title. In all honesty, I don't believe there will be one "holy" day where pot becomes legal. Of course there's a process, but I won't believe that there will be "one" day it is legalized. I do, however, believe we can just take steps and slowly but surely not have it as a serious problems. But my question is, what is that process? What is exactly the pathway towards decriminalized, or eventually, legalized cannabis? I know that several states in the country allow medical marijuana, some decriminalized small amounts, which seem to be everywhere to be honest. So whats the pathway in your mind?
Educating people and letting them know that it's not only harmless, but healthy too. And then we have to explain why prohibition doesn't work and that it does more harm than good. We need to educate ourselves to the point that we're able to intelligently discuss the matter with common citizens, that's the only way we're going to end this pointless drug war.
Volunteering at senior centers and educating them about both the medical benefits they can get from cannabis, and the lifetime of lies that have been shoved down their throats. Seniors vote, and they usually vote against legalization. In California, for example, 65% of seniors "strongly agree" that marijuana should remain illegal. And because they feel so vulnerable, they're often a deciding vote in "tough on crime" legislation.
In the United States? About 20 or 30 more years of undoing all the propganda and the same amount of time in research. The path will go something like widespread acceptance for medical use, 10 to 20 state's decriminalize, reclassification from schedule 1, federal decriminalization, a few states legalize, then when the idea is popular enough the federal government decides its time to get some easy votes, devote law enforcement to crime which is actually harmful, make some easy tax dollars, and then federal legalization. The question is, once it is legalized is it going to be taxed as hard as cigarettes are? Is it really going to make a difference as people who still oppose it try to tax it out of existance? I don't really care for legalization unless its for medical use, I would be happy with all-out decriminalization with very low fines so it doesn't turn into a law enforcement witch hunt for funding.
Why wouldn't you want it legalized? I'm planning on getting into a white collar job...I like the idea of not losing that job because I smoke a joint on the weekends. Also, no matter how much they decide to tax it, we're used to paying fucking $20 a gram. There's no way it would cost anywhere close to that if it was legal, regardless of taxes.
How do you know? Demand might be so high that it drives the price up that high with taxes included. Why do you think it costs that now? It is not so much due to it being illegal, it has to do with demand for high grade cannabis is fairly high and the actual supply is rather low. Look at California, legalization for medical use did not drive the price down, what drove it down was the flood of cannabis being tossed around. I know some of you will say oh that is bullshit there will be more of it around if it was legalized; however, consider how many more people would be interested in using it. This is not Holland, Americans like to use drugs and we use a lot of them, legal or illegal. Plus do you really think the federal and state governments are just going to be like oh ok dollar a gram tax imposed from each. Right, apparently you have not been smoking cigarettes for the last decade. It will end up being taxed the shit out of since its a health risk, in order to urge people to quit for financial reasons and because people just do not like smoke/smokers because they have a thing about being around smoking and smoke, but not about being 30 to 100 pounds overweight.
There is no exact pathway to legalization. In fact, there is no path AT ALL to legalization.. Accept it for what it is and continue smoking regardless
[quote name='"EasternSmoker"'] How do you know? Demand might be so high that it drives the price up that high with taxes included. Why do you think it costs that now? It is not so much due to it being illegal, it has to do with demand for high grade cannabis is fairly high and the actual supply is rather low. Look at California, legalization for medical use did not drive the price down, what drove it down was the flood of cannabis being tossed around...[/quote] Was a relatively long post so I cut it a bit short in the quote, but... Supply is so low because of the risks associated with it. Medical legalization didn't protect random people who wanted to grow. I do indeed think that full legalization would lead to industrial size grow warehouses, and cheaper prices, even if demand increases as well. Tobacco would cost $40/g if it was illegal, look a what it's price is despite huge demand. You can complain about taxes all you want, but $5 for a pack of cigarettes (which is how many grams? Over an ounce for sure) is not a big deal.
[quote name='"DrazyHaze"']There is no exact pathway to legalization. In fact, there is no path AT ALL to legalization.. Accept it for what it is and continue smoking regardless[/quote] Negative nancy over here. Sorry for posting twice in a row, on an iPhone right now. Quit being a debbie downer, mmk?
Despite demand for cigarettes going down, last I checked the rate was about 20% of the population, down from 25%, but taxes continue to go up and the price goes up. Decriminalization is what we should strive for, keep the taxes and the corporations out. Another interesting issue ignored by many is the fact that once large businesses get involved in the growing and manufactoring of cannabis the strains they produce and even some of the ones we know and love will become property of those who create them. I say this because it has already taken place in genetic engineering of staple crops, where seeds/pollen are carried over to another's farmland and that person is sued for what is basically using someone else's product without monetary compensation. Do you really want to be sued because some company's creation found its way onto your land and you unknowingly propagated their product?
I'm going to be growing like 2 plants indoors so I'm not too worried about corporations suing me but I kind of feel you. I can't picture anyone harvesting fields of weed unless you already ARE a corporation though so I kinda feel like that's not our issue to worry about
Replace the congress currently in office with one that actually represents the people and it would be legal within a matter of days.
I have, and so you are trying to say that growing it would no longer be profitable enough to where people would be willing to do most size grows? I think that is proven wrong by those who make all or a good portion of their earnings selling to dispensaries. My point is even with pseudo legalization in California the price there is not low enough even in terms of street deals that if it did become legal the state and federal taxation which would come with it would not lower the price far beyond what it is now. It would still be relatively expensive, possibly 25 to 50% cheaper. It is unrealisitc to think it would drop to a $1-$10 a gram for high grade while also being taxed. The realisitc persepective is that it will be about 12 to 15 dollars a gram. Also I doubt you would be able to do personal grows without strict regulation and of course paying taxes per plant or on the final product.
I don't think it'd be that big of a deal anymore if it was legal and taxed. They're not going to stop by each individuals house that has a personal grow to make sure they're following regulations. I think it's plenty realistic to believe the price would drop to $1-$3 per gram for sure if they figure out a less tedious way to trim the leaves. I don't think the people selling to dispensaries proves anything at all, because it's still not legal. Pseudo legality is not even close to the same thing, people aren't willing to potentially lose their jobs and life over weed right now. If it was legal I can picture a lot of people getting professionally installed grow rooms honestly. Also, not sure if you fully understand the supply and demand deal (not trying to offend you), but street value isn't going to drop until there's a cheaper source. There won't be a cheaper source until there's enough people growing that there's competition, which won't happen until its fully legalized, no chance of persecution.
The prices would definitely drop if it was legalized. Tobacco is not that expensive and it is infinitely harder to grow and harvest than cannabis is. I used to farm tobacco, so I would know. That shit sucks. Especially at harvest time. Cannabis is as expensive as it is for the sole reason that you can go to prison forever if you get caught growing it, and there's no market competition to drive prices down.
I heard from a friend of mine who worked on a farm that if you didn't already smoke, if you tried to work there you'd throw up by noon from the nicotine and whatever else seeping into your skin throughout the harvest. He said he never smoked before he worked there and got addicted to nicotine without ever even smoking haha. Shit's insane.
I say we all smokers need to roll a joint , plan one day and the exact time , and go outside and smoke it. The cops can't hold half of America!