Who didn’t see that coming.
It kind of sounds like it was the plan all along.
The problem is government did not live up to their side of the deal. Just like when alcohol was illegal and then made legal in 1933, these legal drug programs should have gotten rid of the illegal operations so legal could profit and pay taxes. But no, government screwed up the deal! Wide open borders, illegal operations violated the law that is driving out the legal business. Way to go Gavin, mess up California and yet the powers to be want you to be President. Image how FU the country would be under President Newsom!
It’s all about the cartels.
Article left out the real problem, which isn’t drug legalization. They are twofold - (1) letting suspects out of jail without bail or with nominal bail gives organized crime the ability to kill witnesses and continue its activities without interruption and (2) not deporting illegal aliens gives organized crime an endless supply of easily intimidated workers with no English and no idea of how to get help.
I’ve heard this explained as a taxation issue. That the state adds SO MUCH tax to the sale that the black market has set up a cheaper alternative.
On a recent trip to California, I found that legal weed at dispensaries is ridiculously expensive because of taxes. Two of the three stores I visited offered me ‘untaxed’ weed at a better price.
Ok, open the borders and let who the hell knows into your neighborhoods. Legalize pot and tax it ridiculously, leaving a significant black market opportunity. Many of our now new guests are very adept at growing all sorts of things, not just beans and avocados. They just need someone to back them like the friendly cartel fellows. Pot heads are looking for cheaper pot. Police departments defunded. Gee whiz! Guess what happens? How about closing the damn borders and deport as many of our “guests” as possible? This would be a HUUUGE one-time effort, but cheaper in the long run than supporting the rest of the world. Oh yeah, and grow your own weed.
So prohibition empowered organized crime and now legalization empowers organized crime.
California Legalized Drugs; Cartels Took It Over.
How come China and Russia don’t do it Moe?.