IMO this is a most exciting time. I do understand that some are not fans of the legalization/regulation movement, as in their view the regulation policies are geared (unfairly?) to generate tax and "enforcement" revenue. I'm not saying they're wrong and I don't have a crystal ball. However, looking at the glass as half full (and actually overflowing!) I personally feel we are looking at a historic change and one that is for the best. The people have spoken - first it was states pushing for medicinal, and now many are demanding recreational legalization. I just read an article that Nevada is one of the next in line and believes they can get the 102k+ votes to push the issue. That, to me is the bottom line - times ARE changing. This green industry is happening - and it is legal! I respect the federal laws, however I feel that in time the will of the people will become so overwhelmingly strong, that federal laws will have to be changed. The will of the few cannot suppress the will of the majority - MILLIONS STRONG! Especially exciting is to be a part of this new, ever-evolving industry. Things are far from set in stone and we are likely to see many developmental changes ahead. I work in the health field and am always suspect of the pharmaceutical companies. My work revolves around natural healing and nutritional supplements and a large part of my job directly and directly involves researching pharmaceuticals, GMOs and so on. We all know the gov holds cannabis patents, as do pharmaceutical firms such as GW. The "dirty secret" of recreational legalization (in my mind at least) is that the people can potentially, collectively, flood the market with high-grade cannabis. I'm talking about supporting (legal) distribution and access to the point that anyone can get ahold of it. Although it is classified as "recreational," those high-grade buds have just as much medicinal value as "mmj." When we think of recreational the first thing to come to mind may be a bunch of guys sitting around sharing a J for fun. But recreational, distribution-wise, potentially means sharing access to untold amounts of people. People who don't even need to get a recommendation now in order to attain the access they deserve. How will the pharma companies respond to this? Time will tell. Part of that dirty secret, Big Pharma is probably not a fan of - the potential of millions of people attaining dirt-cheap (rightful) access to a natural plant filled with medicinal compounds, ESPECIALLY anti-cancer! The FDA and big pharma have regulated that only drugs can treat, prevent or cure a disease. This is based on the profit model of synthetic, patented drugs that can be lab created. The primary focus of this is to prevent people from achieving the reality that: garlic has anti-cancer properties, as do many other natural elements. Their regulation prevents doctors from prescribing natural elements to treat conditions, elements that cannot be patented. Recreational and medicinal cannabis really throws a wrench into their operation. Current events show that the pharma companies are patenting strains of cannabis left and right, and more specifically making synthetic (patented) products derived from the natural plant. Will they eventually try to mandate that only THEIR patented strains or products can treat medical conditions? Time will tell... this is where as a collective, unified group we must maintain our wishes. If recreational goes mainstream, and the majority catch on to the healing benefits, you'd have millions treating their cancers and health conditions while completely disregarding the entire pharmaceutical drug complex. WHOOPS! IMO ideally, patients will be able to eventually see their (normal) doctor who will actually be educated on nutrition, the endocannabinoid system, etc and give people the health care they deserve. A patient should have the choice - tylenol or cannabis? Chemo & radiation or cannabis? The truth must come first and I do believe we will get there eventually. Keep our eyes on the prize! Anyhow I replied to share this link. Back on my work comp I had saved the Colorado.gov web page illustrating the costs and fees of doing business; application, administrative, legal fees, license fees and so on. I wanted to add it here to increase the collection of good info on this topic, because as it stands right now a lot of it is left unsaid. Or at least, not widely shared. Enjoy! http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=Content-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D%22Current+MED+Fee+Schedule.pdf%22&blobheadervalue2=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1251922909101&ssbinary=true
that is the big part about pharma. take one part from 400 and synthesize it ( un natural) and then pump it to the people. the people will be missing vital information from the medicine that was lost during the "making it fake process" and that vitality is the life and bioavalability in the medicine itself. bioavailable is what our bodies recognize the most. synthetic is partial medicine that has partial ( fatal)results. I do not expect big pharma to change their operating procedures because they start to break down cannabis. they will treat cannabis just as every other natural plant that goes through their spin the vitality out of the plant system. also as far as big pharma ( big $) and natural pick it from the dirt medicine(free)- the more sick people the more $ they are set to pocket so sick people boosts their returns. sounds like our health industry is the stock market and we the people are the short sales.
I agree 420%! I was listening to this canna-doc the other day and one of the esteemed gentlemen being interviewed declared quite clearly, that in all of his experience, the most benefit will always come from utilizing the plant in its entirety, all 421 compounds and constituents. I consider it an omen that my birthday is 4-21 ; it may be destiny that linked me to being a huge supporter of cannabis and industrial hemp! But back to the compounds - I see this daily in my line of work, herbal extracts and nutritional supplements. The company I work for has a longstanding history of quality product and it is based off of them using the natural form of the plant, in its entirety, for their liquid extracts. I do believe that we may very well see a large amount of people REFUSE non-organic weed. Also, in CO it is illegal for anyone who is not a resident to start a canna business or invest in one. That means it stays locally produced and owned. I understand some may cut corners but in my experience, many out here prefer natural/non-GMO foods and I feel this will extend to the cannabis products. There's also strict regulations (or restriction) on pesticide and chemical use during commercial cultivation - which I imagine is to preserve the "medicine" from being tainted with harmful chemicals. There is a great chance that although Big Tobacco and Big Pharma may be able to mass produce Genetically Modified herbs for their large-scale production, many people will prefer the organic versions. This is a very pleasant thought to me - the people turn their backs on "Big XYZ" and they are forced to go the way of the dinosaur, because the people no longer desire their services. The New Frontier - Cannabis Documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHUCQsyJzlU
unfortunately that will be a big obstacle for cannabis going mainstream. what plant and its seeds has survived mainstream and is not totally controlled by an organization and their big $$ interests. the answer, none. the more money and time they put toward controlling food supply the more their unhealthy $$ controlled interests take over and proliferate natural product with synthetic un natural product. the fact that cannabis ( especially land race strains) can grow on its own and survive is not good enough. they will need to totally reconstruct cannabis genes ( gmo) and patent them and sue everyone who does not follow their industrial size food/medicine control. sound familiar, just like the foods we have grown over time and re grown our own seeds only to now get them exclusively from big corp or be sued. the downfalls of going mainstream and putting a plant that has been in the background into the current system and the terrible ( natural medicine viewpoints ) or lack thereof of said system.