Law of foreseeable consequences but since the logic is based upon your grandparent’s economy, it can’t be right, we (Californians) are progressive and it will work to our LEFTism, this time for sure!
1) Campaign to legalize Pot. Emphasize that it helps those cancer patients. Also talk about how legalizing it will destroy the black market. Talk about all of the police resources it will free for pursuing real criminals - those dirty plastic grocery bags and straws!
2) Remember to reward your peeps, they worked hard for you! Reward the usual LEFT groups, make sure they get their snootful. Govt. employees, lawyers, pressure groups ... all get their cut from the new tax base of the legal growers and sellers. Impose regulations and taxes from before the first sale, you need the POT money in the pot NOW, elections are coming!
3) Oops, the left hand of the LEFT wants free and easy transit of the California/Mexico Border. But amongst those poor and hapless future ‘D’ voters are the drug cartels that have been importing POT for DECADES! They see no reason to stop, their market is growing! How does the school resource officer know if that joint is from Humboldt or Vera Cruz? Legal POT stores? Sorry but we are too busy ignoring the undocumented to worry about your problems!
4) The legal outlets fail because their regulatory & tax overhead is much higher than the local kid on the corner who gets their stash from their friendly cartel supplier. More people stoned because it is legal but tax & regulatory revenue (already spent) is dropping. Aw gee, another utopia gone up in (POT) smoke!
I’m sure I missed a few steps but analyzing this from a few states away keeps me from seeing the newest trends!
I know someone in CA that explained that to me recently - he knows a guy that has been a dealer for years and his business has not been impacted by legalization.