Congress Just Ended The Ban On Medical Marijuana

[420 Warrior]

Imagine all the DEA pot task force employees drawing unemployment, creating a drag on the local economies. Hold that thought...

Yea, ain't payback a bitch? Think of all the kids who don't have parent's around right now because of all those DEA pricks out there "Just doing their jobs". They chose that profession and if they get the shaft because of the repeal of Cannabis prohibition then so be it, they get what they deserve!

Besides that, they all won't need to be let go in the first place because they will be free to focus on real deadly drugs. Personally, I have no beef with the DEA taking down hard drug distributors in this country, in fact I support that, but I do think the common user just needs help getting off deadly drugs, not prison terms, just help! That's my stance anyway.

 

[cannilingus]

honestly, thinking of all things that have happened here in wa state. not many, if any, have been considered "good" by my idea. lots of school issues. lots of b.s. i read the full thing, before i voted on it here. and, i saw what was comming. it was the same they did for prohibition. they legalized it, to control its profit, for themsleves. and look what that did. no. i voted no on legalizing it. everyone i know, smoked it any time they wanted, more or less. and, it was worth more. now, less. for us. i read thru the lines. on so much. now, to survive the next year, with this horrid admin. i plan on making my garden, "GREAT AGAIN"!

 

[Radogast]

The tax revenue might be what tips the scales in favor of legality. The higher the taxes on cannabis, the more black market traffic will be created. Just like with alcohol. I hope to see a day when we can shop the local farmer's market on Saturday morning, for freshly harvested buds. Why does it seem like every new law creates problems as bad as what the law is intended to change? Repeal of prohibition will be tough in places where there are careers and pensions depending on it remaining illegal. Imagine all the DEA pot task force employees drawing unemployment, creating a drag on the local economies. Hold that thought...

The recently certified Massachusetts Recreational Initiative headed for the Nov 2016 ballot calls for 3.75% state taxes and up to 2% local taxes on top of the 6.25% normal state sales tax. 10-12% sales tax on recreation marijuana seems entirely reasonable. I'm not happy with the proposed 6 plant per person grow limit (untaxed), but that's a matter of personal style

 

[Sativica]

I think the list of states only included states that have medical marijuana laws NOW.

 

[circuit]

Amending the state constitution, to make cannabis legal, regulated like alcohol, is a step in the right direction. Anything that decriminalizes cannabis is good, the less people being busted the better, for everyone. I didn't agree with all of the details in the Colorado amendment, or the medical law or the regs that followed, but these were moves in the right direction. Change is slow, especially with regard to government, so just getting cannabis recognized as something that is not dangerous and has serious medical benefits, is good. The 6 plant limit is among the problems with the law here, but there is a way to increase the legal plant count, a doctor can recommend more, but there are local restrictions in many cities and counties, so the details are still being worked out. Just getting the DEA out of the cannabis business is a major step forward. Hey you guys in non-legal states, get out the vote and help to move this legalization effort forward!

 

[BrokrnEyes]

I'm pulling my newbie card out on this one but all the research I've done shows a grower can pull several large ounces off a plant with some gift to growers even being able to get a pound off a plant. With things like feminized seeds, auto flowers, hydro techniques, monster cropping and what have you, wouldn't 6 plants be more than enough tax free bud for anyone who puts the time and effort into the grow? I mean the six plant limit sounds like it's in place to control unlicensed commercial growers so I really don't see the issue for even individuals using cannabis for medicinal purposes if the plants are staggered correctly so that person can harvest on a regular basis.

 

[circuit]

The 6 plant limit requires a max of 3 in veg and 3 in flower, which can be a problem if you grow smaller plants or longer flowering strains. I like to run a few in a tent in soil pots for smokable buds, but also like to run a hydro rack for oil making buds. The hydro system is from a popular online design from StinkBud and is really an aeroponic style, which in this configuration cannot grow the really big plants due to its design. Sometimes I get ahead of my needs, which is why I like to freeze the extracted oil in order to preserve it. The buds that don't get smoked in a few months wind up in the extract pile. So for this medical patient a limit of 30 makes sense, half in flower, but there are times when I shut down the garden to travel or simply to take a break, so being able to grow more than 6 helps me to keep a supply on hand. Also, my doc did give an "extended plant count" along with the medical card, so no worries about getting into trouble with the state. The guys who are growing black market buds tend to use all available space to grow, ignoring plant count restrictions and risking getting busted, but I did meet a few while in the doctor's office waiting room, they were there to get extended plant count documentation, and all were "caregivers", growing for others. The special restrictions placed on caregivers is a tough subject that has strong opinions on both sides and I believe that the black market guys are creating most of their own problems by being so influenced by the money, which skews the whole caregiver situation. I see ads on CL every day from sellers, claiming to caregivers with extra buds, offering to accept donations for free weed. Good luck with that! I suppose it is nice to have the police occupied with them instead of setting up a speed trap on my route to work. A common warning among growers is to stay below the 99 plant limit imposed by federal law, apparently getting caught with more than 99 is quite serious, not clear how the budget bill affects that.

 

[Radogast]

I'm pulling my newbie card out on this one but all the research I've done shows a grower can pull several large ounces off a plant with some gift to growers even being able to get a pound off a plant. With things like feminized seeds, auto flowers, hydro techniques, monster cropping and what have you, wouldn't 6 plants be more than enough tax free bud for anyone who puts the time and effort into the grow? I mean the six plant limit sounds like it's in place to control unlicensed commercial growers so I really don't see the issue for even individuals using cannabis for medicinal purposes if the plants are staggered correctly so that person can harvest on a regular basis.

6 plants would seem reasonable. If it were 6 mature plants I'd be supportive.

I growing with just organic soil, worm castings, and water: growing the way herbs grow in a forest clearing, the pace is slower. It takes at least two plants in vegetative state for every one plant in flower. In a perpetual grow of 6 plants that means at best 2 plants in flower so one harvest every 6 weeks. If everything goes well, for me, that translates to a single 3-7 oz harvest every 6 weeks - which is fine for recreational use.

With autoflowers, it is real common to have harvests under an ounce, but one can have all 6 plants under the same lights and expect twice as many harvests - there are Master Grower techniques to get 4 oz autoflowers, but most growers won't do that. Growing perpetually is simpler with autoflowers as it only takes one room. Photo perios flowers require two rooms/tents.

Hydro can get more yield.
Lots of store bought chemicals can get more yields.
Monster cropping can get more yield, but the higher yield at harvest is offset by more days until harvest - which really hurts with a low plant count.

If bugs attack (thrips, Spider mites) expect your yields to be cut in half.
If PH in soil goes wonky, your grow will stall - I have one plant that stalled for 17 months.
Root infections and water temperature or pump problems in hydro can kill all your plants in days.
Going on vacation is always a bit scary when you aren't sure what your garden will look like when you return.
Trusting you plant care to someone else can be real scary.
Thieves, dogs and visitors who trip can wipe out your grow or reduce your yield.

If all goes perfect, an average recreational grower can reasonably average 2-3 oz per month from 6 plants, especially if they are willing to grow with store bought chemicals. But most will want to grow those 6 plants in a batch - which then puts them over most state limits on harvest day. Very few people have a green thumb where everything goes perfect. And even good growers have things go wrong.

So yes, 6 plants is reasonable on paper. And if one assumes recreational growers don't NEED their marijuana, running out every once in awhile is fine. But I look at all marijuana use as partially medical. Some parts mental health, some parts physical health, some parts recreational. I object to 6 plant limits because I hate to see people skipping their marijuana meds, even if they aren't aware they are meds.

 

[Radogast]

The 6 plant limit requires a max of 3 in veg and 3 in flower, which can be a problem if you grow smaller plants or longer flowering strains. I like to run a few in a tent in soil pots for smokable buds, but also like to run a hydro rack for oil making buds. The hydro system is from a popular online design from StinkBud and is really an aeroponic style, which in this configuration cannot grow the really big plants due to its design. Sometimes I get ahead of my needs, which is why I like to freeze the extracted oil in order to preserve it. The buds that don't get smoked in a few months wind up in the extract pile. So for this medical patient a limit of 30 makes sense, half in flower, but there are times when I shut down the garden to travel or simply to take a break, so being able to grow more than 6 helps me to keep a supply on hand. Also, my doc did give an "extended plant count" along with the medical card, so no worries about getting into trouble with the state. The guys who are growing black market buds tend to use all available space to grow, ignoring plant count restrictions and risking getting busted, but I did meet a few while in the doctor's office waiting room, they were there to get extended plant count documentation, and all were "caregivers", growing for others. The special restrictions placed on caregivers is a tough subject that has strong opinions on both sides and I believe that the black market guys are creating most of their own problems by being so influenced by the money, which skews the whole caregiver situation. I see ads on CL every day from sellers, claiming to caregivers with extra buds, offering to accept donations for free weed. Good luck with that! I suppose it is nice to have the police occupied with them instead of setting up a speed trap on my route to work. A common warning among growers is to stay below the 99 plant limit imposed by federal law, apparently getting caught with more than 99 is quite serious, not clear how the budget bill affects that.

I agree with what you say. For my wife's medical needs, 25-30 plants (counting clones and seedlings) is a reasonable size.
For recreation needs, I would say 10-15 plants is a reasonable size. This assumes some sharing, which is approved in recreational states.