Revenue in Washington State’s cannabis industry has been declining since it’s peak in 2021. What’s going on? Marijuana farmers say part of the problem is, they have too much pot.

Guest: 

Aaron Pickus - Media Spokesperson for Washington CannaBusiness Association

Michael Dykstra - Mount Baker Homegrown (Marijuana grower based in Bellingham) 

Relevant Links: 

Oversupply and taxes batter cannabis producers  - Tri-Cities Business News 

Annual Cannabis Sales in Washington - Washington State Information System 

Washington’s Evolving Cannabis Market - TVW Inside Olympia 

WA cannabis market faces pressure from federal changes and oversupply - Washington State Standard 

Cannabis rescheduling arrives, with limits: What the DOJ's final order does and doesn't do - Reuters 

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Revenue in Washington State&rsquo;s cannabis industry has been declining since it&rsquo;s peak in 2021. What&rsquo;s going on? Marijuana farmers say part of the problem is, they have too much pot.
Guest:&nbsp;
Aaron Pickus - Media Spokesperson for Washington CannaBusiness Association
Michael Dykstra - Mount Baker Homegrown (Marijuana grower based in Bellingham)&nbsp;
Relevant Links:&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/focus-2026-cannabis#:~:text=In%202017%2C%20licensed%20Washington%20growers,pounds%20while%20sales%20only%20doubled">Oversupply and taxes batter cannabis producers</a>&nbsp; - Tri-Cities Business News&nbsp;
<a href="https://washingtonstatecannabis.org/business/sales">Annual Cannabis Sales in Washington</a> - Washington State Information System&nbsp;
<a href="https://tvw.org/2026/06/inside-olympia-washingtons-evolving-cannabis-market/">Washington&rsquo;s Evolving Cannabis Market</a> - TVW Inside Olympia&nbsp;
<a href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/wa-cannabis-market-faces-pressure-from-federal-changes-and-oversupply/">WA cannabis market faces pressure from federal changes and oversupply</a> - Washington State Standard&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/cannabis-rescheduling-arrives-with-limits-what-dojs-final-order-does-doesnt-do--pracin-2026-05-12/">Cannabis rescheduling arrives, with limits: What the DOJ's final order does and doesn't do</a> - Reuters&nbsp;
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Revenue in Washington State’s cannabis industry has been declining since it’s peak in 2021. What’s going on? Marijuana farmers say part of the problem is, they have too much pot.

The Evergreen State has too much pot

In May of 2001, a building on the University of Washington’s Seattle campus went up in flames, in the middle of the night. 

It was the work of arsonists. An eco-sabotage group known as the Earth Liberation Front took credit for the attack. For group members, voting and publicly demonstrating wasn't enough to allay their fears of climate catastrophe.

The group had three core principles: public education, economic sabotage and to harm property, not people. 

But members torched the UW building over unfounded claims that professor was making genetically modified trees.

The group committed a string of arsons, from Colorado to Seattle. For several years, the FBI designated the ELF as the most dangerous domestic terror organization in the country. 

The group caused tens of millions of dollars in property destruction in the late 90s and early 2000s, according to the federal government.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with the author of a new book about the development of the  ELF. 

Guest

Matthew Wolfe, author, “Fires In the Night: The Earth Liberation Front, the FBI, and a Secret History of Eco-Sabotage”

Related Links

The Rise and Fall of America’s Environmentalist Underground - The New York Times Magazine
The many lives of Joseph Dibee, codename 'Seattle' - KUOW


Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

In May of 2001, a building on the University of Washington&rsquo;s Seattle campus went up in flames, in the middle of the night.&nbsp; It was the work of arsonists. An eco-sabotage group known as the Earth Liberation Front took credit for the attack. For group members, voting and publicly demonstrating wasn't enough to allay their fears of climate catastrophe.
The group had three core principles: public education, economic sabotage and to harm property, not people.&nbsp; But members torched the UW building over unfounded claims that professor was making genetically modified trees.
The group committed a string of arsons, from Colorado to Seattle. For several years, the FBI designated the ELF as the most dangerous domestic terror organization in the country.&nbsp;
The group caused tens of millions of dollars in property destruction in the late 90s and early 2000s, according to the federal government. Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with the author of a new book about the development of the&nbsp; ELF.&nbsp;
Guest
Matthew Wolfe, author, &ldquo;<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/fires-in-the-night-the-earth-liberation-front-the-fbi-and-a-secret-history-of-eco-sabotage-matthew-wolfe/1d7897ea71f2466d">Fires In the Night: The Earth Liberation Front, the FBI, and a Secret History of Eco-Sabotage</a>&rdquo; Related Links <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/26/magazine/earth-liberation-front-joseph-mahmoud-dibee.html?eafs_enabled=false">The Rise and Fall of America&rsquo;s Environmentalist Underground</a> - The New York Times Magazine <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-many-lives-of-joseph-dibee-codename-seattle">The many lives of Joseph Dibee, codename 'Seattle'</a> - KUOW
 Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Arson by the ELF was the butt of a joke on "The West Wing." The real story is far more complicated. 

The secret history of the Earth Liberation Front

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward.

Guest: KUOW Politics Editor Cat Smith

Related Links:
Seattle, King County announce sweeping changes to homeless service system
How the SCOTUS trans athlete ruling affects WA
Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump’s proposed limits
Supreme Court Lifts Spending Limits on Political Parties and Candidates
Takeaways from Supreme Court term: Trump’s power is enhanced, but he lost some high-profile cases
Seattle dog, cream cheese and all, named country’s best hot dog by NYT
Which of these 8 Famous American Hot Dogs is the Best? Chef José Andrés Weighs In

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.
It&rsquo;s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward.
Guest: KUOW Politics Editor Cat Smith
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/seattle-king-county-announce-sweeping-changes-to-homeless-service-system/">Seattle, King County announce sweeping changes to homeless service system</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/how-the-scotus-trans-athlete-ruling-affects-wa">How the SCOTUS trans athlete ruling affects WA</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/supreme-court-upholds-birthright-citizenship-rejecting-trumps-proposed-limits/">Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump&rsquo;s proposed limits</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/us/supreme-court-campaign-finance.html">Supreme Court Lifts Spending Limits on Political Parties and Candidates</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/takeaways-from-supreme-court-term-trumps-power-is-enhanced-but-he-lost-some-high-profile-cases/">Takeaways from Supreme Court term: Trump&rsquo;s power is enhanced, but he lost some high-profile cases</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/seattle-dog-cream-cheese-and-all-named-countrys-best-hot-dog-by-nyt/">Seattle dog, cream cheese and all, named country&rsquo;s best hot dog by NYT</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/9ERpIEECJrc?si=wXFAb_x4jWgW6DL1">Which of these 8 Famous American Hot Dogs is the Best? Chef Jos&eacute; Andr&eacute;s Weighs In</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Front Page: What the changes to KCRHA mean for King County, how the latest SCOTUS decisions will impact WA State, and Seattle Dogs!

Comics publisher Fantagraphics is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It began as “The Comics Journal” – one of the first magazines that reviewed comics with a critics eye. At the time, it took an adversarial role against the big players in the comic industry: DC and Marvel. It tried to push comics into the realm of art instead of idle time waster for kids. And then it grew into so much more.

Guest:

Gary Groth, co-founder and president of Fantagraphics

Relevant Links: 

KUOW: Seattle comics publisher Fantagraphics celebrates 50th anniversary

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Comics publisher <a href="https://www.fantagraphics.com/">Fantagraphics</a> is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It began as &ldquo;The Comics Journal&rdquo; &ndash; one of the first magazines that reviewed comics with a critics eye. At the time, it took an adversarial role against the big players in the comic industry: DC and Marvel. It tried to push comics into the realm of art instead of idle time waster for kids. And then it grew into so much more.
Guest:
Gary Groth, co-founder and president of Fantagraphics
Relevant Links:&nbsp;
KUOW: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/seattle-comics-publisher-fantagraphics-celebrates-50th-anniversary">Seattle comics publisher Fantagraphics celebrates 50th anniversary</a>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Fantagraphics co-founder and president Gary Groth spoke with Soundside about the 50th anniversary of the publisher

The Evergreen State has too much pot

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