4 ms·

When the government regulates vice, the criminals go legitimate or get caught/killed doing more outlandish stuff. Look at California for just a taste of how it

When the government regulates vice, the criminals go legitimate or get caught/killed doing more outlandish stuff. Look at California for just a taste of how it could be. Cartels can't push their outdoor mass produced garbage marijuana in Cali when anyone over 18 can walk into a Doctor's office, get a recommendation card, walk a few feet to the dispensary next door, and receive the most quality indoor, top-shelf, out of bounds Cannabis you could buy. This is decidedly not your father's lid of smoke in a sandwich baggie licked shut. The Cannabis has often been tested for anything from potency (THC and cannabinoid or CBD count) to contaminants. Some 3rd parties are actually certifying Organic Cannabis. Most of that top-shelf Cannabis comes from multi-generational farms in the Emerald Triangle of Northern California (Mendocino, Humboldt, and Trinity). They have farmers who have passed down seed and clones from generation to generation, along with their breeding, growing, and flowering trade secrets. Cartels only know bulk pricing and murder. More legitimized drug trade will not only lower cost and increase quality, but would make Cartels seek other forms as their profit margins evaporate. I'd love to see even the biggest cartels try to compete with Anheuser-Busch InBev, Pfizer, or Altria group once Marijuana is legal in the US.

confluence 14y ago
You are probably right. But it's probably never going to happen. Indeed this "war on drugs" will probably remain until there is a generational shift in power or if some pharmaceutical company saves the world by developing soma. For those who don't know what soma is, it's a fictional non-addictive recreational drug without negative side effects first described by Aldous Huxley in his novel "Brave New World".
- joshuahedlund 14y ago
  Public support of marijuana legalization has hit 50%. California almost did it two years ago, Colorado will try this year, and Rhode Island just reduced penalties. As demographics shift with public opinion and governments look for ways to both cut budgets and increase tax revenue, I view it as the inevitable future, pending the uncertain influence of embedded interests and other factors I might be unaware of.
- fghh45sdfhr3 14y ago
  But it's probably never going to happen. Sure it will happen. Just not before enough baby boomers die.
  - flyinRyan 14y ago
    It's not about baby boomers. Corrupt people within the US government are making a large amount of money on this conflict and will work very hard to make sure that revenue stream doesn't close. Why do you think Mary-J was ever banned in the first place? It wasn't like there was a rash of husbands getting high and beating their wives, etc.
- stouset 14y ago
  > it's a fictional non-addictive recreational drug without negative side effects Not fiction, dude. Cannabis is real.
tomjen3 14y ago
I doubt it will happen. It may be somewhat of a conspiracy but I don't think society can accept that members are able to increase their happiness just by smoking a few leaves (and the price won't be that much either, once it has been made legal). It would sap the inspiration to work hard at a job in order to succeed. It is the only explanation I can come up with that is consistent with the way the war on drugs is currently fought.
- stephengillie 14y ago
  Likewise, society can't accept that members are able to increase their happiness just by drinking a few ounces of...coffee. Or beer or rum. Or run for a mile. These would sap the inspiration to work hard at a job in order to succeed.
  - tomjen3 14y ago
    If alcohol was invented today, do you think it would have been made legal? And churches worked very hard to make it impossible to legally drink in the US. As for coffee, it is very difficult to ban something so many people depend on daily.
delluminatus 14y ago
anyone over 18 can walk into a Doctor's office, get a recommendation card Is this really the case? I can't imagine it's that easy to just get a doctor to give a person a recommendation when they don't need it. Do people just say they're anorexic or something?

confluence 14y ago

You are probably right. But it's probably never going to happen. Indeed this "war on drugs" will probably remain until there is a generational shift in power or if some pharmaceutical company saves the world by developing soma. For those who don't know what soma is, it's a fictional non-addictive recreational drug without negative side effects first described by Aldous Huxley in his novel "Brave New World".

joshuahedlund 14y ago
Public support of marijuana legalization has hit 50%. California almost did it two years ago, Colorado will try this year, and Rhode Island just reduced penalties. As demographics shift with public opinion and governments look for ways to both cut budgets and increase tax revenue, I view it as the inevitable future, pending the uncertain influence of embedded interests and other factors I might be unaware of.
fghh45sdfhr3 14y ago
But it's probably never going to happen. Sure it will happen. Just not before enough baby boomers die.
- flyinRyan 14y ago
  It's not about baby boomers. Corrupt people within the US government are making a large amount of money on this conflict and will work very hard to make sure that revenue stream doesn't close. Why do you think Mary-J was ever banned in the first place? It wasn't like there was a rash of husbands getting high and beating their wives, etc.
stouset 14y ago
> it's a fictional non-addictive recreational drug without negative side effects Not fiction, dude. Cannabis is real.

tomjen3 14y ago

I doubt it will happen. It may be somewhat of a conspiracy but I don't think society can accept that members are able to increase their happiness just by smoking a few leaves (and the price won't be that much either, once it has been made legal). It would sap the inspiration to work hard at a job in order to succeed. It is the only explanation I can come up with that is consistent with the way the war on drugs is currently fought.

stephengillie 14y ago
Likewise, society can't accept that members are able to increase their happiness just by drinking a few ounces of...coffee. Or beer or rum. Or run for a mile. These would sap the inspiration to work hard at a job in order to succeed.
- tomjen3 14y ago
  If alcohol was invented today, do you think it would have been made legal? And churches worked very hard to make it impossible to legally drink in the US. As for coffee, it is very difficult to ban something so many people depend on daily.

delluminatus 14y ago

anyone over 18 can walk into a Doctor's office, get a recommendation card Is this really the case? I can't imagine it's that easy to just get a doctor to give a person a recommendation when they don't need it. Do people just say they're anorexic or something?