Legalization and Profits

[FreakNature]

Rather than causing a gateway effect, I think legalizing Cannabis and investigating all of it's positive uses would reduce the demand for dangerous drugs, including the two most common legal drugs and many of those toxins produced by the big pharmaceutical companies.

I think that's a big reason why it's been such a challenge to get the world to see the truth and to advance decriminalization and positive legislation like MMJ laws. Big companies have lot's of money to lobby legislators to maintain the status quo with respect to Cannabis.

I also see that profit may be a reason full legalization without restraint will be difficult. Maintaining legal restraints on Cannabis allows people to work within the legal system to build businesses that provide them with a way to make a living doing something they love. Often, there are profits involved. This is motivation enough to want to keep Cannabis from being completely legal without restraints, because if that were the case the supply could exceed the demand and the business model fails.

Maintaining such legal restraints and perpetuating elements of reefer madness may become an agenda pushed by profit seeking people within the culture, to the detriment of sick and hurting people.

 

[ChicagoJoe]

3 of the biggest industries have profits to lose with the legalization of cannabis.

Tobacco
Alcohol
Pharmaceuticals

 

[CocoJoe]

3 of the biggest industries have profits to lose with the legalization of cannabis.

Tobacco
Alcohol
Pharmaceuticals

Don't you feel bad for them Joe. I don't either.

 

[Loch]

FreakNature - I agree. I know every year that goes by without legalization is more money that goes to big Pharma, Tobacco, and Alcohol.

And while I know there are lots of great, nice people that grow and sell. I know that a large chunk of black market cannabis money is headed to gangs and cartels.

I would hope that if legalization happened that prices would stay the same or go up. (Crazy, I know...) But I hope that for non-medical use they could tax it — which for all I care could replace the "black market premium" that is paid. And then I would hope that the spirit of capitalism would shine so that legal growers would not have to fear prosecution, I would think they could really focus on the aspects of growing great cannabis. Better genetics, better gardens, better cannabis = better profits.

Like I said in a different post, I haven't smoked in the US in a long time. (A few trips to Amsterdam), but I have to tell you, from my memory I remember buying a lot of nasty dirt weed and unreliable sources.

I myself am willing to pay a premium for the love and time someone has put into their product. And I sure as heck am willing to pay a huge premium to be able to enjoy cannabis without fear of losing my job, going to jail, as well as the convenience of walking into some nice friendly café, seeing a great selection of buds, and having a server tell me the history, the genetics, and the flavors of the buds and what munchies might go best with it. :>

 

[hatrixxx]

ive got a feeling legalization here in california will ruin the system for us medical users

 

[Weedpipe]

cannabis should be treated the same as a tomato. and nothin no one can ever tell me will make me change my mind. ever.

 

[katalyst33]

I agree with Loch. I would not mind paying extra for some top notch bud. Now, don't you guys think that if cannibis was legalized, the ability to tax this crop will bring millions in tax money to the gov and maybe we could get out of this hard economic time? Imagine all the jobs that would be created from the legalization of marijuana, from labor workers in the farms, to distribution.

 

[Weedpipe]

sure, if you want to pay the big bucks and stick a tax on the end of it, fine by me, but if i can grow my own without the fear of hangin out with nasty nate in cell block D every night, then my job here is done ...

 

[hatrixxx]

legalization
will jus result in more illegal immigrants
working the new labor jobs
so it technically wont help unemployment

 

[Snuggs]

legalization
will jus result in more illegal immigrants
working the new labor jobs
so it technically wont help unemployment

That is a great point. Just think of all the people that don't even have compassion for the plant trying to mass produce it. Purely for profit at that.

 

[FreakNature]

My point is that businesses like dispensaries will lose profits. The demand for their services will go way down. Likewise, I don't think a retail market of any great size will arise. The plant is so easy to grow and there are plenty of experienced gardeners that will probably be willing to grow as much as they can, either alone or in cooperatives. These people will normally trade on a local level with family and friends. If they get compensated for their costs it should be enough. It would make a great hobby and build a wonderful social circle. I don't think the demand will suddenly rise if it's legalized. It may rise slowly over time as people discover the benefits.

The types of businesses that would thrive, I think, would be those that sell seeds, cuttings, grow supplies, medibles, paraphernalia, and concentrates. Also information sources like this site and periodicals.

One goal of legalization should be to remove profits associated with distributing buds. Profits are what cause the problems; they make something pure and beneficial (Cannabis) into something selfish and dirty.

 

[Weedpipe]

i agree that new business will emerge anywhere laws change, however, i dont see how its fair that everyone gets to profit but the guy who grows it.
are there any hydro-shops that work and sell for non-profit? if a person is going to invest their time and labor in growing or selling, and there is a free market, then i say let the market decide the price. wal-mart is a cheap place to shop, but, if you dont want to shop there u can always go to neiman marcus ...

 

[FreakNature]

My point is that I believe our pot culture is such that people won't care about profiting, nor will they have the market. It's easy and fun to grow, people love to share what they love with those they love. Most people love to grow houseplants or gardens. I don't think there's anything wrong with people selling it for profit if people are willing to pay, I just don't think it will be necessary.

When I said a goal should be to remove profits, I was speaking idealistically...it was a bad phrase to use. I mean that there should be no need for profits attached to the herb itself, because the locally grown supply could well outweigh the demand. I could be really wrong, because there could be a lot more people that smoke it than I think due to the laws pushing it underground. Not everyone can grow. To give you some perspective, of all the people I know, I only know of one person personally that admits to taking a hit occasionally, and she lives in another state.

 

[Snuggs]

My point is that I believe our pot culture is such that people won't care about profiting, nor will they have the market.

That would most definitely be true if everything remained strictly within the pot culture. But fact is there are alot of scum out there that will take advantage of anything they can. After all that plays a large role of why marijuana has not been made legal yet. Legal or not, taxed or not there will always be a black market so to say.

 

[Weedpipe]

i see a massive free market, from the mom and pop shop to the mass-produced, finely "marketed" and packaged product. theres gonna be people with a summer time garden by the fence, your "enough for me closet grower" that will see an increase. most people have other things on there to do list, and for many who try, it will be like buy that buyin that work-out machine... sure seemed like a good idea at the time. 1 last for example. starbucks: why on earth people pay so much for a cup of coffee is beyond me, but they do, everywhere. you could get some at the gas station that aint too bad, hell, its just a cup of coffee, or you could make your own at home for alot cheaper. so i ask u this, how much money does starbucks make in a day? ...

 

[FreakNature]

Your model is probably closer to reality than mine Weedpipe. I don't think as many people use Cannabis as drink coffee though. And many that do won't stop for a toke on the way to work in the morning. On a smaller scale, I could see it going just like you say, though. I guess I always wanted to live in a commune...lol

 

[Weedpipe]

ok, then how much is a carton of smokes?

 

[FreakNature]

I don't know...something like $25? But tobacco isn't as easy to grow as Cannabis, and gets processed quite a bit. Why do you ask?

 

[Weedpipe]

if it goes legal for all, thats who im bankin on starts mass production, smokes have taken a big hit with taxes, bad press, and smokin bans. there experts at movin smokable products. i would even dare to say they already have contingency plans set in place on how to break into the market. if not them then some national brand will. too much jack at stake to let the opportunity slide by ...

 

[FreakNature]

I don't know man...I wouldn't buy from them. Look what they did to tobacco...took an addictive leaf and made it into poison.

List of additives in cigarettes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia