Posted on 12/17/2021 8:48:35 AM PST by fishtank
Think Legal Weed Cut Down On Crime? Think Again
America Uncovered 470K subscribers
49,491 views
Dec 16, 2021
If you thought legalizing weed would cut down on crime, think again. t did cut down on crime in a way—pot smokers were no longer being prosecuted for smoking, and some growers did come out of the shadows. But it also brought in the drug cartels who could hide their illegal growing operations amidst the tons of legal ones that sprang up. Watch this episode of America Uncovered for how the cartels are moving in where marijuana is legalized, the use of narco-slaves to grow the illegal weed, and how it's wreaking havoc on the environment.
As with so many subjects, it seems to come down to two sides pretty mush trying to court the squishy middle to tip the balance in their favor. Tax revenue is usually one of the arguements used by the pro-weed bunch. I assume that legal cultivation would increase revenue on one end(selling cloned plants in dispensaries), and potentially undercut it on the other end(reduced consumption of State-grown weed.)
Seems like someone would work up some enthusiasm for an initiative petition. ( Irony noted.)
“It has turned into a living nightmare in the part of Washington State we live in. Every time we get out in our car someone is smoking pot in vehicles ahead of us. Our car is filled with the skunk like odor. It is the same at both of our houses which are both in good neighborhoods.”
Interesting, the only place ever I smell it here is when we drive by the pot shop or some nearby fields where CBD is being grown. But we don’t have to sit in city traffic so that may be why.
Our good buddy NobleFree has not been very active lately. Maybe he got tired of being shouted down, or maybe he had some sort of epiphany. Who knows. I am not sure that we can count on him to liven up this discussion.
Washington is a state that has looked the other way on marijuana my entire life. There were head shops 50 years ago when I was a teenager. We have had legal medical marijuana for nearly 25 years.
There is simply so much marijuana available and so many people are growing it themselves without any fear of prosecution that they just expect it to be legal. My guess is that the people making big bucks will see this as a threat to some of their ill-gotten gain and keep growing at home illegal if they can.
I am sure that you realize that Alaska has allowed people to grow their own since 1975. This lowered the profitability to the point that no one bothered to push for legalizing sales until 2014.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/09/24/alaska-legalized-weed-39-years-ago-wait-what/
You don't need much space or expensive equipment to grow marijuana.
I smoked probably at least as much pot as anyone here, and it has had no noticeable negative impact on my health. Once I quit smoking cigarettes, all the respiratory crap, the hacking cough, the sinus infections, all went away. My lungs are perfectly clear.
For the better part of 30ish years, during which time I graduated high school, earned a bachelor's degree in business management, raised 2 kids to full grown, productive, hard working, tax paying citizens, worked 2 jobs while attending college and have worked my way through and up the corporate jungle to the white collar management position I hold today.
I'd be willing to bet money that you've met a LOT of productive pot smokers in your life and didn't even know it. That's what holding to erroneous stereotypes does to a person. When a kid shoots up a school, we tend to blame the parents and the shooter, not the gun. Same can be said of MJ. It isn't the gun, it's the person.
A lot of that tends to be the religious right, in many cases. You can't do what they aren't allowed to.
Yeah, I’m in Oregon. *eyeroll*. I can remember when laws were deterrents. Fifty years ago there was a headshop in the back of a waterbed store in the adjoining town. And once, there was a pathetic little marijuana plant growing in the window of a candle shop. As kids, we went and sneaked a peek at it. Now, it seems there’s a “glass store” on every other corner. Never thought I’d see a $5K bong.
Here in Western Colorado, it gets cheap during the harvest. More economics, right? High supply + steady demand = lower prices. But, add on the State, County & City taxes on top of sales taxes, and the $25 baggie gets up there real quick. Of course, you also have little competition around here, as some cities (such as Grand Junction), prohibited dispensaries within city limits until they recently put it to a public vote, and the public said bring em in. For years, we have had 2 dispensaries within about a 40 mile radius. Within the last 2 years, we had one more open in the next town over from me.
Despite the vote to bring dispensaries back to GJ last year, current city council seems to be dragging their feet. Thus far, they have limited the # of shops in town to 10, but have yet to begin issuing permits. This is likely to continue for another year.
Just over the mountains to the east, in Denver and surrounding areas, you can find better deals more regularly, but who wants to drive for 8 hours to get a better price for it, unless you happen to be the ones going over there and getting an ounce for $50 and then bringing it here to sell tax free for $100.
Bottom line? Government interference always, ALWAYS benefits the black market.
The psychoactive effects of Marijuana last hours. The metabolites stay in your system for days.
Legalization has created a huge group of people who are too stoned, or burned out, to hold down a job. Not to mention they can't pass the drug testing required for a vast array of jobs.
And yes, there's a domino effect on crime, mental health and social services.
On top of this, the ridiculous taxes motivate smuggling and organized crime.
Well good for you. I know many, many others who have not fared as well, although many of them still insist that their habit is good for them. My wife who is a retired nurse and department head can spot a long-term pot smoker from a mile away. Living in Washington this describes a high percentage of our long term friends and associates. I am not going to try and name all the signs she is aware of, but as I said previously cognitive issues are number one and denying that marijuana has any negative effects on them is number two. LOL!
I live in two contiguous cities, with a steady population of 25-30 K over the last 50 years. Two liquor stores always seemed to suffice. At any given time, it seems there are 10-12 weed dispensaries.
But to be honest, I don't care what it does or doesn't do, the idea that some asshole somewhere wants to stop me from doing it is repugnant.
Most pot smokers are conservative. It makes you less compliant, or it is better to say it emphasizes what’s already there. Best I think to grow your own. Noone wants to smoke Bayer/Monsanto weed.
*to add: the idea that some assholes somewhere thinks it his right to stop me from doing it makes me want to vomit and never stop.
Been a toker for the better part of 30 years. A year after I quit cigarettes, I had a lung xray. Doc said my lungs looked great, and he was glad I quit the cigs. As for so-called "cognitive" issues, I'd bet money these folks have used far more, harder drugs than MJ.
The truth is, pot is used by your mortgage brokers, bankers, lawyers, doctors, politicians and more. You only THINK you know what a typical toker looks like, based on outdated, ignorant stereotypes. If everyone you knew revealed themselves as the pot smokers they are, you'd feel really stupid for spouting off about things you know absolutely nothing about.
The funniest thing about pot smokers... is that they think that only the people that they confide in are aware of their habit. News flash! News flash! Everyone knows you are a pot head. Test it out today... ask someone you don't think knows that you smoke pot. If they have even a smidgen of awareness and they are honest they will tell you that they know.
I have lived and worked with pot heads my entire life.
Well, this is probably true, but I daresay you've worked with far more that you didn't know about. Weed smokers don't necessarily increase when pot is legalized. They just come out of the toking closet. I'd say there is a slight increase, but in reality, many are just those that feel safe enough to be known as pot smokers.
Ahhhh...nope. As El Rushbo used to say leftists are "Long-Haired, Maggot-Infested, Dope-Smoking FM Rock 'N' Roller Types".
Illegal drugs are a leftist issue. Always has been. Any conservative that supports it is an enabler.
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