Stockton, CA…Legal Cannabis Totals 19% of Calaveras Economy and 21% of Local Jobs, Dwarfing All Other Industries. The University of the Pacific Center for Business and Policy Research released a comprehensive study of the impact of the cannabis industry in Calaveras. The study finds the total direct and indirect economic impact of the legal cannabis industry to be $339.2 million per year, or 19% of the total local Gross Regional Product (GRP), and contributes 3,400 jobs, or 21% of the total local workforce. The direct economic output of legal cannabis, $251 million, is by far the largest industry in Calaveras. To put this in perspective the total economic output of all other agricultural commodities combined in Calaveras totals $28 million. The next largest industry in Calaveras, Hospitality (which includes Tourism, Lodging, Restaurants and others), has a direct economic output of $167.5 million.

Click Above To Read A Copy Of The Study

The study also notes that over 40% of employed residents work outside of the county, our population is declining, median household income is dropping, and poverty rates are rising. Ebbetts Pass Lumber Company, Inc. is a local employer located in Arnold that retails building materials, home decor, furniture, hardware and more. The company is
extremely concerned with the local economy, and the general welfare of Calaveras County. The importance of this study is highlighted by Director, Jason Hauer. “We have always felt that the cannabis industry in Calaveras is huge, but the sheer size and impact had never been studied. As our leaders are threatening to shut down the industry, we
thought it important that they understood exactly what that means.”

“I sell products directly to farmers – soils, nutrients, etc. – so I got to know the industry first hand. When I go out to dinner and see that half the restaurant is filled with farmers and their families, or when I go to the grocery store and see the store filled with farmers, the proprietor might not realize where that money is coming from. That is why this study is so important.”

“There is a lot of misinformation, speculation, and fear mongering surrounding this industry. Instead of guessing, we thought numbers coming from a true academic study would speak for themselves.”

“Nearly every business owner that I have spoken to about cannabis supports thoughtful regulation, and is terrified of what a “ban” would do to our economy, but are afraid to publicly speak about it because of the tactics used by prohibitionists in Calaveras. I can’t blame them, our company and our employees have been threatened with violence, slandered, screamed at, and boycotted because of our support for the cannabis industry. We hope this study will be a voice for those of us who are impacted most, yet are afraid to support publicly.”

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For more information about Ebbetts Pass Lumber Company, please contact Jason Hauer by calling 209-479-9988 or e-mail Jason at jason@acearnold.com . For more information about the findings and methods of this study please contact Dr.
Thomas Pogue, University of the Pacific, Center for Business and Policy Research, 916-340-6084