California has an initiative on the ballot this November that New York might want to consider. It puts the issue of legalizing marijuana in the hands of the electorate. From what I've read, the polls are showing an even split either way.First, this would be the first time that any state or country has legalized pot production and sales. What would entice the citizens of California to vote for such a drastic change? Taxation. Sure there's the issue of law enforcement and addiction clinics, but Californian's are looking at the dollar signs when their state is imploding with the worst economic crisis in the country.
Hemp is one of the most widely used sources of nutrition worldwide. Did you know that? I was shocked to find that out myself, but as I stated in the title of this post, this would also have a diminishing affect on the drug traffic and violence along our southern border. Some analysts and policymakers now say that America should legalize weed in order to reduce the power of Mexico’s drug cartels. Lawmakers shouldn't be so naive as to who would really fight this daring move.
Understand; marijuana carries the least amount of overhead cost for many of the cartels and provides some of their cash flow for buying guns and influence. Estimates vary, but analysts say pot accounts for somewhere in the range of 20 to 50 percent of the cartels’ profits. What I'd like to point out is that there are many institutions that have built a level of necessity around the war on drugs and the inclusion of Marijuana.
Who would lose in the states? Well, pot is a type of Hemp. An easy to grow plant that requires very little overhead and can be used for more than just rope and money.
The cotton industry will fight this legislation as well as the tree/paper industry. Both have much to lose if hemp is allowed to be grown and harvested outside of the smoking use. Hemp yields such a large volume of fiber source per plant and would completely devistate the tree harvesting industry. We would see forests lasting longer while the plant is easy to manage, it also produces 10X the oxygen as the same aged tree.
Clothing made from hemp is as soft as cotton, more durable, and resists mildew. Not what the cotton farmers want to hear. We could actually see a rise in American textile manufacturing because hemp is cheaper to grow and process than cotton. Maybe those same cotton farmers could change what they're growing.
But getting back to California; if the measure passes, that state could become a major supplier of the drug to the rest of the U.S. That would hurt the cartels badly. It's estimated that it could reduce the drug’s pretax price by more than 80 percent. But like any taxable commodity, the rate has to fit the demand. If you tax high-grade California cannabis at a competitive level than the less potent Mexican imports, you cut the illegal market price by default.
If you're worried about the prison industry and the employment status of some Californians, the pot paradigm change wouldn’t put the cartels out of business...they’d still be major players in the markets for cocaine, heroin, and meth. So, as long as we continue to ignore the porous border situation, we will have a steady flow of clients for the prisons in the border states. Don't worry.
21 comments:
You certainly put it right out there. The prohibition hasn't worked, people who want to smoke will get what they want and those that sell it make a fortune. It makes sense to cut the nonsense and bring this into the regulated taxable world. Iif it's going to be used recreationally anyway, why not get money for schools, roads and healthcare?
Just about everyone I know in position of authority or successful in business today was a stoner way back when.
It rarely lead to harder drugs and I don't recall losing any friends to smoking and driving.
We lost a family friend to drugs and he started with weed and alcohol. He progressed to a more potent drug(heroin) and died of overdose. Perhaps he is one of the minority but his life still counted. So to say it doesn't lead to harder drugs is a fallacy. On the other hand marijuana has medicinal benefits. Somewhat of a dilemna for me.
"It leads to harder drugs" is certainly a fallacy. One individual's weakness doesn't change the facts. If you don't like having your fraudulent excuse struck down, maybe you need to visit our southern border and talk to a few grieving families that have your convenient scapegoat to blame for their misery. The petrochemical industry is going to fight this the hardest. Hemp is the only grown plant that can produce crude oil for fuel and plastics. It's prohibition had nothing to do with the mild euphoric effect on smokers. It had everything to do with the patent of nylon and the most profitable source to produce it. Drill baby drill. Show me an anti-marijuana crusader and I'll show you an oil company schill.
11:41...I'm saddened for your loss, but here are people starting out with drugs like Hydrocodone and Methamphetamine with the help of willing doctors everywhere. This drug-on-demand phenomenon is far worse than anything the potfarmers would introduce.
So long as attaining those drugs are legal, law enforcement cant do much about the instances they catch these folks driving the streets of Kingston other than send them to detox.
Besides, there's some not-so-good stuff in the "unregulated" marijuana you get on the street corner. Getting the "organic" fanatics playing safeguard in the hemp harvest might do us all some good.
Cat
Mike, you managed to get a little dig about illegal immigration at the very end of your article. Cute
OH PUHLEEEEZE !
Pot should be legalized & the deficit would vanish immediately ! !
Medical Marijuana is a MUST ! I know many people who would benefit from this addition to the mediacl list -
it is truly a healing herb.
no one kills anyone by driving while herbed - unlike those dumb boozehounds who kill & maim thousand every month !
Until the idiot mentality of comparing pot to heroin or coke ceases to exist we will have the neanderthals calling the shots.
LEGALIZE IT !! DON'T CRIMINALIZE IT !!
Wake up NY & AMERICA !
IT IS HARMLESS - i know Drs, lawyers, Judges, Elected Officials who all smoke the cheeba-cheeba - they are just to afraid of the Law Enforcement mental midgets to come out !
Legalize it !!! NOW !!
8:53 Unfortunately, it is true. With relatives in Phoenix and Tuscon they know all to well about that problem.
Go Arizona!! I hope the Feds lose their case or drop it because of public popularity and support for the AZ bill. If Feds cannot do it than the states will who border Mexico.
Great post...true statement.
99.99% of heroin addicts did not start with heroin. they started with marijuana.
9:54...Throwing unsubstanciated numbers out there like that lowers the conversation bar. You could say 100% drank alcohol. But that's legal and regulated. (which would defeat your point.) However, it has also killed more people as a result. So ease up on the hyper-stats.
6:38. You are so angry. Chill out.
It is not aways one's "weakness" that leads to addiction. You need to read more about addictions and how it affects the brain chemistry.
9:54 is a pretty good example of the oil schills. Worthless blather of pointless stats to foist a massive fraud upon the unsuspecting masses.
99.9% of hill-billy heroine users start at the doctor's office. See? Healthcare is baaaaaad! Put drug stores out of business! We tried that method of stupidity once. It was the prohibition of alcohol. A lot of organized crime families got their start from that idiotic crusade.
If you need a drug to escape life, deal with problems, or just for 'recreational use', then something is just wrong...
Get a grip on life, not on a joint...
@4:55 - Who said the word "needs"? The majority of marijuana users out there do it because they "want" to, just like people "want" to go out every so often and endulge in some lobstah tails and filet.. You shouldn't assume with blanket statements so often.. the point is, it's like people socially drink. I bet you drink alcohol from time to time. Do you want to escape life?! haha probably.. but anyway, people do things in life that then make their life more enjoyable. Understand? It's pretty simple.
12:07- I know enough about brain chemistry to know it is a weakness. It's always been a weakness and it always will. I have little patience for stupidity and laziness. Brain cells can be grown at any age. Destroying them to escape reality is weak. Pot, by the way, kills none. Not one. So even stupidity in addiction can't be blamed on it.
9:23, ever hear of the saying, "my body is a temple"? I will not put a narcotic in it which will do harm.
Your argument is weak. "Because they want to?" There is a lot I want to do, but cannot or should not because it is either illegal, immoral, or fattening. Such is a life.
Enjoy "toking up", having fun, and stepping down the food chain instead of doing something productive with your life.
@3:08am - get your facts straight. Marijuana is not a narcotic. It is an illegal substance. Alcohol is much more devestating to the human body than marijuana. You seem quite brainwashed yourself. A narcotic strictly refers to any psychoactive compound with morphine-like effects.
Three issues not addressed here are 1) If marijuana is legalized it can also be regulated. Unfortunately, as is, other products (such as angel dust) can be mixed in with the "joint" (or whatever). 2) How many folks that stop using marijuana [I don't use it, but don't see it as the worst drug going...] end up on legal pharmaceuticals that have more dire side-effects / medical consequences than marijuana does?; and 3) What is the logic in legalizing marijuana at the same time so many states are moving closer to making nicotine illegal?
Complex, eh? And that is without even touching the alcohol [a very destructive drug...] issue!
Good post Mike. Lots of info. NS
9:50. You obviously have not done your homework on addiction and the connection within the brain. Has nothing to do with brain cells but rather a functionality within the brain. Get yourself a copy of Grey's Anatomy. Or better yet, research on the internet regarding addictions.
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