At harm reduction workshop talk of trimmer safety

HUMBOLDT CO., 11/2/16 — “I know lawyers and teachers that do trimming, our community is really dependent on this,” explains Michelle Hood of the Redwood Women’s Foundation in Trinidad, Humboldt County. She adds, “But many people are afraid to be known as someone doing this kind of work.” Her organization bills itself as a “rural laboratory for women’s empowerment,” with a focus on developing programs and workshops to support North Coast women. So with the cannabis harvest in full swing, the importance of seasonal side work to many women apparent and recent attention to the particular dangers faced by women trimmers, Hood decided to organize a series of events to provide knowledge, access to resources, and a safe space for people to talk and learn.

At an evening session in Redway on October 26, about 15 women (and one man) discussed not only practical tips, but the larger ways rural North Coast communities can develop better support for cannabis workers with limited resources and available services. Hood’s “Harm Reduction in the Hills” workshops are designed to foster a safer environment for trimmers by sharing harm reduction and safety strategies for the least powerful of cannabis workers. Hood, along with sociologist Brandie Wilson, hopes to build a safer community for women in the cannabis industry while they are working on grey market farms.