ASHLAND, Oregon – State Representative Pam Marsh will host a community forum Tuesday night via Zoom to address the growing problem of the illicit cultivation of marijuana in southern Oregon.

The Jackson County Council of Commissioners declared a state of emergency earlier this month due to the recent growth surge – a phenomenon that has been developing for years, although officials say this year has been particularly extreme.

Southern Oregon was already a cornerstone for cannabis, and hemp crops operated within the state’s legal framework, in part due to the region’s conducive climate. For the same reason – and because the presence of legal transactions creates a certain level of reasonable doubt for illicit transactions – black market operations have flourished. Operators grow, process, and ship marijuana to states where cannabis remains illegal.

Particularly during severe drought years like 2021, one of the biggest issues is how these operations get large amounts of water. The other problem is labor, with law enforcement officials saying there are humanitarian issues related to the way migrant workers are exploited in the black market.

“The proliferation of illegal cultivation of hemp and cannabis in southern Oregon has caused enormous public concern,” Marsh’s office said in a statement. “This community forum will provide an opportunity to hear from frontline people and agencies about issues that have emerged, including permits, regulatory response, law enforcement, code compliance, worker conditions , water use and past and future legislation. “

RELATED: Jackson County has requested National Guard help with a marijuana emergency, but it is unlikely to happen this year

Tuesday’s session will feature a few key presenters most familiar with the issue at both state and local levels – Obie Strickler, chair of the Jackson County Marijuana Advisory Committee; several officials from the Oregon Department of Agriculture; Steve Marks, Director General of the OLCC; Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler; Supervisor of Alicia Brown with Jackson County Code Enforcement; Jackson County Water Master Shavon Haynes; and Kathy Keesee, executive director of the Unete Center for Farmworker Advocacy.

“Our goal is to provide auditors with the most recent information possible and identify the right path forward,” Marsh’s office said. “To this end, we will ask each stakeholder to conclude with some policy or funding recommendations needed to bring the illegal industry under control. “

The forum will start on Tuesday at 6.30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Spanish and American sign language interpretation will be available. The link to participate via Zoom can be accessed directly here and will be posted on the Marsh page here.