The real harm in legalizing weed

[JustJake]

My friend just had a really interesting perspective on one major downside to legalizing weed.  He supposes that illegal weed would actually be healthier than legal corporate produced weed.

Think about it.  If weed is legalized and regulated then suddenly you have a legal market for businesses to enter with a bunch of money hungry sharks at the helm of the market.  With the purpose of profits in mind, they will probably be adding FDA approved "additives" that will actually make it more carcinogenic, addictive, and give you less THC per unit consumed.  Weed will become cigarettes and coca-cola.

I think the real "mind blown" moment of the conversation was when I agreed that corporate America was probably more willing to harm people than local drug dealers are.

Am I late to the game on this line of reasoning?  Is there anyone who thinks that my perspective is off base?

[JustJake]

I think there is something about either the politics or the culture of those places that does not gel with the way the US treats things.  We are a bunch of hill billy fat asses that shop at Walmart to the detriment of our very well being.  As for California and Colorado, I think the shaky legality is the only thing from keeping these monster corps from ruining their market.

I bring up Walmart on purpose because they have a very long track record of proving that monopoly capitalism can be used to bring down the quality of an entire industry.  I bring up the fact that we are fat asses because we have proven that something in our culture allows us to accept low quality in exchange for the idea of a deal even though we know it is killing whatever is good about the original product.

[jojo69]

For me the downside is that the government doing anything sensible and rational tends to legitimize the government.

The farther it rides the prohibition looney train the better.

[FirstAscent]

Weed stinks. Literally.

[goodlord666]

Weed should not be legalized, it should be smoked.

[Lethn]

I think the real "mind blown" moment of the conversation was when I agreed that corporate America was probably more willing to harm people than local drug dealers are.

It's actually interesting you and your friend think that because on the news they reported that some drug dealers are stopping in some areas because of all the problems that the drug addicts themselves cause.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2012/07/30/drug-traffickers-stop-selling-crack-in-brazilian-favelas/

[dirtycat]

My friend just had a really interesting perspective on one major downside to legalizing weed.  He supposes that illegal weed would actually be healthier than legal corporate produced weed.

Think about it.  If weed is legalized and regulated then suddenly you have a legal market for businesses to enter with a bunch of money hungry sharks at the helm of the market.  With the purpose of profits in mind, they will probably be adding FDA approved "additives" that will actually make it more carcinogenic, addictive, and give you less THC per unit consumed.  Weed will become cigarettes and coca-cola.

I think the real "mind blown" moment of the conversation was when I agreed that corporate America was probably more willing to harm people than local drug dealers are.

Am I late to the game on this line of reasoning?  Is there anyone who thinks that my perspective is off base?

it depends on the source of marijuana. that crap that comes over from mexico is garbage.. if its from a local grower then ya maybe it will be healthier.  but before we get into a deep mind blowing conversation about it.. legal corporate produced marijuana would have to happen and until that day comes we wont know what additives will be in the product (if any) I guess this would be a more interesting conversation if I had a bit to smoke  

I think the real "mind blown" moment of the conversation was when I agreed that corporate America was probably more willing to harm people than local drug dealers are.

It's actually interesting you and your friend think that because on the news they reported that some drug dealers are stopping in some areas because of all the problems that the drug addicts themselves cause.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2012/07/30/drug-traffickers-stop-selling-crack-in-brazilian-favelas/

that's crack.. a crackhead will kill you for his/her next fix. can you see the problem the crack dealers face?

[Parazyd]

And did you ever consider the taxes you'll have to pay?

Dealers FTW.

[BadBear]

And did you ever consider the taxes you'll have to pay?

Dealers FTW.

Probably be cheaper even with taxes, only reason it costs what it does is because it's illegal.

[dust]

And did you ever consider the taxes you'll have to pay?

Dealers FTW.

The risk and scaling issues associated with illegal drug production and distribution drive up the price of drugs immensely.  I don't smoke/buy/sell weed, but I would be willing to bet the price will fall as a result of legalization, even with the relatively high taxes factored in.  In the WA initiative, there is even text outlining a plan to adjust taxes if necessary to remain competitive with the black-market dealers. [1]

(5) The state liquor control board shall regularly review the tax
levels established under this section and make recommendations to the
legislature as appropriate regarding adjustments that would further
the goal of discouraging use while undercutting illegal market prices.

[misterbigg]

Am I late to the game on this line of reasoning?  Is there anyone who thinks that my perspective is off base?

The problem is not the legalization of weed but the inevitable regulations that will come with it. Regulations always protect the incumbents, allowing cartels to extract monopoly rents.

What we need is not to "make weed legal" but to make infringement of natural rights ILLEGAL.

[jojo69]

What we need is not to "make weed legal" but to make infringement of natural rights ILLEGAL.

we have a winner

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Weed stinks. Literally.

Not anymore, thanks to Slava^®.

[ElectricMucus]

Legalization is just a matter of time.

The reason for prohibition to get started is almost gone in these days. The paper industry has shrunk since the rise of the Internet and continues to do so. Remaining sectors who depend on paper now are more and more replaced by the advent of ebooks. What's gonna remain is archival of documents in academics and bureaucracy. And those can demands can be better met with more durable hemp paper.

[SgtSpike]

My friend just had a really interesting perspective on one major downside to legalizing weed.  He supposes that illegal weed would actually be healthier than legal corporate produced weed.

Think about it.  If weed is legalized and regulated then suddenly you have a legal market for businesses to enter with a bunch of money hungry sharks at the helm of the market.  With the purpose of profits in mind, they will probably be adding FDA approved "additives" that will actually make it more carcinogenic, addictive, and give you less THC per unit consumed.  Weed will become cigarettes and coca-cola.

I think the real "mind blown" moment of the conversation was when I agreed that corporate America was probably more willing to harm people than local drug dealers are.

Am I late to the game on this line of reasoning?  Is there anyone who thinks that my perspective is off base?

I see it as opposite.  The government has to answer to the (potential) outcry of the people.  Who does a drug dealer have to answer to?  He has his reputation to maintain, sure, but how would people know if he made it more addictive?  Wouldn't a drug dealer WANT it to be more addictive to maintain a higher number of sales?

[Mike Christ]

Perhaps some responsibility would fall on the consumer, then, to ensure the product they're buying is of the highest quality   But in a place like Muricuh, people don't seem to bother with quality as much as how cheap they can get it.  I don't see why any of these bans exist in the first place.  If people want it, they're gonna get it, law or no law.  Law just acknowledges there's an issue with society, and does nothing to resolve it, outside of a wallet spanking.

[Kettenmonster]

Consumption should be free with whatever and whomsoever.
Why that? It does no harm to "regular" folks, as they know what suits them fine.
Of cause whomsoever does not include kids here; due to my argument.

Selling dangerous stuff should be punished very hard or at least be taxed severly.
A simple self regulating process, thus it is meant to work out fine.

Any punishment is not helpful to edicted uhm sorry addicted, thus refrain from it.

[wormbog]

Tobacco is a lot of work to grow, cure, shred, and make into cigarettes at the volume the average smoker needs them. OTOH, pot grows with minimal intervention and can be plucked right off the plant, dried for a couple days, and smoked. And one plant will keep the average smoker supplied for a LONG time.

So - corporations found to be messing with additives, jacking up prices, etc. will quickly find themselves replaced by home growers and farmer's market weed.

[Mike Christ]

Tobacco is a lot of work to grow, cure, shred, and make into cigarettes at the volume the average smoker needs them. OTOH, pot grows with minimal intervention and can be plucked right off the plant, dried for a couple days, and smoked. And one plant will keep the average smoker supplied for a LONG time.

So - corporations found to be messing with additives, jacking up prices, etc. will quickly find themselves replaced by home growers and farmer's market weed.

Then, all the campaigning to abolish weed and make stoners appear to be the bottom of the bottom of society, despite several tests to show weed in moderation is not only benign, but can be curative, while cigarettes and alcohol--about as unhealthy as you can get before downing several quarter pounders a day--are completely a-okay, was nothing more than propaganda...

Still working out the why

[Anon136]

My friend just had a really interesting perspective on one major downside to legalizing weed.  He supposes that illegal weed would actually be healthier than legal corporate produced weed.

Think about it.  If weed is legalized and regulated then suddenly you have a legal market for businesses to enter with a bunch of money hungry sharks at the helm of the market.  With the purpose of profits in mind, they will probably be adding FDA approved "additives" that will actually make it more carcinogenic, addictive, and give you less THC per unit consumed.  Weed will become cigarettes and coca-cola.

I think the real "mind blown" moment of the conversation was when I agreed that corporate America was probably more willing to harm people than local drug dealers are.

Am I late to the game on this line of reasoning?  Is there anyone who thinks that my perspective is off base?

why do you suppose it is in the interest of producers to add carcinogens? would you pay more for carcinogenic weed than non carcinogenic weed? if you wouldn't, and most others also wouldnt, than why should we expect these producers to generate more revenue from selling carcinogenic weed than non carcinogenic weed?