According to Moonalice legend, the Northern California coast has always had magical qualities that protect the tribe from harassment. The soil is also unusually fertile, enabling hippies to grow some of the world's finest strains of hemp. While Humboldt rope no longer enjoys huge demand from ships of sail, the tribe in the region has adjusted with a range of alternative hemp products. Hemp beer, milk, and clothing are in evidence around Arcata, as are high end, organic products based on hemp flowers.

The politics of Arcata are unusually hospitable for the tribe. In 1989, Arcata made itself a Nuclear-Free Zone. In 2003, the city was the first to make voluntary compliance with the Patriot Act illegal. While they have not been able to reverse the Prohibition of hemp, the citizens of Arcata have demonstrated a commitment to doing so. In short, it's a Moonalice kind of town.