Village, AZ is a 2.2 mile, 6 minute drive on Leevee Way across the Colorado River and Plantation Road. Arizona Village, AZ is a CDP in Mohave County with over 350 people and over 90 housing units. Needles, CA to Topock, AZ is a 14.1 mile, 17 minute drive on Interstate 40. Topock, AZ is an unincorporated community in Mohave County. Needles, CA to Kingman, AZ is a 62.7 mile, 61 minute drive on Interstate 40. Needles, CA to Bullhead City, AZ is a 22.3 mile, 37 minute drive on Interstate 40. Bullhead City, AZ is city in Mohave County with over 40,900 people, and over 18,400 housing units. The greater Bullhead area has about 75,000 people. Bullhead City is about 100 miles south of Las Vegas, is located on the Colorado River directly across from Laughlin, NV, and is a few miles north of the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation.

Lake Havasu overlaps the California/Arizona border. On the east shore is Lake Havasu City, AZ. Lake Havasu City, AZ is a city in Mohave County with over 56,300 people and over 23,000 housing units. Six miles north of the central business district is Lake Havasu City Airport which covers 646 acres.

Parker Dam, CA to Casa Del Rio Resort in Arizona is a 1.7 mile, 3 minute drive on Parker Dam Road and AZ 95. Parker Dam, CA to Lake Havasu City, AZ is a 25.1 mile, 35 minute drive on Parker Dam Road and AZ 95.

Phoenix, AZ is the county seat of Maricopa County, the capital of Arizona, and has over 1.6 million people. Phoenix is the largest city in Arizona, and the 5th most populated city in the US (after NYC, LA, Chicago, and Houston). The Phoenix metro area has over 4.3 million people, the 12th largest in the US. Indio, CA is a city in Riverside County in the Coachella Valley, 125 miles east of LA. It has over 49,000 people and over 16,900 housing units. Indio, CA to Phoenix, AZ is a 247 mile, 3 hour 57 minute drive on Interstate 10. Riverside, CA to Phoenix, AZ is a 323 mile, 5 hour 9 minute drive on Interstate 10.

Bluewater, CA is a CDP in San Bernardino County with over 260 people and over 640 housing units. Bluewater, CA to Bluewater, AZ is a 5.3 mile, 11 minute drive on Parker Dam Road. Bluewater, AZ is a CDP in La Paz County with over 730 people, and over 530 housing units.

Earp, CA is an unincorporated townsite in the Sonoran Desert in San Bernardino County close to the California/Arizona state line. Earp, CA to Parker, AZ is a 1.4 mile, 4 minute drive on CA 62. Parker, AZ is the county seat of Paz County on the Colorado River, has over 3,100 people and over 1,150 housing units.

Blythe, CA is a city in Riverside County in the Palo Verde Valley. It has over 12,100 people and over 4,800 housing units. The population of the area within 50 miles of Blythe has exceeded 500,000 in winter months. Blythe, CA to Quartzsite, AZ is a 22.5 mile, 26 minute drive east on Interstate 10. Quartzsite, AZ is a town in La Paz County directly on Interstate 10, with a population over 3,400 and over 3,100 housing units.

Bard, CA is an unincorporated community in Imperial County. Bard, CA to Fort Yuma Riviera, AZ is a 3.8 mile, 12 minute drive on Ross Road and Levee Road without having to cross the Colorado river. Bard, CA to Yuma, AZ is a 9 mile, 16 minute drive on County Hwy S24.

Winterhaven, CA is a CDP in Imperial County with over 520 people and about 220 housing units. The town's eastern border is the Colorado River and the town is partly Quechan Indian reservation. Winterhaven, CA to Yuma, AZ is a 1.4 mile, 6 minute drive on across Winterhaven Drive. Yuma, AZ is the county seat of Yuma County, with over 90,000 people and over 34,400 housing units. The Yuma metro area has over 194,300 people estimated, although over 85,000 visitors make it their winter home.

Holtville, CA is a city in Imperial County with over 5,600 people and over 1,600 housing units. Holtville, CA to Yuma, AZ is a 48 mile, 49 minute drive on Interstate 8.

Places in southern California near the Mexico border

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There are 6 US/Mexico border crossings in between California and Mexico(source).

• San Ysidro, San Diego to Tijuana: via Interstate 5 in San Ysidro, San Diego, California to Mexican Federal Highway 1 in Tijuana, Baja California.
• Otay Mesa, San Diego to Tijuana: via California State Route 905 in Otay Mesa, San Diego, California to Blvd. Garita de Otay in Tijuana, Baja California.
• Tecate to Tecate: via California State Route 188 in Tecate, CA to Avenida Presidente Lázaro Cárdenas in Tecate, Baja California.
• Calexico to Mexicali: via California State Route 111 in Calexico, CA to Calzada Adolfo López Mateos in Mexicali, Baja California.
• Calexico to Mexicali: via California State Route 7 in Calexico, CA to Blvd. Abelardo L. Rodríguez in Mexicali, Baja California.
• Andrade to Los Algodones: via California State Route 186 in Andrade, CA to Avenida Azucena in Los Algodones, Baja California.

There are 71 United States Border Patrol Interior Checkpoints in the US, which includes 32 permanent traffic checkpoints.(source) In and near California are the San Diego, El Centro, and Yuma border patrol sectors. As of August 2009 there were 8 permanent checkpoints in California.(source) Permanent checkpoints in California include one 7 miles south of San Clemente on Interstate 5, one 24 miles north of Escondido on Interstate 15, one 3 miles east of Pine Valley on Interstate 8, and one 24 miles east of San Diego on CA 94.(source)

San Diego, CA is the county seat of San Diego County, the 2nd largest city in California (after LA), the 8th largest city in the US, and the 5th wealthiest city in the US. It has over 1.35 million people, 450,691 households as of the 2000 Census, the urban area has over 2.88 million people, and the San Diego/LA metro area has over 22 million people. San Diego, CA to Tijuana is a 19.5 mile, 26 minute drive on Interstate 5.

Tijuana is the sister city of San Diego on the US/Mexico border, is the largest city in Baja California, Mexico, and the 28th largest city in the Americas. Tijuana is the westernmost city in Mexico, and one of the fastest growing cities in Mexico. As of 2009 the Tijuana metro area has over 1.78 million people estimated, the 5th largest in Mexico. The San Diego/Tijuana metro area has over 5.1 million people estimated, making it the 2nd largest metro area in the Californias and 22nd largest metro area in the Americas. An estimated 300,000 border crossings occur daily at the two border crossing stations from Greater San Diego to Tijuana.

Calexico, CA is a city in Imperial County along the Mexican border with over 39,000 people and over 6,900 housing units. Over 60,000 people pass through Calexico daily. Calexico, CA is across the border from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Mexicali is on the US/Mexico borer, is the capital state of Baja California in Mexico, and is the northernmost city in Latin America. Mexicali has over 653,000 people and over 1 million in the metro area.

Calexico, CA to Yuma, AZ is a 53.6 mile, 56 minute drive east on CA 98 and Interstate 8.

Portrero, CA is an unincorporated community in San Diego County with over 850 people. Portrero, CA is fairly close to Tecate, Mexico.

Campo, CA is an unincorporated town in San Diego County with over 3,200 people. Campo, CA is fairly close to Tecate, Mexico.

Dulzura, CA is an unincorporated community in San Diego County about 10 miles north of the US/Mexico border and 25 miles east-southeast of San Diego. Dulzura has a population of about 700 people. Dulzura, CA is fairly close to Tecate, Mexico.

Drug cartels, RAND study, FSO, assassins, Pelosi, Tijuana bust, Los Zetas

On October 12, 2010, an article by Martha Mendoza of the Associated Press was published on MSNBC entitled "Study: Legalizing pot won't hinder Mexican cartels." The study was released October 12, 2010 by the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, and the study's lead author was co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Resarch Center Beau Kilmer. The study found that under $2 billion of cartel profits come from marijuana, and only about 3% of Mexican marijuana sales are in California. Mendoza said Prop 19 "will do little to quell the drug gangs' violent and sophisticated organizations that generate billions of dollars a year" according to the study.

The study found that Californians already tend to buy marijuana grown in California, and grow marijuana at a higher rate than surrounding states. Mendoza said Californians make up 14% of the US marijuana market. Mendoza said Mexico President Felipe Calderon and US President Barack Obama "agree the vast profits cartels collect in the US", an estimated $18 to $35 billion annually, "fuel drugs wars" in Mexico. Since Calderon cracked down on organized crime in 2006, over 28,000 people have died due to drug violence in Mexico.

Mendoza said Prop 19 supporters say they are focused on weed tax revenue, want to save money on prison costs, and that Prop 19 would reduce violence associated with the black market.

Head of the US ONDCP, drug czar Gil Kerlikowske told the AP "This report shows that despite the millions spent on marketing the idea, legalized marijuana won't reduce the revenue or violence generated by Mexican drug trafficking organizations." But former LAPD police deputy chief Stephen Downing said "It's ridiculous to claim that ending prohibition won't have a big financial impact on these violent criminals' bottom lines." (I think Downing is ignoring that Prop 19 will not end prohibition in 49 US states, or anywhere else on Earth. And if only 10% of California cities allow weed stores (which is about the percentage that currently allow medical marijuana dispensaries), there will still be a black market in 90% of California cities, as well as a statewide black market for minors. If "prohibition" is only ended in California, wouldn't criminal organizations just relocate to (or increase their presence in) California in order to legally homegrow? If some cities allowed industrial marijuana production, marijuana prices in California would probably fall. Lots of cheap weed in California means bigger profits in black markets worldwide.)

According to Mendoza, the study said if legal marijuana growers took over cartel distribution in the US, that would be the only way to cut into cartel profits. Mexican drug traffickers currently provide at least 50% of the marijuana in America, and would lose about 20% of their total drug revenue, but profits from heroin and cocaine would continue. Beau Kilmer said "If that happens, then legalization could reduce some of the Mexican drug violence in the long run."

But isn't Mexican drug violence over territory and against rival smugglers and people that have betrayed them or refused to cooperate with them? Why wouldn't cartels move to Calfornia? Wouldn't drug cartels fight over territory and drug trafficking routes and seek to eliminate rivals in California and other US states? And wouldn't cartels sell hard drugs to all the drug tourists coming to California (or sell to people selling to tourists)?

But the study authors said they don't believe the federal government will stand idly by if home-grown smugglers were to capture the entire national market now held by Mexico-sourced marijuana. Economist John Carnevale of the ONDCP said smuggling marijuana out of California will be easy, and that there is anecdotal information that marijuana smuggling through the mail system is already happening.

Joseph McNamara questioned the study's assumptions about sales and use, and said Prop 19's key objective isn't resolving Mexico's drug violence. I suppose McNamara is technically correct, "resolving Mexico's drug violence" is in fact not Prop 19's main goal. And yet Prop 19 supporters often claim that Prop 19 will reduce drug violence, mistakenly believing that Prop 19 means "no black markets."

In this pro Prop 19 ad featuring Joseph McNamara, McNamara says Prop 19 will "generate billions of dollars for local communities, allow police to focus on violent crimes, and put drug cartels out of business." (At the bottom of the ad it says "Yes on 19. Tax Cannabis 2010. Sponsored by S.K. Seymour LLC, a Medical Cannabis Provider, dba Oaksterdam University, a Cannabis Educator" -- which is also displayed on the bottom of yeson19.com)

Prop 19 itself doesn't generate any tax revenue (although local ballot measures like Measure V in Oakland supposedly would if Prop 19 passes and Measure V passes on November 2, 2010). As seen in Fresno and Oakland, there are already violent crimes associated with medical marijuana. Violent crimes associated with medical marijuana homegrowing is one of the reasons the Oakland City Council enacted ordinance 13033 to allow for large-scale grow permits. And I think the RAND study makes it clear that Prop 19 will not put drug cartels out of business. To me it seems like Prop 19 would give drug cartels a legal business to get involved in. Cartel members or people employed by cartels could legally grow in California. Legal weed stores could act as fronts to launder money. Maybe cartels could even purchase marijuana cheaply at wholesale from industrial marijuana growers. If Prop 19 passes, why wouldn't criminal organizations increase their presence in California?

On October 7, 2009, Steve Fainaru and William Booth of the Washington Post wrote that according to the White House ONDCP, over 60% of cartel revenue, $8.6 billion out of $13.8 billion in 2006, came from US marijuana sales. At the time, the article said "now as much as half [of marijuana consumed in the US] is produced domestically." The article said according to government estimates, Mexico produced 35 million pounds of marijuana in 2008. (A 2010 study by Joanne Brion of Brion and Associates estimated that California currently grows approximately 8.6 million pounds of marijuana a year.) The Fainaru/Booth article said a marijuana farmer in Sinaloa might make $25 a pound, which could sell wholesale for $550 a pound in Phoenix, and that Mexican drug cartels could be selling $20 billion worth of marijuana in the US each year.

On October 13, 2010, the Los Angeles Times published an article by John Hoeffel entitled "Legalizing pot in California would hardly dent cartels' revenue, report says" and that Prop 19 "would do little to curtail the violent Mexican cartels that smuggle marijuana across the border." Researchers at RAND estimated that cartel income from marijuana exported to the US was $1.5 billion, far lower than previous federal government reports which estimated as much as $14.3 billion.

The RAND study dismissed an often quoted estimate by the ONDCP that marijuana sales make up 60% of cartel export revenue. The researchers could find no data to back the figure up. The paper said the 60% figure "appeared out of nowhere" and "has acquired great authority", but "should not be taken seriously." The paper said marijuana sales make up probably 15 to 26% of cartel export revenue. If Calfornians consume 14% of the marijuana consumed in the US, 14% of 15% of cartel revenue is about 2%, and 14% of 26% of cartel revenue is about 3.6% -- 2 to 4%.

Stephen Gutwillig of the Drug Policy Alliance said prohibition of marijuana has failed because it's created a massive underground black market controlled by violent criminals. He said California can't put cartels out of business by itself, but Prop 19 is a "crucial first step." But I thought Joseph McNamara said Prop 19 would put cartels out of business in that Prop 19 support ad? And how would Prop 19 be a first step in putting cartels out of business if the "massive underground black market" still exists in 49 US states, (and likely 90% of California cities), and is still controlled by violent criminals? Even if Prop 19 passes, there will still be a black market for minors in California.

If Prop 19 passes, California homegrowers should mail all their weed out of state to thwart cartels? What if cartels also do the mailing?

The paper said Mexican marijuana has a US market share of 40 to 67%, and contains less THC than marijuana grown in California. The researchers figured that the average joint weighs 460mg. The paper concluded that violence might even increase as gangs fight over small revenue.

An overview of the RAND study "Reducing Drug Trafficking Revenues and Violence in Mexico", by Beau Kilmer, Jonathan P. Caulkins, Brittany M. Bond, and Peter H. Reuter can be found on rand.org. A PDF of the full study can be downloaded online. There is also a PDF of appendixes for the study.

It's interesting to me how the RAND study has been described online (and spun) by various groups.

A press release for the study on rand.org from October 12, 2020 is entitled "Legalizing Marijuana in California Will Not Dramatically Reduce Mexican Drug Trafficking Revenues."

A blog post about the study by Gene Maddaus of LA Weekly was entitled Legalizing Pot Would Cut Mexican Cartel Revenues Only Slightly, Could Boost Violence, Study Finds. Maddaus wrote that besides the 15-26% of export revenue cartels get from US pot sales, the rest comes from cocaine, meth, and heroin. Gutwillig of the DPA said the study "misses the mark" and any step towards legalization would cut into cartel profits. Gutwillig said Proposition 19 "is bad for their bottom line and a direct challenge to the monopoly they currently enjoy over their most lucrative product."

An article on NPR from October 30, 2010 about the study was entitled "Study: Legalizing Pot In Calif. Won't Hurt Cartels."

Meanwhile, a post by Jon Walker on justsaynow.firedoglake.com, (firedoglake claims to be a progressive blog and activist hub, and Just Saw Now is a campaign for marijuana legalization) about the RAND study is entitled "Rand Study: Marijuana Legalization Would Markedly Cut Mexican Drug Cartel Profits."

Walker began by saying "The Rand Corporation is notorious for its history of pro-drug-war studies." And said "the Rand Corporation buries the lede from their own study, one which strongly [supports] the anti-cartel claims made by marijuana reformers." Walker wrote "The study determines legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana could eliminate all the profits the Mexican drug cartels currently make thanks to cannabis prohibition." Even if that's true, that's kind of a misleading way to say that nationwide marijuana legalization might possibly eliminate 15 to 26% of Mexican drug cartel revenue, which currently comes from US pot sales.

Walker quotes part of the study, in part "Thus, the needs of the California market would be supplied by the new legal industry. While, in theory, some DTO employees might choose to work in the legal marijuana industry, they would not be able to generate unusual profits, nor be able to draw on talents that are particular to a criminal organization."

By "the new legal industry", does that refer to legal homegrowers or commercial growers (which cities may or may not allow)? Criminal organizations could get involved in either.

Personally, I disagree with the study's claim that crime syndicate members "would not be able to generate unusual profits nor be able to draw on talents that are particular to a criminal organization" if Prop 19 passes.

While some criminals may work in the legal marijuana industry, profits would not come in the form of their wages there. It would come from learning more efficient ways to grow, embezzling, investing dirty money in commercial grows or weed stores, theft of bud/clones/seeds, drug rings at places of employment, sabotage of crops or seeds, destruction to weed stores and commercial grows, extortion or harassment or murder of marijuana company owners or employees, falsifying production yields, redirecting or funneling product to smugglers, selling product to smugglers, etc. Los Zetas is a Mexican drug cartel made up of ex-military from Mexico. Members previously worked as security for another cartel. Private security companies will be in high demand in California if Prop 19 passes and if cities allow commercial grows. Gropech said they were in talks with ex-military regarding security. If Mexican drug cartels can kill nearly 30,000 people while fighting over territory and fighting rivals, what's going to stop them from raiding industrial marijuana grows?

California currently produces about 8.6 million pounds of marijuana per year. If marijuana was legalized and industrialized, California could produce hundreds of millions of pounds of cannabis per year, cannabis that is currently worth 1/4th its weight in gold outside of California. You might argue that if Prop 19 passes, marijuana prices will drop nationwide based on the idea that supply will outweigh nationwide demand (if only 100 million Americans consume marijuana and they only consume a few ounces per year on average and they only buy what they consume and don't buy any more for resale elsewhere), or the idea that there will be more sellers than buyers, or that smugglers will try to undercut each other, or that smugglers will be forced to sell for less to offload product. Marijuana prices might drop nationwide if Prop 19 passes, but I haven't seen any predictions on nationwide price drops, only possible price drops in California. If Prop 19 passes, there will be no place in the US where marijuana sells for $300/oz? Over 2,000 strains will all sell for under $300/oz? Medical marijuana dispensaries in 14 states and DC will all stop selling marijuana for $20/g? People and criminals will no longer make concentrates? Medical marijuana dispensaries will stop selling concentrates? If Prop 19 passes, will there be a global price drop? Why wouldn't big smugglers hold onto product to create artificial scarcity and keep prices high and seek to eliminate others selling for less? If the price of marijuana drops globally, would the price of concentrates also drop in a relative manner?

Walker said "their press release was shaped to encourage the media to write stories with a fairly negative spin on Prop 19." Walker said "This leads to a finding by Rand–which they try to present as damaging to pro-legalization arguments–that the passage of Prop 19 would only eliminate about two to four percent of cartel profits." And yet Jon Walker of Just Say Now wants to claim "Marijuana Legalization Would Markedly Cut Mexican Drug Cartel Profits." Walker says "No one has been claiming just the passage Prop 19 alone would eliminate all of the Mexican drug cartels’ marijuana profits across the whole country." But I've certainly heard plenty of general arguments by Prop 19 supporters that sound like that.

Walker said "The study shows legalizing and regulating marijuana in one region would effectively shut down the cartels' lucrative marijuana trade to that location." But wouldn't it enable cartels' marijuana trade from that location? Why bother growing marijuana in Mexico and trying to smuggle it across the US/Mexico border when you can relocate to California and grow it legally anywhere in the state and have 3 state borders and the Pacific Ocean to choose from? Not only by automobile, but ship, plane, train, mail, etc.

Walker concluded "Whether legalizing marijuana would make the murderous cartels terrorizing Mexico $6 billion a year poorer or a mere $2 billion, I still think it is a very good idea to take the first step toward depriving dangerous criminals of billions of dollars in revenue." Yet Walker seems to ignore the other part of the study that says that cartel violence might increase as they fight over smaller and smaller revenues. Why do cartels terrorize Mexico now? They're fighting over drug turf and fighting rivals and fighting the Mexican government. Do we want cartels moving to California en masse and fighting over drug turf and fighting rivals and fighting state and federal law enforcement agents here? Prop 19 doesn't make "dangerous criminals" any less dangerous. It gives incentive for criminals to move to California.

Jon Walker's article also appeared on commondreams.org and drugwarrant.com. Pete Guither of drugwarrant.com said "Jon Walker has the true story of the newest Rand report, and how some of the intellectually dishonest 'academics' at Rand are trying to spin it." I don't know exactly how it's "intellectually dishonest" for the RAND study to claim that Prop 19 "will not dramatically reduce Mexican drug trafficking revenues" based on the estimate that Prop 19 would only affect 2 to 4% of cartel revenue. We're talking about the quantity of Mexican brick weed currently sold and consumed in California (and I don't know, but perhaps also marijuana grown by cartels on public land in California). That leaves 96 to 98% of cartel revenue untouched by Prop 19. Who's doing the spinning here?

And that doesn't even factor in potential increases in sales of cocaine, heroin, and meth (which account for 74 to 85% of cartel revenue) to waves of drug tourists coming to California if Prop 19 passes. And what about the black market sale of marijuana concentrates, easily produced in washing machines full of ice, with large supplies of cheap legal weed or legally homegrown weed? What about the black market sale of commercial or homegrown marijuana laced with cocaine, heroin, or meth?

On October 12, 2010, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano blogged about the RAND study, with the headline "Someone Is Lying: Latest RAND Reports Disputes Feds’ Longstanding Cartel Claims." Armentano said the claim from the ONDCP that marijuana accounts for 60% of gross drug export revenue for Mexican drug traffickers "is not credible" according to RAND.

Armentano asked "So who should we believe? On the one hand we have the federal government, which consistently lies about marijuana to further their own agenda. On the other hand, we have RAND, which also isn’t above making its own specious claims to further their own agenda — which in this case seems to be opposing California’s Prop. 19." Um, several RAND papers state outright that much of the information in them is speculative.

Armentano said "the criminal prohibition of marijuana fuels an underground, unregulated, black market economy that empowers criminal entrepreneurs and jeopardizes the public’s — and the marijuana consumer’s — safety." But Prop 19 won't end the "prohibition of marijuana". Cananbis will still be a Schedule I drug federally. Prop 19 won't even end prohibition in California. Only 10% of California cities currently allow medical marijuana dispensaries. It's likely that 90% of cities will not allow retail weed stores either, so there will still be black markets in those cities. And there will still be a black market economy statewide for minors looking to buy weed. If Prop 19 passes, anyone selling marijuana without the proper license from their local government will be part of the black market economy. Which "fuels" the underground economy more? Medical growers in California now who can legally homegrow, or every adult in California being able to legally homegrow? Many medical marijuana patients in California currently sell to dispensaries. If Prop 19 passes, dispensaries may no longer buy product from patient farmers, instead opting for commercially grown weed. Patients who expect that regular income might then look for buyers on the black market. More homegrowers means more people selling weed without a license. Who would buy weed from them? People who want certain strains or clones or seeds, minors, people who live in the likely 90% of cities that won't allow retail weed stores, people out of state, etc.

On October 19, 2010, an article by William Booth and Nick Miroff appeared in the Washington Post entitled "Threat grows as Mexican cartels move to beef up U.S. presence."

On July 23, 2010, a press release by the United States Attorney's Office in the Southern District of California, part of the Department of Justice, regarding Operation Luz Verde was published on the Federal Bureau of Investigation website, San Diego Division. It said a criminal complaint was unsealed that day charging 43 defendants with a federal racketeering influenced and corrupt organization (RICO) conspiracy.

The Washington Post article came 3 months after that press release. And I suppose the headline may have been written to grab attention before the vote on Proposition 19. It mentioned, on July 23, 2010, a federal racketeering indictment was unsealed which described stash houses, smuggling crews, marijuana and meth distribution, weapon trafficking, money laundering, and robberies. And the collection of drug debts, with non-payment met with murder or kidnapping in California and Mexico.

The Washington Post article was about a "savage trafficking ring" called the Fernando Sanchez Organization, an offshoot of (and a weaker syndicate than) the Tijuana cartel (aka Arellano-Félix Organization which is led by Luis Fernando Sánchez Arellano). The organization moved aggressively to set up operations in San Diego, working out of an apartment called "The Office."

Booth and Miroff wrote that it's not unusual for cartels to place representatives in large cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta to manage large drug deliveries, or for leaders and underlings to move north to seek refuge. But the FSO was building a network in San Diego with senior managers. Prosecutors said the organization functioned almost like a franchise "giving it greater control over lucrative smuggling routes and drug distribution networks north of the border." It recruited people from Latino street gangs based in the US. FSO lieutenants lived in San Diego and ordered murders and kidnappings in Mexico according to assistant US attorney Todd Robinson who will prosecute the alleged drug ring in 2011.

The FBI obtained "roving" wiretaps for 44 people in February 2010 that let investigators track their movements by GPS. US authorities tapped cellphones for 6 months and recorded over 50,000 calls, which helped build a case against 43 suspects. The case is known as Operation Luz Verde (Green Light) and the Washington Post said it shows how Mexican cartels are trying to increase their presence in the US. US agents were able to eavesdrop on calls between two cellphone callers in Mexico due to towers on the north side of the border. Phones were quickly discarded and people spoke in Spanish, in code, with lots of street slang. Top lieutenants often used personal assistants who took messages so the boss wouldn't be heard on the line. Based on information from informants and wiretaps, the suspects hired US teenage girls to smuggle quarter pounds of meth across the border for $100 per trip. The wiretaps helped save the lives of 2 Mexican police officers and a cartel associate who had disrespected druglords in Tijuana and was going to be killed.

Jesus Quinones Marquez, codenamed "The Kidney", was an international liaison and adviser to Rommel Moreno, the Attorney General of Baja California, and passed along information to cartel bosses. The father of 3 was arrested on July 22, 2010 in a setup at the San Diego police department.

Of the 43 people indicted, 12 have alleged gang affiliations in San Diego, 8 are women, and 6 are current or former Mexican law enforcement officers. 35 suspects are currently in US jails. 8 others are still at large. One cartel leader was a former homicide detective from Tijuana.

On October 16, 2010, an article in The Washington Times by Jerry Seper was published, entitled Mexican hit men stalk U.S.. The Fox News headline was Mexican Assassins Headed to Arizona, U.S. Warned.

In May 2010, the Department of Homeland Security warned authorities in Arizona law enforcement with a memo stating that drug smuggling gangs in Mexico sent 15 well equipped assassins with bullet proof vests who would be disguised as backpackers carrying empty boxes covered in burlap into Arizona to draw out bandits ambushing/stealing loads of cocaine, marijuana, and heroin headed to US buyers and kill them.

The federal government put up signs along Interstate 8 warning travelers the area is unsafe due to drug/illegal alien smugglers. The local sheriff said Mexican drug cartels no control some parts of Arizona.

According to Fox News, on October 15, 2010 the Department of Homeless Security released a statement saying "This particular information proved to be inaccurate." Fox News went on to say "But Sheriff Babeu said there was already a hit carried out by these cartel assassins, when deputies found two men shot to death in the desert earlier this year."

On October 23, 2010, an article by Mark Potter appeared on MNSBC entitled "Drug ‘war next door’ linked directly to U.S." and said "Federal authorities say traffickers are now entrenched in at least 270 American cities." Potter wrote that the DEA says that US sales of cocaine, heroin, meth, and marijuana by Mexican trafficking organizations generates $19 to $39 billion annually. DEA chief for global enforcement operations David Gaddis said transnational drug trafficking "is our country's number one organized crime threat."

Anthony Coulson, who was a supervisor and ran the DEA's Tuscon District Office until he recently retired, said the amounts of illegal drugs coming into the US from Mexico and the violence has never been higher, and that cartels have never been in control of more territory or more powerful than now. Coulson said "It's getting worse. I've never seen it at this level before."

Potter said "Political and law enforcement leaders in both countries agree that American drug users fuel the Mexican trafficking cartels by purchasing their illicit products." Tony Payan, a drug cartel expert and teacher at the University of Texas at El Paso said he doesn't think it's a winnable war since the US "is not addressing the consumption part. It's not doing its part to reduce the market itself."

According to Potter, Gaddis said "extreme violence is the result of traffickers being threatened and cut off from their normal smuggling activities by the Mexican police and military."

On October 26, 2010, an article by Ryan Grim appeared on Huffington Post entitled "Pelosi: Mexican Officials Lobbying Against Pot Legalization." House Speaker and San Francisco representative told the Huffington Post that "I have the Mexicans coming in here and saying, 'Oh, my gosh, this is going to be problematic if in fact there's the decriminalization of marijuana.'"

Grim wrote "Mexican officials worry that legalization would lead to increased demand, which could funnel more money to the cartels. Backers of the initiative, however, note that under legalization, regulated production would take place within the state rather than in Mexico, cutting out the cartels."

And that's only if cities allow regulated production, which might be 10% of California cities if Prop 19 passes. And as if drug cartels couldn't relocate to California. You could argue that drug cartels wouldn't be able to compete in California with industrial cannabis production, but they can always pay legal homegrowers. And can California marijuana corporations deal with violent criminals who've killed nearly 30,000 people? That's like 10 9/11's.

Grim wrote "RAND, which is a largely government-funded operation, reported to the media that its study found there would be little effect on the cartels if Prop 19 passed."

Grim quoted from the study, saying legalizing marijuana in California would effectively eliminated Mexican drug-trafficking organization revenues that come from supplying Mexican grown marijuana to the California market. And that is California exports marijuana to the rest of America (which would be illegal drug trafficking), cartels could lost 20% of their revenue.

Pelosi said she has supported medical marijuana for a long time, and was pleased with SB 1449, but hadn't taken a position on Prop 19.

On October 21, 2010, an article by Randal C. Archibold was published on the New York Times saying 134 metric tons of marijuana, the most ever seized in Mexico, was seized October 17, 2010 in Tijuana after local police "happened on a convoy and were fired upon." Local police and state police and the military found 3 tractor-trailers and a smaller track in an industrial neighborhood near the border. The marijuana was in 15,300 bales wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil, some labeled with apparent labels or brands for US drug distributors. The seizure was announced October 18, 2010 and later burned. A 2010 US DOJ report said marijuana production in Mexico had increased 59% since 2003, due to a 48% decrease in eradication efforts since 2006.

On October 20, 2010 (last updated October 28, 2010) an article by Chris Arsenault appeared on Al Jazeera entitled "US-trained cartel terrorises Mexico." The article said "Founders of the Zetas drug gang learned special forces techniques at Ft. Bragg before waging a campaign of carnage." Arsenault said "Some of the cartel's initial members were elite Mexican troops, trained in the early 1990s by America's 7th Special Forces Group or "snake eaters" at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, a former US special operations commander has told Al Jazeera."

Arsenault said they "came from the Airmobile Special Forces Group (GAFE), which is considered an elite division of the Mexican military" and their training in the US "was designed to prepare them for counter-insurgency and, ironically, counter-narcotics operations."

Craig Deare, a former special forces commander and current professor at the US National Defence University estimated that "probably more than 500" GAFE personnel received special forces training. Arsenault wrote "The Zetas came to the attention of Mexico's Attorney General's office in 1999."

George Soros supports Prop 19

Wikipedia says George Soros is "a Hungarian-American currency speculator, stock investor, businessman, philanthropist, and social activist" born on August 12, 1930. Forbes lists his net worth at $14.2 billion. During the Black Wednesday crisis in 1992, Soros made a reported $1 billion when he bet that the British government would have to devalue the pound sterling. Soros is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Council on Foreign Relations. Soros is also on the board of directors of the Drug Policy Alliance. George Soros is the Chairman of Soros Fund Management and the Open Society Institute.

In March 2010, it was reported that Soros Fund Management increased their position in Monsanto by over 240%, according to holdings filed as of December 31, 2009 with the SEC. Soros Fund Management increased its position in Monsanto by 244.4%. According to 13F filings, 3.6% of Soros Fund Management assets were in Monsanto, making Monsanto 4th in the hedge fund's top 15 holdings in its portfolio. I found this amusing: Marketfolly.com said "And while Soros sold off POT, they massively added to MON, another agricultural giant." POT is the ticker symbol for Potash, and MON is the ticker symbol for Monsanto. Marketfolly.com said "Assets reported on the 13F filing were $8.8 billion this quarter compared to $6.2 billion last quarter, over a 40% increase in exposure", although the filings "are not representative of the hedge fund's entire base of AUM." 3.6% of $8.8 billion is $316.8 million, which I believe is how much Soros Fund Management has invested in Monsanto. Yahoo! Finance says Monsanto currently has a market cap of $31.6 billion. Although Soros Fund Management is not listed as a major holder of Monsanto common stock.

Wikipedia says Monsanto is Earth's biggest seed company, the company genetically engineered glyphosate-resistant soybeans, 93% of US soybeans are now Monsanto beans, and they like to protect their intellectual property. (I can easily imagine how Earth's biggest seed company could profit off marijuana legalization. From what I've seen, online seedbanks currently sell marijuana seeds for $1.50 to over $33 per seed.) The documentary Food, Inc. discusses Monsanto and Monsanto soybeans. And Monsanto set up a website to answer questions people had related to the film Food, Inc. (The book The Biotechnology of Cannabis sativa discusses genetically engineering cannabis, which I assume would be legal if Prop 19 passes, unless prevented by federal prosecution.)

On September 9, 2010, there was a blog post by "radicaljusticeman" which mentioned Monsanto and George Soros on a website for listeners, programmers, and staff of KPFZ 88.1 FM in Lakeport, California. Lakeport is the county seat of Lake County, at 1,355 feet on the west shore of Clear Lake. The city had a population of 4,820 and 1,967 households as of the 2000 census. The blog post was also mirrored (and/or submitted) on the Coalition of the Obvious blog, which claims to be "a group of people who openly recognize that corporations are destroying Earth, our home; that the enemy of every social justice cause is a corporation; that corporations have purchased governments around the world; that mainstream media is corporate propaganda; and that the first step out of the Corporate State is to expose the truth." The post also appeared on Infowars Ireland.

On October 26, 2010, Kevin Fagan blogged at the San Francisco Chronicle that "billionaire financier" George Soros donated $1 million to the Drug Policy Alliance, one of the main supporters of Prop 19. (Soros donated $1 million to a non-profit organization that he's on the board of directors on?) Fagan said over $4 million had been raised by the pro Prop 19 campaign, and about $300,000 by the anti Prop 19 campaign. (More on donations in another blog post). Soros has long supported changing marijuana laws, but Fagan said Prop 19 opponents noticed that the donation seemed a little late.

Spokesman for noonproposition19.com Roger Salazar said "We've been outspent from day one, but the more they spend, the more the public becomes aware of the flaws of Prop. 19 and the further they drop in the polls." The California Chamber of Commerce is airing radio ads saying Prop 19 would be bad for employers.

Spokeswoman for yeson19.com Dale Sky Jones said "It's mostly really fear and ignorance we're fighting" and said an automated poll by SurveyUSA (which I mentioned in this blog post) showed Prop 19 winning. Dale Sky Jones is the wife of Jeff Jones, who is the co-sponsor of Prop 19, and she is also "executive chancellor" of Oaksterdam University. Fagan said the pro Prop 19 side began airing TV ads with Joseph McNamara, former San Jose Police Chief, saying the war on drugs is a failure.

Shira Ovide also blogged on the Deal Journal at the Wall Street Journal about the following op/ed. Ovide mentioned how Soros supported a 2008 initiative decriminalizing marijuana possession in Massachusetts, as well as other state initiatives to decriminalize minor marijuana possession.

Aaron Smith of CNN also wrote about the following opinion piece, and said that according to Ethan Nadelmann, founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance (which Soros donated $1 million to according to Kevin Fagan, and which Soros is on the board of directors of according to the DPA website) said Soros has donated about $75 million towards drug policy reform since 1995. Nadelmann said this is the first time Soros has outright supported legalization. Jeff Miron of the Cato Institute estimated that Prop 19 could save $960 million annually in law enforcement costs.

On October 26, 2010, Aliya Shahid of the New York Daily News wrote about Soros's op/ed piece in the Wall Street Journal and mentioned the $1 million donation.

John Hoeffel also blogged about the donation by Soros, on an Los Angeles Times blog. He wrote that the donations makes Soros the biggest donor to the pro Prop 19 campaign after Richard Lee, who's spent at least $1.5 million towards it. Hoeffel wrote that Soros has contributed approximately $3 million to help pass 3 California initiatives, including Prop 215 which legalized medical marijuana in 1996. Hoeffel said that the Yes On 19 campaign began running cable TV ads in the LA area on October 26, 2010.

Torey Van Oot blogged on October 28, 2010 on the Sacramento Bee that the Yes On 19 campaign planned to air ads on Comedy Central during The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, and linked to the ad on YouTube.

On October 26, 2010, the Wall Street Journal published an op/ed by George Soros entitled Why I Support Legal Marijuana.

Soros wrote that America's cannabis laws are doing more harm than good, and haven't prevented marijuana from becoming the most widely used illegal drug in the US. But they have resulted in negative consequences and high costs.

My question is, how would Prop 19 prevent marijuana from becoming the most widely used drug in California, or the US? It wouldn't prevent marijuana use, it would promote it. Soros mentions high costs and negative consequences associated with current laws, but fails to mention any costs or negative consequences that may result from Prop 19.

Soros said that there are approximately 750,000 arrests annually for marijuana possession, over 40% of all drug arrests. He said that billions of taxpayer dollars are spent "trying to enforce this unenforceable prohibition." Soros said police should focus on serious crime, and that regulating and taxing marijuana would reduce violence, crime, and corruption linked to drug markets. He said regulation would save billions of dollars spent on law enforcement and incarceration.

But in California, possession of 28.5g or less of marijuana "is not an arrestable offense" already, according to NORML. NORML says an officer will not arrest an offender "as long as the offender can provide sufficient identification and promises to appear in court." NORML also says "upon conviction of the misdemeanor charge the offender is subject to a fine of $100." And since Prop 19 doesn't allow possession over one ounce, people with over one ounce will still be arrested. NORML says currently that "possession of greater than 28.5 grams is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500." Since Prop 19 doesn't allow for sales without a license, people selling marijuana without a license will still be arrested. NORML says that currently "selling marijuana in any amount is punishable by 2 to 4 years in the state prison. Giving away less than 28.5 grams is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of up to $100." Since Prop 19 doesn't allow for selling or giving to minors, people who do that will still be arrested. NORML says "sale of marijuana to a minor is punishable by 3 to 5 years in prison" and a felony if the minor is over 14. If the minor is under 14, sales, offering, inducing, distributing, employing is a felony punishable by 3 to 7 years in prison. Prop 19 doesn't allow people to transport over one ounce of marijuana, so people that do will still be arrested. And starting on January 1, 2011, possession of under one ounce of marijuana in California will no longer be a misdemeanor, due to Senate Bill 1449 which governor Schwarzenegger signed on September 30, 2010. Josh Richman of the Oakland Tribune said SB 1449 was introduced by state senator Mark Leno, a Democrat from San Francisco. People charged for possession of under one ounce of marijuana will no longer have a permanent criminal record of it. California Drug Policy Alliance director Stephen Gutwillig said the signing of SB 1449 was "certainly made possible and perhaps made necessary by the apparent popularity" of Proposition 19.

Since Prop 19 allows people statewide to keep any harvests of marijuana grown in under a 25 square foot area, and allows people to legally share marijuana with adults, will there be no possession limits whatsoever inside residences? What if someone has 20 pounds? 50 pounds? 100 pounds? 300 pounds? 500 pounds? At what point does a red flag go off that someone may be a drug smuggler? Will it matter if it's all in glass jars? In trash bags? In boxes? Pressed into bricks? If law enforcement is called to a residence containing marijuana, what do they have to determine? If the grow area is under 25 square feet? If people have receipts for purchased weed? If there are minors in the home? Does their need to be evidence of a growing operation? Is it enough for someone to claim that someone gave them the marijuana and no money was exchanged? How could anyone know whether or not money was exchanged?

And regarding the regulation of marijuana reducing violence, previously I've blogged about how Fresno County banned outdoor marijuana growing for 45 days after a Fresno man was shot and killed by a medical marijuana patient who suspected thieves were stealing his crop. And like I blogged about here, in July the Associated Press reported that the Oakland police department said in the last 2 years, marijuana grows have been linked to 8 robberies, 7 burglaries, and 2 murders.

If Prop 19 passes, more people in California will legally homegrow a renewable commodity worth one-fourth its weight in gold on the street outside California. More growhouses means more robberies. More robberies means more potential violent confrontations between growers and thieves. Commercial grows and weed stores may be large targets for robbers and thieves, in addition to vehicles in their parking lots and customers. And criminal organizations and smugglers and traffickers will want to protect their grows, and their territory, and trafficking routes.

This blog post by lawyer Jennifer Soares asks how many arrests Prop 19 will stop. Notice how many felony arrests Prop 19 could possibly affect.

On October 3, 2010, there was an article by Josh Richman in the Oakland Tribune called "Hazy math: How much do we spend to incarcerate pot users? Not as much as they say."

Richman wrote that according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California Department of Justice, in 2009 there were 61,164 arrests for possession of under one ounce of marijuana, currently a misdemeanor (but it will only be an infraction as of January 1st). (And see again the blog post by the lawyer Jennifer Soares and notice how the Department of Justice defines "arrest.") The maximum fine for each arrest is $100. (As I mentioned in this blog post, LEAP member Nate Bradley claimed those fines cost counties $1,000 to process, and that $60 million per year could be saved if police just stopped writing those tickets.) In 2009, there were 17,008 felony marijuana arrests according to the California Department of Justice according to Calfornia NORML. As of the end of 2009, 1,639 people were incarcerated in state prisons for all marijuana offenses. About 0.9% of the California state prison population were inmates held on marijuana offenses. The cost of their incarceration was $52,363 per person, or a total of $85.8 million. The Campaign Against Marijuana Planting or CAMP, an inter-agency marijuana eradication program, costs about $1 million per year. CAMP has eradicated about 3.5 million plants so far in 2010, with an estimated street value of $12.3 billion. Professor Mark Kleiman of the UCLA School of Public Affairs and director of its Drug Policy Analysis Program said the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement's CAMP program would probably end if Prop 19 passes since it wouldn't be worth the time and money for criminals to operate illegal grow ops on remote public lands.

Richman said Prop 19 supporters like to talk about all the money Prop 19 would save in criminal justice costs, but he said that the numbers don't really back them up. Richman referred to Senate Bill 1449 and said it means "most of the prosecution and court costs formerly associated with such cases already have been eliminated."

George Soros said nationwide enforcement of the marijuana portion of the Controlled Substances Act costs billions. I suppose that money goes toward law enforcement agencies and jails and prisons and courts and lawyers and judges and the DEA and eradication programs.

yeson19.com says Prop 19 would save "hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars a year." California criminal justice expert and professor Michael Vitiello of the University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law said "it seems like real exaggeration." Richman said that in actuality, California doesn't spend very much arresting nonviolent marijuana users. Alameda County Sherriff's Office spokesman Sgt. J.D. Nelson said the county jail probably has zero inmates in for minor marijuana possession, and maybe some growers but very few. Vitiello said some offenders have pleaded down from more serious charges to a marijuana charge. And some inmates may be in prison for violating parole by possessing marijuana. Which brings up another point, it appears that parolees won't be able to possess marijuana even if Prop 19 passes, they'll go back to prison.

Jimmy Lee, spokesman for the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Ofice, said in a recent month, county jails had 6 arrests for cultivation and 19 bookings for marijuana possession under an ounce. The other arrests for marijuana would still be illegal after Prop 19.

And Prop 19 will not change federal law (more on that in another blog post). Marijuana will still be a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act even if Prop 19 passes (which is one of the reasons the Los Angeles Times opposed it, which I blogged about here.)

Richman said the Moscone Act which took effect January 1, 1976 and decriminalized marijuana in California, made possession of under one ounce of marijuana the only misdemeanor in California not punishable by jail time. He wrote that someone found in possession of marijuana "need not even be formally arrested or booked on the misdemeanor charge." Richman said one study estimated that California saved $1 billion in the the next decade in arrest, court, prison, and parole costs. Richman said people arrested for misdemeanor possession that have other marijuana convictions in the last 2 years are eligible for a "diversion program", maybe community service, maybe treatment, to have the charges dismissed. Richard said Proposition 36 in the year 2000 made 1st and 2nd time drug offenders charged only with possession should go to treatment not jail, and their conviction will be erased if they finish a court supervised treatment program.

Soros wrote that Prop 19 would reduce civil liberty violations, saying that currently blacks are 3 to 5 to 10 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than others. California NAACP president Alice Hufman said the criminal justice system does more harm to people than cannabis, and a permanent drug arrest record does nobody any good. Soros also said that marijuana was criminalized in the early 20th century mainly due to racial prejudice against Mexican immigrants. Richman said blacks are about three times more likely to be charged with marijuana possession in California than whites (or even more in some cities), and DPA director Stephen Gutwillig said "there's no reason to believe policing practices are going to change simply because the technical nature of the offense has." Gutwillig said if Prop 19 fails, it's possible some law enforcement agencies will issue even more citations than they do now since the tickets won't result in misdemeanor court appearances.

Richman also referred to an op/ed by ONDCP directors which said legal marijuana would create criminal justice costs that would exceed any tax revenue brought in, just like alcohol and tobacco do now. Prop 19 creates new crimes, like ingesting marijuana in the same "space" as a minor. And Prop 19 allows every city and every county to come up with their own unique laws regarding commercial regulation and sales. They said Prop 19 would burden law enforcement officers with "new and complicated enforcement duties." (Indeed, the cost of new code enforcement was one of the reasons Rancho Cordova proposed to tax homegrowers, which I blogged about here.)

Soros said that major criminal organizations benefit the most from illegal marijuana, and that they would likely be weakened if marijuana was legalized. Soros mentioned how the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, which includes former president of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo, former president of Colombia César Gaviria, and former president of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso, recommended that marijuana be decriminalized.

But recently it's been reported that drug cartels don't stand to lose much money if Prop 19 passes (more on that in another blog post). Major criminal organizations surely benefit from illegal marijuana now, but if Prop 19 passes, marijuana will still be illegal in 49 states. If Prop 19 passes, criminals can also benefit from legal marijuana, growing legally, buying cheap weed legally, in addition to selling huge volumes of legal homegrown or legal commercial marijuana for big profits everywhere in the world outside of California. There will still be a black market for minors in California. And currently only 1 out of 10 cities in California allow medical marijuana dispensaries. If a city won't allow medical dispensaries, are they likely to allow retail weed stores? I doubt it. That means 90% of California cities will still have black markets. People who live in those cities may drive to cities that allow weed stores, or legally homegrow,

Who benefits the most from marijuana being legalized in California only? Large criminal organizations who will be able to grow it legally, buy it legally from licensed distributors, and smuggle it out of California and sell it for much much more worldwide. As well as large corporations who will be able to grow it in California, sell it in California, patent it, etc. As well as investors like George Soros. Luisa Kroll, who blogged on Forbes about the donation and the opinion piece, called George Soros "the world's richest hedge fund manager."

Although, corporations may face federal prosecution. Large corporations could probably afford long and costly lawsuits, or wait to see how other lawsuits play out before entering the legal market. But criminal organizations wouldn't care, crime is their business. They don't have to play by any rules corporations may be required to. Even if large marijuana corporations avoid federal prosecution in California, they'll still only be able to lawfully sell their products in California. Criminal organizations have the entire planet as their market. It's entirely possible that criminal organizations would do the most buying from California marijuana corporations.

Someone might argue that Californians would benefit the most from legal marijuana, since they'd no longer have to fear arrest or "persecution" or stigma, but crime syndicates and corporations will be making more money. And they could still fear arrest by the feds. Besides, THC can induce paranoia and persecutory delusions in even legal pot. Someone might argue that taxpayers benefit the most since supposedly tax money would no longer be used on arresting, and incarcerating people for marijuana offenses, but like Josh Richman said, California taxpayers don't spend as much on incarcerating those people as Prop 19 supporters claim. And what about the potential costs of arresting and incarcerating more drug smugglers and unlicensed sellers in California? And consumers will be paying a special tax on marijuana they buy from licensed retailers. Someone might argue that cities benefit the most from legal marijuana, because of additional tax revenue, but how many California cities will allow retail weed stores? 10%? How many people will pay taxes on weed when they can homegrow tax free? Will taxes even be collectible since companies will be federal criminals? How much weed tax revenue will be used up by regulatory agencies set up by local governments?

Soros said he was worried about young people getting involved with marijuana and other drugs, but that honest drug education is the best solution. Soros said teens can find marijuana easier than alcohol, and have more access to marijuana than most adults. Soros said legalizing marijuana "can hardly make it any more accessible to young people."

Can Prop 19 supporters agree on what honest drug education regarding marijuana is? Have any Prop 19 supporters agreed that packs of joints should carry health warning labels, or what marijuana warning labels might say? Maybe that's the responsibility of the Surgeon General of the United States. I guess you could argue that people are waiting until Prop 19 passes and local governments create commercial regulations to get into the specifics of health warnings. If Prop 19 passes, does each local government in California get to decide their own warning labels? Proposition 19 doesn't mention health warnings at all, although in the Findings section it says "Cannabis has fewer harmful effects than either alcohol or cigarettes, which are both legal for adult consumption. Cannabis is not physically addictive, does not have long term toxic effects on the body, and does not cause its consumers to become violent." Is that a sufficient health warning? "Cannabis is not physically addictive, does not have long term toxic effects on the body, and does not cause its consumers to become violent"? Like I blogged about, Dr. Tim Cermak said Prop 19's assertion that pot is not physically addictive is a myth. And Itai Danovitch, a member of the California Society of Addiction Medicine's Committee on Public Policy, and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, wrote that about 1/11 adults who use marijuana develop an addiction to it, and that as many as 1/6 people who start smoking marijuana before 18 develop an addiction to it.

And Prop 19 lets anyone in California legally homegrow. Does George Soros think that the number of growers in California will remain the same if Prop 19 passes? Does Soros think that no parents in California will start homegrowing if Prop 19 passes? More and more parents legally homegrowing means more marijuana available to young people. More and more people growing, perhaps visible from the street, means more marijuana available to young people. Industrial volumes of commercial joints means more marijuana available to young people. How many strains of marijuana can a typical teen in California currently obtain in the next hour? Is that number going to go down if Prop 19 passes? Prop 19 supporters like to say that "dealers don't check for ID" but if Prop 19 passes, dealers will *continue* to sell marijuana to minors on the black market, and not check for ID.

This article in the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from July 2009 discusses the pros and cons of anti-tobacco ads. The pro side by Michael Eriksen, former director of the Office on Smoking and Health at the CDC, said "Rigorous scientific research has shown that price increases, strict advertising restrictions and clean indoor air laws are effective in reducing smoking for everyone, but are particularly effective among young people." The con side by Michael L. Marlow, an economics professor at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California, said "Statistical analysis that I've conducted shows that there is a very tenuous link between cigarette sales and state anti-tobacco spending. At best, spending large amounts of money on anti-tobacco programs seems to produce a trivial drop in cigarette sales — less than a pack a year per capita."

Anti-marijuana ads on television are routinely criticized by marijuana users. Also, on May 28, 2005, research on anti-weed ads was presented by Dr. Harvey Ginsburg of Texas State University, San Marcos at the American Psychological Society's yearly convention in Los Angeles. Ginsburg said "These findings are roughly consistent with independent evaluations showing that the anti-marijuana ads failed to produce positive impacts and may actually boomerang" and that "Any White House conclusions that their ads have caused a national reduction in marijuana use are not warranted." This webpage on the Common Sense for Drug Policy website features headlines such as "The Persistence Of Folly: ONDCP's Anti Drug Media Campaign", "House Appropriations Committee Reduces National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign Funding", "ONDCP Spends Millions On Ads In Spite Of Federal Research Proving Campaign Is A Failure", "NIDA Issues Final Evaluation Through 2003 Of Media Campaign -- No Changes, Ad Campaign Still A Failure", "The More Things Stay The Same: ONDCP Again Launches New Ads In Super-Expensive Super Bowl As Feds Release Report Calling Anti-Drug Media Campaign A Failure", "Federal Evaluation: ONDCP Ad Campaign A Failure, Yet Czar Begs Congress To Fully Fund Program." If anti-marijuana ads fail to reduce teen marijuana use, why would that change after Prop 19 passes? Will anti-marijuana ads suddenly become effective after the passage of Prop 19?

Soros said Prop 19 won't solve all of the problems associated with marijuana but it would be a major step forward, and experience could be used to correct any deficiencies. Soros said that states began repealing alcohol prohibition laws leading to the 21st amendment which repealed alcohol prohibition nationwide, and that US states must begin repealing marijuana prohibition laws. Soros said California voters have an opportunity to lead the nation like like they with Prop 215 in 1996 which legalized medical marijuana.

Since marijuana is a controlled substance federally and in all 50 states, isn't talk about "repealing marijuana prohibition laws" actually referring to controlled substance scheduling? In August 2009, the Oregon legislature passed SB 728, which directed the Oregon Board of Pharmacy to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II, III, IV or V. On June 16, 2010 the Oregon State Board of Pharmacy voted 4-1 to move marijuana from Schdule I to II, to recognize that cannabis has an acceptable medical use. Marijuana is now a Schedule II controlled substance in Oregon, the first state in the nation to make it a Schedule II drug. In February 2010, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy recommended its legislature reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to II, recognizing its medical use. But even if all 50 states reschedule marijuana, that does not mean that marijuana will be rescheduled federally. The US is still a party to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and the federal Controlled Substances Act is based on that international treaty.

Wikipedia says the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs can reschedule cannabis. Congress can reschedule cannabis. The Executive Branch can reschedule cannabis. The US Attorney General can reschedule cannabis. The DEA supposedly looks at petitions to reschedule cannabis. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services can reschedule cannabis. But the US still ratified the treaty the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Cindy Fazey said total legalization would require the US to denounce that treaty, amend the treaty, or reinterpret it (which would probably be opposed by the International Narcotics Control Board.)

Soros said just the fact that Proposition 19 is on the 2010 ballet has "elevated and legitimized public discourse about marijuana and marijuana policy in ways I could not have imagined a year ago."