FDA OK’s fourth coronavirus vaccine

S1: A new vaccine meets another wave of COVID cases.
S2: The concerning thing is that these are the cases that we know of. There are cases at home that we're not aware of.
S1: I'm Jade Hindman with Maureen CAVANAUGH. This is KPBS Midday Edition. Find out what's happening.
S2: Pride weekend pride is here to say that we love you. We'll take you just as you are. And it's going to be a massive , joyful event.
S1: A new center opens to help treat headaches and hear about efforts to make cannabis legal in Mexico. That's ahead on Midday Edition. Yesterday , the FDA approved the nation's fourth coronavirus vaccine. Unlike other previously available AM RNA shots , NOVAVAX is a protein based vaccine , giving people another option to bolster their immunity. This comes as San Diego and the nation at large battled another wave of COVID cases. Joining me with more is Dr. William Sang , a hospitalist at Kaiser Permanente , San Diego. Welcome back to mid-day.
S2: Thank you very much.
S1:
S2: Now , the concerning thing is that , yes , these are the cases that we know of. There are cases at home where people tested home that we're not aware of. So definitely we are in the middle of a surge and there's probably more cases than we're actually documenting at this point.
S1: A lot of health experts have been saying this COVID wave is different from previous ones.
S2: You know , we are seeing a correlated increase in hospitalization , but it is not like a spike like the the one that we felt in December. This is more like a wave that crest and it's stayed up. It is not as bad as the again , December al-Muqrin , the first version of it. And hopefully it is at a slow enough pace that we're able to manage it in the hospital. The other thing that's different is really the death rate from this. The case fatality rate is really not as bad as it was in December and with previous versions. So we're lucky in some point , but because of the overwhelming number of cases , more trend we're seeing that translate to the hospital.
S1: Something troubling about this circulating variant is the possibility that some monoclonal antibody treatments may not be as effective.
S2: They're not the preventive type , not like the vaccine , the more the treatment versions. So what we have seen is some of the monoclonal is not as good , but we have a lot more available to treat patients. So , for example , the remdesivir is still good. The Paxil that's still good , the multiyear beta is still good. So we have armamentarium that we can use to make sure that you don't ever end up in the hospital. A Reviews basically reduced your chances of ending up in the hospital , which means reduces your chance of mortality or death. So we can do that up to 90%. So science , we are so fortunate that science has allowed us to find these drugs that can really save somebody's life. So we're very happy with that. And yes , although not all of them are working as good as they used to. We still have a lot of them that work very , very well.
S1: And the FDA authorized NOVAVAX , which is a protein based vaccine.
S2: And if we have , that is a good thing. The other things people have talked about , maybe not being a little concerned about the many virus vaccines. Now we have a protein based vaccine and this is something that has been tried and true. Hepatitis B vaccines are used that way. HPV vaccines , tetanus , vaccine , diphtheria. So these are things that we've done before. So there should be no excuses , really. We've got one more tool and our toolbox to help save people and prevent them from dying from this disease unnecessarily.
S1:
S2: And in people who are a little older , I think 80% and above in terms of effectiveness. Now , the way it's different , we still target we're still targeting the spike vaccine. What's different is that this is protein based. So the protein is made outside of the body. And as traditional vaccines , then it's injected into the patient to elicit an immune response , whereas the many vaccines uses your own mechanisms to create that protein. So it's just a two different ways of getting at the same problem. But the outcome is just as great , right ? We get that 90% protection in terms of preventing you from having severe disease or dying. That's what we're looking for. That's what we want is to prevent patients from succumbing to this disease unnecessarily.
S1: You know , it seems we are in a gray area when it comes to staying protected against COVID.
S2: Ending your risk and having that situational awareness. So in times when we're undergoing a surge , when there's a lot of bank viruses out there , you want to be careful. That may be the time when you decide , Hey , look , I better be masking up. But when the cases come down , when we're in the Green Zone , when the county looks at the rates and say , okay , it's we're getting over this surge. That's when things can come up and we can relax a little bit. I kind of allude to the kind of like our traffic situation , if we're in a traffic jam , you don't want to go there. You don't want you want to avoid it. But when things get better , when the traffic is flowing , that's when you want to get on the freeway. So knowing the environment that you're getting into is very important. The second part is knowing yourself. If you're a high risk factor , you don't want to get into a situation where you may catch this disease. And that's really these two big points for people to understand what's going on within our community.
S1:
S2: If there's a lot of people you may want to wear a mask on , especially if you have immuno compromised or you're on medications that that decrease your immunity. You know , indoors definitely is something that I would be cautious about. Or if you're outdoors , you're really just shoulder to shoulder with someone in a concert. That's something where you want to be careful about. Again , when the transmission is low , you don't really need to worry about it as much. But when the transmission and the viral load virus is high in the community , you want to be a little bit more careful and consider wearing a mask outdoors as well.
S1: I've been speaking with Dr. William Singh , a hospitalist at Kaiser Permanente , San Diego. Dr. saying , thank you very much for speaking with us today. Great.
S2: Great. Thank you.
S1: San Diego Pride is back this Saturday. The San Diego Pride Parade returns to the streets of Hillcrest. This and other Pride events marked the return of fully in-person festivities for the first time since the pandemic began. Here are some of what San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria had to say at last week's San Diego Pride kickoff.
S3: In this moment and in these times that we live in , we must not only choose light. We must also be that light. And that's what pride is all about. It is a beacon of light , of hope , of community and of strength.
S1: Joining me to talk more about this weekend's Pride Festival is Fernando Lopez , executive director of San Diego Pride. Fernando , welcome.
S2: Good morning. Happy pride.
S1: Happy pride.
S2: I think everyone is absolutely ready for pride , ready to celebrate , ready to come out and be joyful. You know , we were all isolated , separated from our friends , family and loved ones for two years. And that means it's been three years. It's a full scale pride and everyone is ready to come out.
S1:
S2: It was a massive event. It was beautiful , it was restorative. And I think it really helped get folks in the pride spirit.
S1:
S2:
S1: Really interesting.
S2: To me. I think the very first Pride events before they were even called Pride , they were like Stonewall commemorative events when our community fought back against state sanctioned police violence. And we commemorate that fighting back against that every single year at these events. And so in 1970 , we had our very first protest in front of SD PD , and we had what we were called at the time , gay ins. And again , that was before we called them Pride. We did that in 1971 as well. In 1972 , we held a conference instead of a pride march or parade. In 1973 , we went back to those gains and the very first small marches were in 74. The full scale pride is in 75. And then around 1989 , the very first LGBT person elected to office in San Diego , Kristine Kehoe , envisioned a new type of pride that could be self-sustaining , profitable. And since then , we've become the most philanthropic pride in the world. We have the largest continuous staff of any pride in the world with over 40 year round programs. So quite the growth from a time when being LGBTQ was criminalized to being at this region's largest civic event. That brings in almost 40 million and economic impact to the city of San Diego. Wow.
S1: Wow. And this Saturday marks the return of the Pride Parade and festival.
S2: Right. That's what it's all about. You know , when the world is out to get you and tell you that it's not okay to be who you are. Pride is here to say that we love you. We'll take you just as you are. And it's going to be a massive , joyful event. Ticket sales have been up 20% , which is a really great sign that overall , that parade , that rally , all those free events , we're going to be a record setting year here in San Diego. I can't wait.
S1: And this year's festival , unfortunately , comes on the heels of the latest coronavirus surge , concerns about monkeypox and even recent acts of violence against the LGBTQ community. How is San Diego Pride balancing , providing a much needed celebration while ensuring safety and health for everyone ? Sure.
S2: So I think the unfortunately , the county and some of the media have really gotten wrong at the impact of monkeypox. So just want to state that there and so there's been some misinformation about the risks associated with that. The other thing is coronavirus. You know , we're all hopefully vaccinated , double boosted at this point or those of us who can be. But our events are all outdoors , which is much less risky than being in a lot of these other indoor events and venues. So it's been really challenging , as anyone can imagine , to go from being in purely virtual spaces for a couple of years and really sort of the engines to be full scale again. But we're ready , we're raring to go. Everyone's feeling as safe as possible. And , you know , you can't put on an event the region's largest civic event , without coordinating with our local , state and federal law enforcement agencies. And they are out there doing their job , keeping us safe. And I can't wait to have a wonderful ride.
S1: And at the start of this segment , you heard Mayor Todd Gloria. Talk about what pride means for him.
S2: And I was one of those homeless youth. And so one of the first times I ever felt at home and welcome and like , I was part of something bigger and found a family. Was it a pride event ? It was the Spirit of Stonewall rally in 2000 was my first Pride event here in San Diego , and I haven't missed one since that event. And Pride reminds us of our origins as a movement , as a community. It connects us to each other and it tells us the long road of work that we have ahead of us to make sure that LGBTQ people are fully protected , equal citizens in the United States and hopefully all around the world. It's one of the most moving and meaningful weekends of my year , every single year. And it's an honor and a privilege to be able to serve my community.
S1: And pride includes far more than just this weekend's parade.
S2: Tonight is actually the block party in Hillcrest. That will also happen on Friday. We've got the five K in the morning on Saturday right before the parade. And then , of course , that big giant festival that happens all weekend long , Saturday and Sunday , right at beautiful Balboa Park. And it's really that festival that funds the year round education and advocacy work of our organization. And so if you're looking to get involved , if you're looking to volunteer , you want to donate. All that information is on our websites because we have programs for youth and women and the API community , the Latino community , the black community , seniors. We do voter outreach and engagement. We have international relations programs. There's really something for everyone at San Diego Pride.
S1: And lastly , you know , the world has changed so much since the last fully in-person Pride Festival in 2019.
S2: And I know that we did that as an organization. And I think that's why you see so much emphasis on social justice here at Pride. I hope that's what I'm seeing. A shift in our city is a greater emphasis on diversity , equity , inclusion , meaningful policy reform , which means investment in minority and marginalized communities. And that at the end of the day , we all , as minority and marginalized communities , see that we're fighting the same fight , which is the rise of white nationalism and white supremacy that is happening across the country.
S1: I've been speaking with Fernando Lopez , executive director of San Diego Pride. Thank you so much for joining us.
S2: Thank you. Happy Pride.
S4: This is KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Maureen CAVANAUGH with Jade Heineman. It's just a headache. We all must have said that dozens of times to explain away the obvious discomfort of headache pain. But for many people , it's not just a headache. It's a debilitating pattern of chronic pain that can destroy a person's quality of life. Luckily , San Diego and suffering from chronic headaches have a new resource. UC San Diego Health has opened a new headache treatment center , offering a wide array of therapies for migraines and other kinds of persistent headache pain. Joining me is Dr. Nina Riggins. She's director of UC San Diego Health's New Headache Center. Dr. Riggins , welcome to the program. Thank you so much. So headaches are really much more of a problem than we might realize. Headache pain makes up a significant portion of primary care visits , doesn't it ? Yes. Migraine prevalence worldwide is 1 billion people. One in five women , one in 16 men , one in 11 kids. One in four homes in the United States affected by headache disease. So you're a headache specialist. You've treated many sufferers , and sometimes it's hard to convince other people how much headaches can impact daily life. Can you tell us what you've learned about that from your patients ? Migraine is second leading cause of disability worldwide. And migraine is not just the headache. In addition , about 16 million people in the United States suffer from headache and migraine. Migraine is not just the headache. It is disease of brain networks. Migraine is genetic neurologic disease. So we treat it very seriously. And it is challenging because it is invisible disease. But we trust our patients and we work together on getting better. What's the range of causes that may bring on chronic headache , pain , migraine ease , headache , disease ? But it's not just the headache. It can be accompanied by multiple comorbidities. It can have aura , sensory change and language motor aura. One person cannot move arm or leg and so on and so forth. In addition here , they can be secondary to something. Example could be traumatic brain injury. Post-Traumatic headache is very common. 2.3 million people in the United States have traumatic brain injury per year. Many of them will have post-traumatic headache , unfortunately. And we can help this patient population to. In that example , had they contributed to vascular disease , someone could have a stroke and here they can be symptom of that. This new headache center in Sorrento Valley just opened last week , and I'm wondering why was a specialty treatment center needed for headache sufferers ? We have a multidisciplinary team for our patients. We have ortho neurology. And if someone has dizziness and headache , they are welcome in our center. They have acupuncture specialists and as a modalities for integrative treatment , we have our general neurology colleagues to address multiple of the issues with headache. I can go on and on because UC San Diego has so much resources which deserve to be centralized so we can help our patients better. There have been breakthroughs in recent years , especially in the treatment of migraine headaches , haven't there ? Absolutely. We have so much to offer to our patients. And this includes medications , new procedures , new devices for treatment of headache and migraine. Will the new center also do research into headaches ? Yes , research is ongoing. We have a research trial for people living with chronic migraine and. Also for post-traumatic headache. And this center will also be training students. It is a dance , fellows , that we can help all our patients with migraine and headache diseases better. How can a person tell whether their headaches are just a normal annoyance or are something that really should be checked out ? I truly believe that any headache deserves attention. So please talk to your doctor and see if you need a referral to us and we'll be happy to help. I've been speaking with Dr. Nina Riggins. She's director of UC San Diego Health's New Headache Center. And Dr. Riggins , thank you so much. Thank you for having me here. A free mental and behavioral health program is improving the lives of immigrants , refugees and asylum seekers in San Diego. KPBS Speaks City Heights reporter Jacob Eyre says the program has been effective and is now serving as a role model across the country.
S5: Yeah , those Gatkuoth is the daughter of refugees from South Sudan who's looking for help and a support system in San Diego. She found it in a group called Girl Talk.
S6: Having Girl Talk , it's kind of just like I don't necessarily go to a therapist , but like that's kind of like my therapy in a sense.
S5: The monthly support group is designed for South Sudanese women.
S6: You know , these are women who I see myself in. So it's basically kind of like a mirrored experience. When I am in that space. I see people who are me and I see and I and I'm able to I'm able to , you know , empathize with what they're going through and sympathize as well.
S5: Girl Talk is organized by United Women of East Africa or UW East. Sympathy and empathy are just part of what's offered.
S6: They talk about housing issues. They talk about food insecurity issues and so on and so forth. And so I think what this program has done is expanded what mental health means.
S5: UW East is one of several agencies in the San Diego Refugee Coalition's Behavioral Health Initiative. It's the first peer based , non-clinical mental health program to provide free , specialized services for immigrants , refugees and asylum seekers. The program's counselors speak 13 different languages and are all refugees or immigrants themselves.
S4: People feel comfortable to talk to.
S1: Somebody who can understand the.
S4: Culture , who speak their. Languages.
S2: Languages.
S5: Douglas Ahmed is the CEO of License to Freedom , an organization that's taken the lead on providing mental health services to refugees in San Diego. In the past year alone. The Behavioral Health Initiative has helped over 2000 people. But stigmas around finding help are still very prevalent in the communities these groups serve. Promised Land is with the current organization of San Diego.
S3: For our parents and or generation. They never really get to really think about their mental health. When they were in like refugee camp , because they really think about like survival and stuff. So it's a new thing. You know , you move here to the United State and then it's a different battle , you know , fighting mentally.
S5: Behavioral health specialist Naima Wall counsels refugees and facilitates the girl talk support group.
S7: I think they're assimilating every day. And even though a lot of refugees from South Sudan have been here since like the early nineties , it's still like an everyday struggle for them.
S5: The initiative offers one on one counseling , educational workshops and essential resource navigation.
S7: On a weekly basis , I'll meet with it. I can meet with anyone. I'm like , I could meet with older adults who don't really speak much English , and I can meet with young women and just help counsel them and talk to them about anything.
S5: And those talks are making a difference for young women like Gatkuoth.
S6: I lost a sister earlier this year. And so just having that space to be able to talk about what I'm experiencing and having other South Sudanese individuals who have lost siblings or have lost somebody close to them and having that safe space to be able to speak about what you're going through and just having people with that shared experience , it means a lot and it's very important to me.
S5: Walsh says the girl talk model is starting to grow in more southern Sudanese women across the U.S.. Are coming together to talk about their mental health.
S7: That we've been able to like expand girl talk to other states outside of California. There's mostly South Sudanese in the Midwest. So like Nebraska , Iowa , North Dakota , South Dakota. So like we've been able to like reach out to more young women and.
S5: To commit a license to freedom says that's just what they want to see. For the Behavioral Health Initiative.
S4: Other organizations can come and take some of that. The lesson that what works and why this program is successful. It's because it came from the people themselves.
S5: For those worried about seeking help , Gatkuoth has a message.
S6: You know , no matter how small your issue is , just reach out , tell somebody , and there's always somebody willing to give you , you know , an open ear. And who with open hearts to be able to accept whatever you're saying , will also be able to help you with whatever you're going through.
S5: The Behavioral Health Initiative services are free , and people looking for help can learn more at San Diego refugee communities dot org. Jacob Baer , KPBS News.
S4: Joining me is KPBS speaker City Lights reporter Jacob Air. And Jacob , welcome.
S5: Thanks for having me on.
S4:
S5: The biggest component , though , is the cultural competency and similar background , which can break down language barriers and then also provide people comfort knowing that their struggles and challenges are truly being understood by someone who is like them.
S4: So your report mentioned that discussions include practical matters like housing and food insecurity.
S5: The Oath. And I am all the first of whom is a participant , and then the latter a councilor. They kept hitting on the fact that mental health is so much more than actually what goes on inside your head. So that's why the Behavioral Health Initiative wraps services into their program for many refugee and immigrant communities. The financial burden of the past couple of years has been so immense , so access to programs that can help with housing , food , utilities and other necessities is making a difference in their stress levels. And then with that , their mental health. Okay.
S4: Okay. There are a number of groups participating in this behavioral health initiative. Tell us about them.
S5: Yeah , there are. So within the organization of the Behavioral Health Initiative , there are five core ethnic community based organizations which provide that mental health support and mental health education. Those are licensed to freedom , which is an El Cajon United Women of East Africa , which is in Rolando , and then the current organization of San Diego Refugee Assistance Center and Southern Sudanese Community Center. Of those last three are in City Heights.
S4:
S5: But of course , as you brought up , City Heights has such a high percentage of that population. But even before the pandemic , dealing with everyday assimilation into American culture was difficult , and so were the economics of day to day life , trying to get a job and make it here in the United States. But now , with the ripple effects of the pandemic , which has included job loss , personal loss , family and friends , and now the skyrocketing cost of living , the need has been greater as immigrants and refugees have been really pushed to the edge and in some cases are living in dire situations , even here in our own county. One of the people I spoke with , Mohamed , of License to Freedom , she said that there's a situation where there are now 18 people , which is three families who are living in a two bedroom apartment , El Cajon , just in order to avoid homelessness.
S4: Talk to us about the stigma that you mentioned in your report. Of course , many people born in the U.S. still avoid seeking mental health support because of stigma. But what are the particular cultural obstacles faced by mental health programs in the immigrant and refugee communities ? Right.
S5: Like you mentioned , there are stigmas here , but I think it varies slightly with folks who are coming to the country for reasons that they might not even have wanted to have to be here in the first place. Some of the biggest stigmas are being perceived as crazy for needing mental health treatment , which might be in line with other folks here in the United States. But I think the one that differs is not being grateful for the new life here in San Diego or in the U.S. , considering that many of these people were fleeing their countries. But now this organization is challenging that thought process. And I think one of the folks I spoke to , his name is Promised Land. He's of the Credit Organization of San Diego. I think he said it best. He said although he and his family are now safe , they're actually fighting a new battle in this time mentally.
S4:
S5: One of their main goals is to help people in situations involving domestic abuse , as well as providing general mental health care and other services. And they have had such a great need at their organization , especially over the last two years , that they now have a waitlist for their help and their services for the first time in the organization's two decade run.
S4: Girl talk is obviously aimed at women.
S5: And just to clarify , almost all of the groups in the Behavioral Health Initiative are open for all people , regardless of sex or gender. The reason Girl Talk was created was an offshoot from the general mental health services and behavioral health services provided at UW East , as they felt the need to bring together Southern Sudanese women in order to build that community.
S4:
S5: When I spoke with some of the folks at United Women of East Africa , they brought up the fact that men do seem to be a bit more reluctant to reach out. So what might happen in the near future as the Behavioral Health Initiative continues to grow , is that they might have groups similar to girl talk , maybe specifically for men to try and continue to break down that stigma and have more men and reach out for help to really improve their own lives and the lives of the communities that they live in.
S4: I've been speaking with KPBS Speaks City Heights reporter Jacob Air. Jacob , thank you.
S5: Thank you.
S1: San Diego is among the most sought after destinations for college students in the nation. But as KPBS reporter Claire TRAGESER tells us , when it comes to keeping people around after they've graduated. The region doesn't do so well in comparison to other big California metros.
S2: Devon La Caxton.
S1: Devon Laycock is. Jones says he's living his dream. He graduated from UC San Diego last year and is staying here , following in his parents footsteps.
S2: Both my parents were high school teachers , and that kind of influenced my pathway to become a high school teacher.
S1: But new data show LA Caucus Jones is not among the majority of his classmates. Only 40% of UC San Diego students stay in the region after graduation. And for every 100 graduates from all local colleges and universities , the region retains just 99 of them , according to a new study. Meanwhile , Los Angeles and San Francisco attract more college graduates then they produce. This is a significant disparity that has both short and long term impacts on the region's economy and competitiveness , says Ray Major , the chief data and analytics officer at the San Diego Association of Governments.
S2: Businesses need to be able to expand here , so we needed to have a business friendly environment where these people can can open their business , expand their operations , hire their people , and the people can work there and live relatively closely at a reasonable cost.
S1: There are also other options local leaders could explore , says Jonathan Councilman , co-author of the study.
S2: Sort of target that funding is towards maybe schools who do tend to retain more students within the local area.
S1: That funding could be used in part to help lower income San Diegans afford local colleges , says Daniel and Mark , the senior economist at the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
S2: If we were able to make it possible for people who don't have as much family wealth to get a college education , I think the likelihood of them staying here is much higher , especially.
S8: If we can.
S2: Connect them with employers as part of the process.
S1: He says the need for college graduates is especially acute in the current labor market. Right now in San Diego , there are two unfilled jobs for every unemployed person. Plus , employers need to pay more if.
S2: If workers from January 2021 to January 20 , 22.
S8: If they didn't get an 8.2% raise.
S2: They are making less money this year than they were making last year. How do we retain more workers in San Diego ? We've got to pay them more. The median real wage in America is no higher today than it was pre-pandemic. Which is a shame. From 2014 until 2020 , we saw pretty steady gains in the median real wage. And then it spiked up as as companies are trying to lure people back into work after during the pandemic. But it's gone.
S8: Here we go again on the left.
S2: Sweep down the middle.
S3: And big Chesapeake Bay area.
S1: High demand that's being felt by recent college grads like Markakis Jones , who's living in Ramona because it's one of the few places in the county he can afford. Meanwhile , his college friend Joseph Polk , moved to the Stockton area to become a lawyer and work on a horse ranch.
S2: I think UCSD helps San Diego kind of build a really good base for like professionals going going from college into the real world.
S1: But many of those students are going into the real world outside the San Diego region. Clare TRAGESER , KPBS News.
S4: This is KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Maureen CAVANAUGH with Jade Heineman. The KPBS podcast Port of Entry is back with new episodes , this time featuring stories on how the border can change minds. In this excerpt , we hear how cannabis advocates in Tijuana are working towards a future where adult use cannabis is finally legal in Mexico. Not only are they working to get the laws changed in Mexico , but they are also trying to change the perception of cannabis at the border , which has long been associated with Mexican drug cartels. Here's host Alan Lilienthal.
S3: So there's a lot of folks in Tijuana that want cannabis legalized , and they're pushing back on conservative ideas that stigmatize weed.
S8: Here we are a culture based on religion , based on family , based on some core values that maybe don't go according to the myth of the cannabis. It's funny because when you talk to. An older person or to a mother , to a father , to a grandparent , and they see a guy on the street like a homeless person. They say , oh , look at that , that that marijuana. Yeah , that's that's the phrase. Look at that junkie. When he's far , far away from marijuana , it's possible marijuana won't even do anything to that person.
S6: This is Luis Alicia again.
S8: But they have that concept that was very , very put in their minds by television , by a narrative that was put on the agenda a few generations back. And we have to exterminate that by educating people.
S6: Luis is a young lawyer who considers himself an activist. He specializes in civil cases and human.
S4: Rights and pushing for legalizing weed in by.
S3: The work Luis has been doing along with his Tijuana law firm , has definitely impacted the process of legalizing cannabis in Baja , California.
S8: The Supreme Court has resolved since a few years back ago that cannabis it's not an illegal substance. So they ruled that it's not a dangerous substance. They can use it as a treatment for certain diseases. On that issue , we we thought that that the best way to make activism , legal activism , real legal activism on cannabis is by pushing we have certain tools that we can push forward , and I believe we can do it.
S4:
S6:
S3: Amparo is a legal document that allows personal use of weed in Mexico. Based on that , Mexico's Supreme Court ruling a few years ago that decriminalized cannabis. It's like an individual permit to possess and use weed , even though it is still technically illegal. It's complicated. Luis and his law firm decided that they could charge a very affordable amount of money to process these and photos for all kinds of people.
S8: Started going on social media. And like we say , that Tijuana is a ranch. Everybody knows each other one way or another. I mean , if you're in a gap age from 35 below , I think , you know , most of the people around here , at least we have a friend in common. So we we started pushing the narrative and mostly speaking about it.
S6: Luis and other weed activists are really focusing on.
S4: Getting weed fully legalized in Baja California by pushing more and more people in Baja to get.
S6: This in bottles.
S3: Why Baja ? Well , some people from other parts of Mexico perceive Baja , California and Tijuana specifically as very Americanized. Luis agrees.
S8: We're into inter-cultural connected. Most of us were. We crossed to the United States , to this and that , to have fun , etc.. So I think that mix between cultures have given us a little bit of a more of an open mind.
S4: Yeah , I guess this is why many people believe Baja California is much more open to the idea of legalizing cannabis than other states in Mexico because we have.
S6: Always been exposed to California's culture.
S8: Like all the migration happening in California and in Baja , California came to to give us a different mindset from from from everyone we adopt. I think we as as foreigners , we adapt to what's coming. And we are not afraid to try something new. And I think as pioneers on this , on the cannabis industry , we can't stay back. We have an obligation because we're neighbors with the most powerful and the most most the most innovative industry of cannabis in the world.
S3: And living in a border town like this means getting inspired by both sides of the border. This is why Tijuana already has many cannabis entrepreneurs with very creative and solid businesses. A government which also managed homelessness at the beginning of one of the growth rates is.
S4: This is mild chaos.
S3: We are the only store that sells these products and like I think all the north part of the country. Mallette and his brother are the owners and creators of Border Growers Shop , a store in downtown Tijuana that provides almost all the supplies you need for growing cannabis. We don't we don't sell seats. A lot of people ask us , like a you have seeds , but we can't do that right now because of the legal situation in Mexico. But we sell everything that you need to grow , you know , nutrients , lights , growth , all all the tools , all the accessories that you need for that. A few years ago , I went with my brother to Humboldt , California , to look for some learning. You know , it was impossible to do it in Mexico. The only place that we can go to learn was California. But Mulder and his brother , it didn't work at Humboldt for too long. They visited multiple farms to learn and eventually met a guy at a bar in Trinity County and ended up working for him for four years. Man.
S4: Man. They learned a.
S6: Lot about growing cannabis while they were up in Trinity and when they.
S4: Decided to go back to Tijuana.
S6: They wanted to start a business without getting themselves involved in anything illegal.
S3: We came from a very loving , regular family. No illegal activity. So we don't want to get her mom worried , you know. So we find this as an opportunity to get a step ahead to the industry that is coming in Mexico. And we are one of the first companies like legal companies in Mexico. There are importing legally this products and bringing to the people.
S4: Port of Entry is co-hosted by Natalie Gonzalez and Alan Lilienthal. You can listen to the full episode at KPBS dot org or wherever you listen to podcasts.