legalize it already

[deadheadskier]

Given the current state of most state's budget situations, I'd think that a good starting point tax wise would be what tobacco is taxed at - the consumer is used to that, the states are used to that, etc, and then go from there. The bottomline to most legislators, is anything they can tax ='s more money so they can dole out more "free stuff" to their constituents in an attempt to keep their job :smash:

Then price wise, since it's a private business that would be selling (once they pay for their presumed state permit to allow them to sell), and i'm guessing that the business owner might just have a hunch at what his/her potential customers were paying before the law passed to acquire it, that they've got their starting price point.

Eventually might the economy of scale factor kick and and lower prices?? Sure But the reality likely is that MJ users in CO and WA will be paying more than they were before. And with the exception of maybe April 20th, I wouldn't be expecting any discount sales on any sort of regular basis Bottomline, most business people are in business (of whatever nature) to make money, and if and when the business starts taking off, they're going to work to make a bigger profit. And most governmental agencies, when they see a chance to regulate something, they see a chance to bring in more tax dollars so they can then turn around and spend more tax dollars

The great equalizer is that pot can easily be grown by anyone. The government and businesses will try and cash in, but if people are unhappy with the price of the product, and the expense doesn't justify the convenience of buying it in a store; they'll just grow it on their own.

Now the government could try and flex muscle and say, "No, you can't grow your own! You must buy through us!" Tell me how that would go over with the people? Not at all. There's no way you'll be able to tell people, "Sure, you can possess all you want, smoke to your hearts content, but only if you buy it from us," when that product is a plant? Not happening. I mean, how would you like being told to chop down the apple tree in your yard because the only place you can buy apples is from a licensed distributor that pays taxes to the government?

 

[ScottySkis]

The great equalizer is that pot can easily be grown by anyone. The government and businesses will try and cash in, but if people are unhappy with the price of the product, and the expense doesn't justify the convenience of buying it in a store; they'll just grow it on their own.

Now the government could try and flex muscle and say, "No, you can't grow your own! You must buy through us!" Tell me how that would go over with the people? Not at all. There's no way you'll be able to tell people, "Sure, you can possess all you want, smoke to your hearts content, but only if you buy it from us," when that product is a plant? Not happening. I mean, how would you like being told to chop down the apple tree in your yard because the only place you can buy apples is from a licensed distributor that pays taxes to the government?

+1 I would grow in a second, I just never had because if amount of time in jail for growing.


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[snoseek]

Prices will be cheaper, people will grow. 1 plant yields a lot of bud. It was already a fire sale to begin with. The money will be saved on law enforcement, any tax revenue is bonus.Then again the dispenseries are kind of $$$$, not New England $$$ but $$$. I suspect many people will grow.

 

[drjeff]

The great equalizer is that pot can easily be grown by anyone. The government and businesses will try and cash in, but if people are unhappy with the price of the product, and the expense doesn't justify the convenience of buying it in a store; they'll just grow it on their own.

Now the government could try and flex muscle and say, "No, you can't grow your own! You must buy through us!" Tell me how that would go over with the people? Not at all. There's no way you'll be able to tell people, "Sure, you can possess all you want, smoke to your hearts content, but only if you buy it from us," when that product is a plant? Not happening. I mean, how would you like being told to chop down the apple tree in your yard because the only place you can buy apples is from a licensed distributor that pays taxes to the government?

Prices will be cheaper, people will grow. 1 plant yields a lot of bud. It was already a fire sale to begin with. The money will be saved on law enforcement, any tax revenue is bonus.Then again the dispenseries are kind of $$$$, not New England $$$ but $$$. I suspect many people will grow.

Having been actively involved in the legislative process on both the state and national level with respect to my profession for basically the last decade, the couple of things that I have learned over and over again are: #1 NEVER or presume the government will actually do what it says it will when it starts a process #2 ALWAYS assume that any new legislative process will involve new taxes and/or fees and #3 NEVER assume that legislators will listen to and/or critically think about things before passing legislation - especially if there is/are lobbyists involved #4 ALWAYS assume that lobbyists will be involved

 

[deadheadskier]

Prices will be cheaper...... It was already a fire sale to begin with.

That has not been the case in New England. Dispensary prices are on par with street prices in Maine according to the medicinal card holders I know. One of the card holders I know is a good friend's mom. She has MS. She pays $350 an ounce every month for her medicine through a dispensary. For some reason she's having a bit of a hang up with permitting to grow her own. After an initial equipment purchase (light's etc.) of about $1000, she could grow an ounce a month for about $60. The $290 a month savings would be a really big deal for a 70 year old retired woman on on a fixed income.

The money will be saved on law enforcement, any tax revenue is bonus.

agreed

 

[deadheadskier]

Having been actively involved in the legislative process on both the state and national level with respect to my profession for basically the last decade, the couple of things that I have learned over and over again are: #1 NEVER or presume the government will actually do what it says it will when it starts a process #2 ALWAYS assume that any new legislative process will involve new taxes and/or fees and #3 NEVER assume that legislators will listen to and/or critically think about things before passing legislation - especially if there is/are lobbyists involved #4 ALWAYS assume that lobbyists will be involved

Dr. Jeff, this is about a plant that grows in the ground. How active have you been involved in the legislative process regarding plants that anyone can grow? See my apple tree analogy.

Marijuana is not Alcohol or Tobacco and will never be produced, regulated and taxed like those two hugely popular sin taxes that generate massive revenues for state and federal governments. Marijuana id far too simple to grow and requires zero processing to use.

Eventually, the only monetary benefit to government revenues will be savings in the form of reduced law enforcement and incarceration costs. Unless you factor in the opportunities for growing hemp. Those could be huge.

 

[hammer]

Just wondering...if medical marijuana is legal then are insurance companies required to pay for the prescription?

 

[jaja111]

Just wondering...if medical marijuana is legal then are insurance companies required to pay for the prescription?

After just having gone through the pain in the ass of buying health insurance, I can definitively say the answer is no. No boob jobs either.

And.... a thousand bucks in equipment to grow? To grow one ounce a month? Why is that so much more expensive than the cost of growing, say.... squash?

 

[snoseek]

Just wondering...if medical marijuana is legal then are insurance companies required to pay for the prescription?

No they are not and to the best of my knowledge none of them do. That's a very slippery slope, I don't think to many people will push too hard but we will see.

I predict big pharma gets involved and develops some sort of derivative via a pill(see marinol) when they realize all their lobbying doesn't work. Can't beat em, join em.

I've seen a whole lot of drug abuse in my time via pills covered by insurance. Either weed or vicodine I don't support it.

 

[deadheadskier]

After just having gone through the pain in the ass of buying health insurance, I can definitively say the answer is no. No boob jobs either.

And.... a thousand bucks in equipment to grow? To grow one ounce a month? Why is that so much more expensive than the cost of growing, say.... squash?

Sounded expensive to me as well, but apparently a good LED grow light runs about $600, so that's the bulk of the expense.

 

[snoseek]

You can grow good pot outdoors with the proper soil. The light setup is a one time fee plus utilities. I may or may not know someone that harvested 50+ pounds of cleaned nugs for under 1000 dollars period, mostly in soil and misc. They were started indoors of course but that equip was already paid for.

He provides for his people @ 120-150 oz generally, its strong and worth much much more. He's making plenty and the cost is driven down (way down). Thats how it works.

Meanwhile the thug on the corner selling crystal/blow/oxys AND weed (his bread and butter) is slowly going out of business. Fuck him.

Legalized pot will have very little to do with big business and the fed imo. Its just too easy to go around. Really decriminalization on a federal level is all I want.

 

[ScottySkis]

He provides for his people @ 120-150 oz generally, its strong and worth much much more. He's making plenty and the cost is driven down (way down). Thats how it works.

Meanwhile the thug on the corner selling crystal/blow/oxys AND weed (his bread and butter) is slowly going out of business. Fuck him.

Legalized pot will have very little to do with big business and the fed imo. Its just too easy to go around. Really decriminalization on a federal level is all I want.

Exactly why I so what it to be legal.

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[RootDKJ]

Sounded expensive to me as well, but apparently a good LED grow light runs about $600, so that's the bulk of the expense.

You don't need an expensive LED kit. You can get a nice indoors personal grow going with CFL's if you really want to.

 

[RootDKJ]

 

[ScottySkis]

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That is very positive , one question is they said that if they think your impaired while driving that they can do blood test, does anyone know how long THC stays in blood after digestion?

 

[ScottySkis]

No need for words.

 

[ScottySkis]

http://www.change.org/petitions/mr-president-follow-the-will-of-the-people-regarding-marijuana if your really for making it legal this is the way to go.

 

[skiNEwhere]

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That is very positive , one question is they said that if they think your impaired while driving that they can do blood test, does anyone know how long THC stays in blood after digestion?

Or you could just not drive while stoned.

 

[ScottySkis]

Or you could just not drive while stoned.

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Yes I agree that you should not drive after taking any drug, my question is that if you smoke one night and drive the next day and get pulled over and are given a blood test , if you smoke I think you still fail the test, but I'm not sure. I do know that THC stays in urine for up to 30 after use.

 

[ScottySkis]

http://www.alternet.org/marijuana-d....1088550.H6d-Qt&rd=1&src=newsletter750221&t=5 Crime for youth drops as pot is being decriminzliztion by 20% in one year.