Oh, wait.
California has made the legal cultivation of cannabis prohibitively expensive due to all the regulations. They practically invited the black market to remain in place. And its thriving.
“Ya know … this stuff wouldn’t happen if marijuana were legal …”
It’s not legal in NY and many other states that are still idiotically attempting prohibition of a plant. Most likely that is where it was headed.
We also have banks refusing to accept cannabis money so instead of checks or wiring money, you require cars with armed men for every wholesale transaction even if 100% legal in that state.
Once legitimate tested product is sold everywhere in legal stores and not taxed to death, most people will have no reason to buy illegally from criminals.
Same way that outlawing liquor immediately created profit potential that grew violent criminal enterprises in every city. Prohibition pretty much created the whole idea of organized “gangsters” in the USA and gave us massive crime families that STILL hold power today.