I strongly support the use of marijuana but i strongly don't support government involvement. In Mass we made a good step by decriminalizing. I think if weed was legalized the government would do the same thing that it did with tobacco. people would be buying an 8th for 150.00 or something ridiculous. What i'm trying to say is i'm not sure how supportive i am of legalization, but definitely decriminalization!!
Yep because when alcohol prohibition was lifted the government charged you $60 for a twelve-pack and put all sorts of nasty chemicals in it to increase the number of alcoholics. Be serious, the free market won't allow that to happen. You will have your large scale companies that have good bud for sale in every convenience store, grocery store, etc and then you will have smaller companies, even regional companies that put a lot of time and effort into their product. You think the government does not know how much money marijuana brings in? If it's legalized they are going to keep the plant as is, why mess up a good thing? And I'd rather not be put in prison for growing my own plants, in fact making a legitimate living off of growing marijuana is my dream. Here, watch this and see if it doesn't change your mind: [ame="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9077214414651731007"]The Union[/ame]
Not to be a douche, but thats a common misconception. (to OP) Look at supply and demand. The supply of weed in this country and the risk that goes along with it are the two biggest reasons for high prices. Once the marijuana industry is allowed to flourish in this country, the supply will go up, and prices will drop. The demand probably won't drop, however I'm fairly certain that prices will drop, no matter how much they tax it. Another concern that stoners have is that corporations will start to engineer weed and find ways to make it cheaper to grow, and using harmful/radioactive pesticides. However, the recent "green" movement will assure that there are at least a handful of companies that will grow "organic bud." Just my two cents...
I very much agree to some point. Supply and demand would be a deciding factor in cost, and big money business will be on the bandwagon for sure. I do believe if big money business got involved, it would not matter how cost effective they could grow it, it would still be about profit and they would charge common prices. When it comes to any type of busienss, large or small, they look at the demographics and decide their prices form that. I very much doubt any serius Gov't involvement other than taxation of the product. I would hope they allow states to sell grow licenses for those that wish to grow their own. Not only would it benefit the state's economy, it would open up opportunity for other types of business which will also be very helpful to the economy. less
I'm sorry but there's no way you can license people to grow a plant. If I want to fill my garden full of a plant which (assuming legalization) contains no illegal substances, then the government has no right to tell me otherwise. I'm sure that once it is legalized I won't be the only person reaping what they sow.
psh i wish it was decriminalized here. yes pot should be made legal. of course kids are still gonna be able to get a hold of it just like tabacco and alcohol. i doubt the government could jack the price up like that. because people would go back to growing their own. if anything the government would make it cheap becuase im sure they would grow it by the TON.
Ugghh people seriously need to stop worrying about the government screwing shit up. If they do end up making prices insanely high then the black market will just come back. The black market will be a lot safer though since possessing marijuana would no longer be illegal. Or the other alternative would be just to grow your own stuff. There is no way they make it illegal to grow your own bud. That simply wouldn't make any sense. Stop worrying. Legalization will definitely be worth it.
Seriously.. think logically.. the government fucks with the herb there will be 0 demand, people will grow their own. They have to make it more appealing than growing your own, so it will be cheap to buy and pure.
Yet we have to have a license to drive a car??? Even if we own the car???? People need to look at this in a realistic way. Our economy is in ruins and the American people are taxed and forced to aquire licenses, insurances, and other forms of certificate to perform everyday tasks in life and recreation. If they decriminlaized and one must purchase a license to grow, I would not have a problem. Wake up people! less
We have one of these threads every week and it just stirs shit up and ends up with the OP either being stubborn or realizing that if it was really legal you could grow your own!
The key is to lobby for complete legalization of it. After we clear that hurdle, we can deal with keeping the taxes down. For now, the single biggest goal is to stop imposing felony criminal records on marijuana users. This trumps any potential problems we might face with any proposed tax structure. i.e. One war at time.
Very good point. 1st: MMJ 2nd: Decrim 3rd: Federal Legalization 4th: Tax/Regulation structuring issues Of course I hope we can completely bypass steps 1 and 2, but they seem necessary in order to ease the American Public into the idea of legalization.
OP I undersand what youre saying, but I dont believe it to be true. MJ may actually be cheaper with regulation...this is necessary to undercut the huge profits of the drug cartels. If the government taxed it as much as you say, people would go right back to their street dealers. Kinda defeats the purpose of legalization.
Yup. The costs of weed nowadays is high because of the risk associated with dealing. Take away that risk, and the price goes way down, even WITH a ridiculous tax.