What's the future of the marijuana industry?

[bryant.coleman]

They haven't gotten worse since they legalized them, Czech Republic is pretty nice

lol... most of the cocaine consumed in the Czech Republic is mopped up by the Germans, who travel to that country in order to buy (semi)legal cocaine. In my opinion all recreational drugs, whether soft or hard must be legalized. An individual should have the freedom on what he should do with his body. The state has no control or responsibility here.

[tspacepilot]

I agree with bryant.coleman.  But I'd add to your argument the facts about all the evil perpetrated in trying to control these things.  Not only are states and gov't wrong to try, they commit major atrocities when they do try.  And in the end, the fact that these drugs are basically available everywhere in the world shows they aren't even succeeding by trying.

[Hufflepuff]

Everyone will profit except for criminals, some parts of the tobacco industry, the alcohol industry, a few pharmaceutical companies, prisons, and some local, state, and federal police forces.

[YarkoL]

In my opinion all recreational drugs, whether soft or hard must be legalized. An individual should have the freedom on what he should do with his body. The state has no control or responsibility here.

I agree. But the problem is that after decriminalization
state will be tempted to repair its ailing finances by taxation
of these drugs. Which implies monopolistic control of them.

So the ideal solution is decriminalization coupled with moralistic
mainstream attitude towards drugs on the general public level,
that makes it hard for the state to interfere. We then have a
thriving underground culture that benefits everyone  

[bryant.coleman]

I agree. But the problem is that after decriminalization
state will be tempted to repair its ailing finances by taxation
of these drugs. Which implies monopolistic control of them.

The government of Uruguay has taken the right step in this direction. There, the government has made weed available for less than $1 per gram. Here the consumers are getting benefited, as they are getting quality weed for so cheap, while the government is also saving money, by not having to spend its tax funds on police operations against the drug smugglers.

[minimalB]

Also for these reasons legal pot has a lot of enemies. It threatens many existing industries.

Well said. I think this is the no. 1 reason why pot is still illegal these days.

[tspacepilot]

In my opinion all recreational drugs, whether soft or hard must be legalized. An individual should have the freedom on what he should do with his body. The state has no control or responsibility here.

I agree. But the problem is that after decriminalization
state will be tempted to repair its ailing finances by taxation
of these drugs. Which implies monopolistic control of them.

So the ideal solution is decriminalization coupled with moralistic
mainstream attitude towards drugs on the general public level,
that makes it hard for the state to interfere. We then have a
thriving underground culture that benefits everyone  

I don't think this is totally accurate.  For me, I'd prefer a system where commercial marijuana is taxed and regulated (just like commercial food production) but allow people to grow and barter their own on small scales without interference (again like cottage industry food production).

[freedomno1]

Also for these reasons legal pot has a lot of enemies. It threatens many existing industries.

Well said. I think this is the no. 1 reason why pot is still illegal these days.

Fair enough although the market will need to adjust
But what I see is medicine pharmaceuticals and smoking traditional type being affected but curious what else, assumes healthcare I guess but not really threatening but just substituting some smokers from cigars to marijuana etc.

[chopstick]

Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. are all voting on full out cannabis legalization in November.

All three of them stand a very good chance of passing. It is like dominoes, more and more states will succumb to the allure of millions of tax dollars and less money spent on imprisoning people. And even if only one of them passes, it will still make a big wave.

Florida is voting for MMJ in november also.

Every time a state goes medical, it's a small step in the right direction.

The trend is clear - Pot legalization will go mainstream given enough time.

Now, let us patiently wait to see what happens in november.

[BADecker]

Mysterious Men Dropping From Helicopters To Chop Down NorCal Marijuana Grows

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/mysterious-men-dropping-from-helicopters-to-chop-down-norcal-marijuana-grows-mendocino-county-lear-asset-management/

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/News/162942-2014-09-14-mysterious-men-dropping-from-helicopters-to-chop-down-norcal-marijuana.htm

[leannemckim46]

Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. are all voting on full out cannabis legalization in November.

All three of them stand a very good chance of passing. It is like dominoes, more and more states will succumb to the allure of millions of tax dollars and less money spent on imprisoning people. And even if only one of them passes, it will still make a big wave.

Florida is voting for MMJ in november also.

Every time a state goes medical, it's a small step in the right direction.

The trend is clear - Pot legalization will go mainstream given enough time.

Now, let us patiently wait to see what happens in november.

I don't think it is the right direction when harmful drugs can be consumed legally as per state laws.

I think one thing all the people who are investing in weed dispensaries is the fact that weed is still a schedule 2 drug based on federal law and anyone selling it faces time in federal prison. The US constitution provides that federal law overrides state law. As of now the Obama administration is ignoring the federal laws (they tend to do what they want) but there is a good chance that once a Republican is voted into office that the federal drug laws will be enforced in a manor that congress indented for them to be enforced (and how they were written).

[cryptodevil]

I don't think it is the right direction when harmful drugs can be consumed legally as per state laws.

I agree, alcohol really is an awful drug.

As for congress, are you that naive you believe all the misinformation and deceit some of them employ to make something positive sound as bad as possible in order to make it fit their own personal agenda?
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/09/18/3569325/cbo-projects-drug-sentencing-reform-would-save-billions-but-this-senator-doesnt-like-math/?

This month, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that reforming federal drug laws to reduce draconian sentences would save $4 billion in just the first ten years. The Department of Justice has projected even greater savings of $7.4 billion.

But Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) didn’t mention any of that when he issued a press release this week citing potential increased costs of the bipartisan Smarter Sentencing Act. “Sentencing Bill Puts Taxpayers On The Hook For Another Billion Dollars,” the headline blares. Grassley cites costs of $1 billion in potential public benefits for inmates who are released — without factoring in the $4 billion-plus savings that will more than cover that cost. “The ‘smarter’ in the bill title clearly doesn’t mean ‘smarter’ budgeting or crime reduction,” Grassley says. His reasoning, essentially, is that we shouldn’t set these individuals free, because they might access health care and food stamps, and then cost the government some money.

But it’s Grassley who isn’t doing the math. The CBO breaks it down like this. The Smarter Sentencing Act will save $4 billion in prison costs, largely by facilitating shorter drug sentences and reducing a federal prison population that has grown 780 percent since 1980. The CBO notes that much of that savings comes from the health and food costs the government is alreading bearing for every single person in prison. When inmates are released early, they will also cost the government some money if they access health care programs and food stamps. This could cost the government $1 billion. In other words, the government is already paying food and health care costs for inmates. If those inmates are released, the government would reap significant savings, but some of them might still access some health care and food services that cost the government money, but a lot less money, and generate net savings of more than $2.9 billion in just the first ten years.

I'm guessing he's got an 'interest' in the private prison industry. Have you ever looked into that epic money-spinner? There is a reason why your country has the highest percentage of prison inmates per capita, and it ain't because they are all bad-ass criminals. It's one of the most profitable industries in the US, with income being derived from both government and the inmates themselves through cheap/free labour for factory-line production of goods they can sell for far less than a regular company, you know, that employs regular people.

So, perversely, the more people you throw in prison, the fewer jobs will be available for regular citizens because the prison industrial complex puts manufacturing companies out of business by using slave labour.

[chopstick]

Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. are all voting on full out cannabis legalization in November.

All three of them stand a very good chance of passing. It is like dominoes, more and more states will succumb to the allure of millions of tax dollars and less money spent on imprisoning people. And even if only one of them passes, it will still make a big wave.

Florida is voting for MMJ in november also.

Every time a state goes medical, it's a small step in the right direction.

The trend is clear - Pot legalization will go mainstream given enough time.

Now, let us patiently wait to see what happens in november.

I don't think it is the right direction when harmful drugs can be consumed legally as per state laws.

I think one thing all the people who are investing in weed dispensaries is the fact that weed is still a schedule 2 drug based on federal law and anyone selling it faces time in federal prison. The US constitution provides that federal law overrides state law. As of now the Obama administration is ignoring the federal laws (they tend to do what they want) but there is a good chance that once a Republican is voted into office that the federal drug laws will be enforced in a manor that congress indented for them to be enforced (and how they were written).

Weed is not a harmful drug. Quite the opposite really if you do any research at all...

I don't think the next president will crack-down on all the legal pot states. By the time 2016 comes around you will probably have 5 or 6 legal states. It would be a massive operation, disrupting the lives of millions of people, that would also make you look EXTREMELY bad and would hurt your popularity massively.

The jig is up. They can't continue the anti-pot charades any longer. People want their recreation, and people need their medication. Are these not the basics of freedom, something that America was supposedly founded on? Or is everything about this nation a complete farce.

[leannemckim46]

Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. are all voting on full out cannabis legalization in November.

All three of them stand a very good chance of passing. It is like dominoes, more and more states will succumb to the allure of millions of tax dollars and less money spent on imprisoning people. And even if only one of them passes, it will still make a big wave.

Florida is voting for MMJ in november also.

Every time a state goes medical, it's a small step in the right direction.

The trend is clear - Pot legalization will go mainstream given enough time.

Now, let us patiently wait to see what happens in november.

I don't think it is the right direction when harmful drugs can be consumed legally as per state laws.

I think one thing all the people who are investing in weed dispensaries is the fact that weed is still a schedule 2 drug based on federal law and anyone selling it faces time in federal prison. The US constitution provides that federal law overrides state law. As of now the Obama administration is ignoring the federal laws (they tend to do what they want) but there is a good chance that once a Republican is voted into office that the federal drug laws will be enforced in a manor that congress indented for them to be enforced (and how they were written).

Weed is not a harmful drug. Quite the opposite really if you do any research at all...

I don't think the next president will crack-down on all the legal pot states. By the time 2016 comes around you will probably have 5 or 6 legal states. It would be a massive operation, disrupting the lives of millions of people, that would also make you look EXTREMELY bad and would hurt your popularity massively.

The jig is up. They can't continue the anti-pot charades any longer. People want their recreation, and people need their medication. Are these not the basics of freedom, something that America was supposedly founded on? Or is everything about this nation a complete farce.

It is the president's job to enforce the laws, not to rewrite them so their popularity will increase. When a president is sworn in, he swears to uphold the constitution and the constitution says that the executive branch (of which the president is the head of) will enforce the laws written by congress.

Studies have shown that there is a link between pot use and schizophrenia; if this is not harmful then IDK what is.

[chopstick]

Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. are all voting on full out cannabis legalization in November.

All three of them stand a very good chance of passing. It is like dominoes, more and more states will succumb to the allure of millions of tax dollars and less money spent on imprisoning people. And even if only one of them passes, it will still make a big wave.

Florida is voting for MMJ in november also.

Every time a state goes medical, it's a small step in the right direction.

The trend is clear - Pot legalization will go mainstream given enough time.

Now, let us patiently wait to see what happens in november.

I don't think it is the right direction when harmful drugs can be consumed legally as per state laws.

I think one thing all the people who are investing in weed dispensaries is the fact that weed is still a schedule 2 drug based on federal law and anyone selling it faces time in federal prison. The US constitution provides that federal law overrides state law. As of now the Obama administration is ignoring the federal laws (they tend to do what they want) but there is a good chance that once a Republican is voted into office that the federal drug laws will be enforced in a manor that congress indented for them to be enforced (and how they were written).

Weed is not a harmful drug. Quite the opposite really if you do any research at all...

I don't think the next president will crack-down on all the legal pot states. By the time 2016 comes around you will probably have 5 or 6 legal states. It would be a massive operation, disrupting the lives of millions of people, that would also make you look EXTREMELY bad and would hurt your popularity massively.

The jig is up. They can't continue the anti-pot charades any longer. People want their recreation, and people need their medication. Are these not the basics of freedom, something that America was supposedly founded on? Or is everything about this nation a complete farce.

It is the president's job to enforce the laws, not to rewrite them so their popularity will increase. When a president is sworn in, he swears to uphold the constitution and the constitution says that the executive branch (of which the president is the head of) will enforce the laws written by congress.

Studies have shown that there is a link between pot use and schizophrenia; if this is not harmful then IDK what is.

So it's the president's job to enforce fascist laws dictating the lives of others in terms of what they can or cannot put into their bodies, a personal fucking choice that does not cause any harm to anyone else? A group of laws that just so happen to enrich the prison-industrial complex with billions of dollars, no less?

Especially a harmless plant which is known to greatly aid in treating cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, sickness, nausea, nerve pain and hundreds of other medical ailments?

The link between pot and schizophrenia is pure bologna. The only cases in which it may be harmful is if you have latent genetic schizophrenia... (less than .1% of the population) DERP

Stupid fucking bullshit.

Millions of people have been imprisoned over a harmless plant that heals people... oh the irony.

[leannemckim46]

Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. are all voting on full out cannabis legalization in November.

All three of them stand a very good chance of passing. It is like dominoes, more and more states will succumb to the allure of millions of tax dollars and less money spent on imprisoning people. And even if only one of them passes, it will still make a big wave.

Florida is voting for MMJ in november also.

Every time a state goes medical, it's a small step in the right direction.

The trend is clear - Pot legalization will go mainstream given enough time.

Now, let us patiently wait to see what happens in november.

I don't think it is the right direction when harmful drugs can be consumed legally as per state laws.

I think one thing all the people who are investing in weed dispensaries is the fact that weed is still a schedule 2 drug based on federal law and anyone selling it faces time in federal prison. The US constitution provides that federal law overrides state law. As of now the Obama administration is ignoring the federal laws (they tend to do what they want) but there is a good chance that once a Republican is voted into office that the federal drug laws will be enforced in a manor that congress indented for them to be enforced (and how they were written).

Weed is not a harmful drug. Quite the opposite really if you do any research at all...

I don't think the next president will crack-down on all the legal pot states. By the time 2016 comes around you will probably have 5 or 6 legal states. It would be a massive operation, disrupting the lives of millions of people, that would also make you look EXTREMELY bad and would hurt your popularity massively.

The jig is up. They can't continue the anti-pot charades any longer. People want their recreation, and people need their medication. Are these not the basics of freedom, something that America was supposedly founded on? Or is everything about this nation a complete farce.

It is the president's job to enforce the laws, not to rewrite them so their popularity will increase. When a president is sworn in, he swears to uphold the constitution and the constitution says that the executive branch (of which the president is the head of) will enforce the laws written by congress.

Studies have shown that there is a link between pot use and schizophrenia; if this is not harmful then IDK what is.

So it's the president's job to enforce fascist laws dictating the lives of others in terms of what they can or cannot put into their bodies, a personal fucking choice that does not cause any harm to anyone else? A group of laws that just so happen to enrich the prison-industrial complex with billions of dollars, no less?

Especially a harmless plant which is known to greatly aid in treating cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, sickness, nausea, nerve pain and hundreds of other medical ailments?

The link between pot and schizophrenia is pure bologna. The only cases in which it may be harmful is if you have latent genetic schizophrenia... (less than .1% of the population) DERP

Stupid fucking bullshit.

Millions of people have been imprisoned over a harmless plant that heals people... oh the irony.

No matter how BS a law is perceived to be by the public or by the president, the president took an oath to enforce all laws. If the president does not think a law is appropriate then he should ask congress to change it (the same applies to citizens). Even if he "thinks" a law is unconstitutional all he is able to do is file a friend of the court brief saying that the administration thinks the law should be overturned when a case about the law gets to the supreme court.

None of the rest of your arguments matter. It is not up to the president to determine if a law should be a low or not (only to the extent that he can veto a law that congress passes) 

[chopstick]

Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. are all voting on full out cannabis legalization in November.

All three of them stand a very good chance of passing. It is like dominoes, more and more states will succumb to the allure of millions of tax dollars and less money spent on imprisoning people. And even if only one of them passes, it will still make a big wave.

Florida is voting for MMJ in november also.

Every time a state goes medical, it's a small step in the right direction.

The trend is clear - Pot legalization will go mainstream given enough time.

Now, let us patiently wait to see what happens in november.

I don't think it is the right direction when harmful drugs can be consumed legally as per state laws.

I think one thing all the people who are investing in weed dispensaries is the fact that weed is still a schedule 2 drug based on federal law and anyone selling it faces time in federal prison. The US constitution provides that federal law overrides state law. As of now the Obama administration is ignoring the federal laws (they tend to do what they want) but there is a good chance that once a Republican is voted into office that the federal drug laws will be enforced in a manor that congress indented for them to be enforced (and how they were written).

Weed is not a harmful drug. Quite the opposite really if you do any research at all...

I don't think the next president will crack-down on all the legal pot states. By the time 2016 comes around you will probably have 5 or 6 legal states. It would be a massive operation, disrupting the lives of millions of people, that would also make you look EXTREMELY bad and would hurt your popularity massively.

The jig is up. They can't continue the anti-pot charades any longer. People want their recreation, and people need their medication. Are these not the basics of freedom, something that America was supposedly founded on? Or is everything about this nation a complete farce.

It is the president's job to enforce the laws, not to rewrite them so their popularity will increase. When a president is sworn in, he swears to uphold the constitution and the constitution says that the executive branch (of which the president is the head of) will enforce the laws written by congress.

Studies have shown that there is a link between pot use and schizophrenia; if this is not harmful then IDK what is.

So it's the president's job to enforce fascist laws dictating the lives of others in terms of what they can or cannot put into their bodies, a personal fucking choice that does not cause any harm to anyone else? A group of laws that just so happen to enrich the prison-industrial complex with billions of dollars, no less?

Especially a harmless plant which is known to greatly aid in treating cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, sickness, nausea, nerve pain and hundreds of other medical ailments?

The link between pot and schizophrenia is pure bologna. The only cases in which it may be harmful is if you have latent genetic schizophrenia... (less than .1% of the population) DERP

Stupid fucking bullshit.

Millions of people have been imprisoned over a harmless plant that heals people... oh the irony.

No matter how BS a law is perceived to be by the public or by the president, the president took an oath to enforce all laws. If the president does not think a law is appropriate then he should ask congress to change it (the same applies to citizens). Even if he "thinks" a law is unconstitutional all he is able to do is file a friend of the court brief saying that the administration thinks the law should be overturned when a case about the law gets to the supreme court.

None of the rest of your arguments matter. It is not up to the president to determine if a law should be a low or not (only to the extent that he can veto a law that congress passes) 

The decades-old maryjane prohibitionist laws are clearly foolish at best, life destroying at worst. They offer no real benefit to society, drain the system, and fill up the prisons with people who don't deserve to have their lives thrown away.

And you really think the prez should mobilize tens of thousands of troopers and organize thousands of raids to shut it down, based on an old law enacted during an era full of racism and ignorance?

The oath of the president means nothing. Almost every president breaks dozens of laws, commits war crimes, and does all sorts of stupid shit. If they actually gave a shit about the constitution or about freedom we never would have gotten into this conundrum in the first place. This country was bought and sold for long ago, and the next president will do whatever is most politically convenient. Which definitely doesn't involve disrupting millions of $$ worth of trade in multiple states in a now quasi-legal industry that is positively affecting the lives of so many people. If the next pres tries to pull that shit, he's gonna have to wait til his 2nd term because he certainly won't get re-elected. A very high % of americans now support legal weed.

[serenitys]

In our (US) next elections, expect to see several more states joining Washington and Colorado. I figure it'll be Oregon, Arizona and one of the New England states on the other side.

Don't look for ass backwards redneck inbred southern states to be anywhere but end/back of the line.

As for the taxation, I have to point this out - legalization of mj in this country effectively puts the skids on that entire market. Not other street drugs but pot specifically. Once it's decriminalized, it's not anything the government can tax because it stops being "drugs" and returns to being "vegetable" - a plant, so it's growing tomatoes, not growing drugs.

If you can grow your own, you're not buying it and the back door deals to get better product will be as unregulated then as it is now. They can't tax it anymore than they can stop bitcoin.