This chapter discusses the journey of Adalanto, a conservative town in California, towards legalizing marijuana cultivation. It explores the efforts of Bug, a unique figure with right-wing and hippie traits, to convince the city council to pass an ordinance allowing commercial cultivation. The chapter delves into the aftermath of the legalization, including the surge of permit applications, the presence of cash, and the involvement of famous individuals like Mike Tyson.
Adelanto, California, was broke. Could legalizing marijuana cultivation offer a fix? Reporter David Weinberg’s podcast Dreamtown details how the path to salvation was marred by scandal, debt, and corruption.
This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Serena Solin, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Cristian Ayala, and hosted by Noel King.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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