"Yeah, but it's either decriminalization or legalization. I would think decriminalization (where the govt. definitely regulates it more than with full legalization) would surely lead to the very problems you listed. Legalization might not because weed is not ANY sort of offense. It also allows the govt. to make revenue from sales that aren't just to medical patients because it's legal and can be sold to anyone over 21 (at least that's what I heard the deal is in Colorado). In general, government trying to control it has done way more harm than good and prolonging that just prolongs the damage the government does arresting pot smokers."
Let me rekindle my argument. Both government regulation and corporate control is bad. Right now we do not have either of the two evils. The consequence? An incredibly corrupt and immoral Drug War that results in innocent victims. The government most certainly does not regulate marijuana more in a paradigm of decriminalization than in a paradigm of legalization. Just look at Canada. The only thing they regulate is medical marijuana; everything else is considered illegal and punishable by minor jail time. The government cannot regulate illegal substances. But they cannot wage a "war" on them as well if they are decriminalized. The problem with legalization? The corporate world. You could say this is a little conspiratorial, but the government is not the real evil, they are just the puppets. I would rather suffer punishments from the government any day then suffer the consequences of greedy tycoons. I do not have many examples of what could happen to marijuana since, well it has not happened yet. But I could use other industries as an example. Tobacco is the best example. How many people do you know that smoke plain, natural tobacco? I don't know anybody. However, half of the people I know smoke cigarettes. Sometimes I wonder if nicotine is the real addiction. Is it not possible that one of the 4,000 different chemicals in cigarettes are addictive? Well that's not the point. The point is they'll do the same thing to marijuana. I mean honestly, it'll work too. Because who wouldn't love being able to go to your local gas station and get a nice pack of chronic. It'd be awesome. So convenient. But they have to add preservatives. I also wonder whether the high of cigarettes are even from the tobacco. Mexican cartels are a good example of greed's influence on such a product. They sprinkle glass on the marijuana to make it look like THC crystals.
And we all know nobody really cares about the "revenue" argument. It's just something to make marijuana look "beneficial". Who cares if the government gets revenue? That argument is never taken any further. I just don't understand it. "It'll bring in millions and billions of revenue". Cool. What are you going to do with that money? I rather give my money to the people than to the government and corporate world. This is because I honestly do not think that revenue will benefit anybody. It will simply replace the money they lost from laundering billions in the drug war. And who knows where the money from our taxes go? Another conspiracy I suppose. I don't think so. And if the argument is it will help the debt crisis, think again. We will always have debt; just go pick up your ol' history book and look up the Federal Reserve. I'm not going to bore you with a lesson on economics, but if you are actually interested I'd be more than happy to provide you with the resources.
Some may argue that marijuana can be homegrown and the culture and love could survive that way. But that's wrong as well. Once you insert organized capitalism, the majority looses the ability to compete. I think we talked about $3 ounces before?
[QUOTE]I heard the same thing could happen here in WA, wouldn't move for $3 OZs if I were you. The only way to do this is to approach it like a cash crop like corn. Think genetically modified, huge fields harvested by combine, doesn't sound like quality bud to me.
Here is a recent discussion on it from a local growers forum
Legal marijuana in an open market could cost as little as $3 an ounce
Legal marijuana in an open market could cost as little as $3 an ounce[/QUOTE]
For some reason everyone ignored this person. I thought it was pretty mind boggling. Anybody here of Monsanto? I advise watching the documentary "Food Inc." That's right, Marc Emery won't be providing seeds anymore, it'll be Monsanto. Genetically modified ones. And here is a more credible source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/07/legalizing-marijuana-washington-colorado_n_2088375.html
"Marijuana could cost as little as 20 cents per pound to produce"
Try competing with that. The paradigm in which we live in where we can sell marijuana on a communal basis is an AMAZING phenomenon. If you haven't noticed it does not exist in any other type of way.
But none of this matters, because marijuana will be inevitably legalized. And it'll turn into another exploited product.
"As soon as weed becomes legal and "regulated" the culture we know (and love) will never be the same."
That's the condensed version of what I'm trying to say.
Let me rekindle my argument. Both government regulation and corporate control is bad. Right now we do not have either of the two evils. The consequence? An incredibly corrupt and immoral Drug War that results in innocent victims. The government most certainly does not regulate marijuana more in a paradigm of decriminalization than in a paradigm of legalization. Just look at Canada. The only thing they regulate is medical marijuana; everything else is considered illegal and punishable by minor jail time. The government cannot regulate illegal substances. But they cannot wage a "war" on them as well if they are decriminalized. The problem with legalization? The corporate world. You could say this is a little conspiratorial, but the government is not the real evil, they are just the puppets. I would rather suffer punishments from the government any day then suffer the consequences of greedy tycoons. I do not have many examples of what could happen to marijuana since, well it has not happened yet. But I could use other industries as an example. Tobacco is the best example. How many people do you know that smoke plain, natural tobacco? I don't know anybody. However, half of the people I know smoke cigarettes. Sometimes I wonder if nicotine is the real addiction. Is it not possible that one of the 4,000 different chemicals in cigarettes are addictive? Well that's not the point. The point is they'll do the same thing to marijuana. I mean honestly, it'll work too. Because who wouldn't love being able to go to your local gas station and get a nice pack of chronic. It'd be awesome. So convenient. But they have to add preservatives. I also wonder whether the high of cigarettes are even from the tobacco. Mexican cartels are a good example of greed's influence on such a product. They sprinkle glass on the marijuana to make it look like THC crystals."Yeah, but it's either decriminalization or legalization. I would think decriminalization (where the govt. definitely regulates it more than with full legalization) would surely lead to the very problems you listed. Legalization might not because weed is not ANY sort of offense. It also allows the govt. to make revenue from sales that aren't just to medical patients because it's legal and can be sold to anyone over 21 (at least that's what I heard the deal is in Colorado). In general, government trying to control it has done way more harm than good and prolonging that just prolongs the damage the government does arresting pot smokers."
And we all know nobody really cares about the "revenue" argument. It's just something to make marijuana look "beneficial". Who cares if the government gets revenue? That argument is never taken any further. I just don't understand it. "It'll bring in millions and billions of revenue". Cool. What are you going to do with that money? I rather give my money to the people than to the government and corporate world. This is because I honestly do not think that revenue will benefit anybody. It will simply replace the money they lost from laundering billions in the drug war. And who knows where the money from our taxes go? Another conspiracy I suppose. I don't think so. And if the argument is it will help the debt crisis, think again. We will always have debt; just go pick up your ol' history book and look up the Federal Reserve. I'm not going to bore you with a lesson on economics, but if you are actually interested I'd be more than happy to provide you with the resources.
Some may argue that marijuana can be homegrown and the culture and love could survive that way. But that's wrong as well. Once you insert organized capitalism, the majority looses the ability to compete. I think we talked about $3 ounces before?
[QUOTE]I heard the same thing could happen here in WA, wouldn't move for $3 OZs if I were you. The only way to do this is to approach it like a cash crop like corn. Think genetically modified, huge fields harvested by combine, doesn't sound like quality bud to me.Here is a recent discussion on it from a local growers forum
Legal marijuana in an open market could cost as little as $3 an ounce
Legal marijuana in an open market could cost as little as $3 an ounce[/QUOTE]
"Marijuana could cost as little as 20 cents per pound to produce"Try competing with that. The paradigm in which we live in where we can sell marijuana on a communal basis is an AMAZING phenomenon. If you haven't noticed it does not exist in any other type of way.
"As soon as weed becomes legal and "regulated" the culture we know (and love) will never be the same."
