Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
B.C.’s illegal marijuana industry will be dealt a heavy economic blow if Californians vote to legalize pot in the Golden State on Tuesday, says a criminology professor who has studied the effect of B.C. bud for more than a decade.
Darryl Plecas, criminology professor at the University of Fraser Valley and director of the Centre for Criminal Justice Research, predicts that decriminalizing pot in California will have a significant economic impact on the illegal trade of B.C. bud — and will weaken organized crime groups.
“The single biggest fuel for organized crime in B.C. is grow-ops,” says Plecas. “It’s hard to imagine it could not have some significant impact.”
Californians will vote to legalize pot during the midterm elections on Tuesday. If passed, Proposition 19 would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to 28.5 g of marijuana and to grow pot at a private residence in a space of up to 25 square feet for personal use.
Plecas says 70 per cent of B.C. bud is destined for export, with Washington and California being major markets.
California, with a population of about 36 million — about three million more people than all of Canada — has been a particularly important market because the further south pot travels, the higher the price it yields, says Plecas. And if Californians are able to legally cultivate even just small amount of marijuana in their own backyards, that will drive the price of B.C. bud down and weaken the strength of organized crime, he says.
“One way to look at it is mass layoffs,” says Plecas, suggesting that there will be fewer people needed to cultivate the drug.
B.C.’s illegal pot industry generates between $3 billion and $7 billion annually, estimates Plecas.
Diminishing demand would not only negatively impact the underground economy, but could cause a wider ripple effect, with retail and restaurant industries taking a hit, as well as real estate.
Plecas estimates that at least 10,000 homes in the province are used as grow ops.
It is unlikely, however, that legalizing marijuana in California will mean the end of gangs in B.C.
“I definitely worry about what will they do next,” says Plecas. “We’d be naive to think [they’ll say] ‘Oh, that’s it, I’ll go and get a job at McDonald’s.”
Jodie Emery, longtime pot activist and wife and of Marc Emery, the so-called “Prince of Pot” whose been jailed in the U.S. for mailing marijuana seeds south of the border, echoes Plecas’ views.
Emery says that legalizing pot will have a negative economic impact on B.C., noting that the underground economy helps drive “cannabis tourism” to B.C. She adds that many unemployed from the sagging forestry sector throughout the province have also turned to growing pot, but are not connected to organized crime.
But Emery supports California’s Proposition 19 and will be flying to Oakland, Calif., on Saturday to help pro-legalization activist Richard Lee campaign for the yes vote, she says.
“I’m absolutely for it 100 per cent, and in fact I’m flying down [Saturday] to Oakland and I’ll be down there campaigning with the people for Prop 19,” says Emery.
Const. Michael McLaughlin, spokesman for the RCMP “E” division federal drug enforcement branch, says he is not authorized to speak about the issue other than to say that “we’ll continue to enforce Canadian laws, there will continue to be organized crime, we’ll continue to go after large-scale drug traffickers and producers in B.C.”
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: theprovince.com
Author: Lena Sin
Copyright: 2010 Postmedia Network Inc
Contact: Contact Us - The Province
Website: B.C.'s pot industry could go up in smoke with California vote
Darryl Plecas, criminology professor at the University of Fraser Valley and director of the Centre for Criminal Justice Research, predicts that decriminalizing pot in California will have a significant economic impact on the illegal trade of B.C. bud — and will weaken organized crime groups.
“The single biggest fuel for organized crime in B.C. is grow-ops,” says Plecas. “It’s hard to imagine it could not have some significant impact.”
Californians will vote to legalize pot during the midterm elections on Tuesday. If passed, Proposition 19 would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to 28.5 g of marijuana and to grow pot at a private residence in a space of up to 25 square feet for personal use.
Plecas says 70 per cent of B.C. bud is destined for export, with Washington and California being major markets.
California, with a population of about 36 million — about three million more people than all of Canada — has been a particularly important market because the further south pot travels, the higher the price it yields, says Plecas. And if Californians are able to legally cultivate even just small amount of marijuana in their own backyards, that will drive the price of B.C. bud down and weaken the strength of organized crime, he says.
“One way to look at it is mass layoffs,” says Plecas, suggesting that there will be fewer people needed to cultivate the drug.
B.C.’s illegal pot industry generates between $3 billion and $7 billion annually, estimates Plecas.
Diminishing demand would not only negatively impact the underground economy, but could cause a wider ripple effect, with retail and restaurant industries taking a hit, as well as real estate.
Plecas estimates that at least 10,000 homes in the province are used as grow ops.
It is unlikely, however, that legalizing marijuana in California will mean the end of gangs in B.C.
“I definitely worry about what will they do next,” says Plecas. “We’d be naive to think [they’ll say] ‘Oh, that’s it, I’ll go and get a job at McDonald’s.”
Jodie Emery, longtime pot activist and wife and of Marc Emery, the so-called “Prince of Pot” whose been jailed in the U.S. for mailing marijuana seeds south of the border, echoes Plecas’ views.
Emery says that legalizing pot will have a negative economic impact on B.C., noting that the underground economy helps drive “cannabis tourism” to B.C. She adds that many unemployed from the sagging forestry sector throughout the province have also turned to growing pot, but are not connected to organized crime.
But Emery supports California’s Proposition 19 and will be flying to Oakland, Calif., on Saturday to help pro-legalization activist Richard Lee campaign for the yes vote, she says.
“I’m absolutely for it 100 per cent, and in fact I’m flying down [Saturday] to Oakland and I’ll be down there campaigning with the people for Prop 19,” says Emery.
Const. Michael McLaughlin, spokesman for the RCMP “E” division federal drug enforcement branch, says he is not authorized to speak about the issue other than to say that “we’ll continue to enforce Canadian laws, there will continue to be organized crime, we’ll continue to go after large-scale drug traffickers and producers in B.C.”
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: theprovince.com
Author: Lena Sin
Copyright: 2010 Postmedia Network Inc
Contact: Contact Us - The Province
Website: B.C.'s pot industry could go up in smoke with California vote
