Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy?

Time via Yahoo ^ | 3.13.09 | Alison Stateman

[Marie2]

“If you smoke marijuana every day odds are you will never get caught if you are just a little bit careful about it.”

I don’t know, you have to buy it. Hiding out in your house you may be pretty much fine, although there is still some risk. But you have to buy the stuff.

[Nate505]

So what?

[Nate505]

What exactly makes sources/data from the Netherlands any more or less reliable than sources/data from the US?

[ColdWater]

Prior to the 1930’s hemp was legal to grow and smoke in all 50 states.

Smoking hemp is really dumb.

[Nate505]

Yeah, all those guys out there this weekend handing out 1,000s of DUI’s are handing them out to the vast majority of people who are just enjoying their liquor as a “beverage.” That also accounts for the huge quantities of hard alcohol that are sold. For the people who enjoy whiskey and rum as a “beverage.”

[Dust in the Wind]

"But lots of people didn't, because they were afraid they’d get caught"

I believe there many more people who did not shoplift for the reason that it is wrong to steal; period. Don't try to qualify your wrong doing by projecting. Please

[Marie2]

I am not projecting. I haven’t shoplifted for decades. I’m ok with it.

It would be hard to quantify how many people don’t do one thing or another because of a law. I am just trying to repeatedly point out that making something illegal does prevent many people from doing it.

Suppose they made a law that you can’t burn firewood on “Spare the Air” days. (They have in CA). I think that’s ridiculous. However, if they enforce it, I’m not going to do it. Even though I think the law is ridiculous. Because I don’t want the fine, etc.

Marijuana has more negative consequences than a fine, normally. You can do time for it in most places. It goes on your record. Etc.

[Dust in the Wind]

OK, I’m not going in to town tonight because I’m possibly over the limit on my ethyl hydrates right now. I should also probably not post any more.

[Nate505]

Prison? For smoking pot?

Maybe you’d be more comfortable in a place like Iran.

[Nate505]

Have you ever gone over the speed limit?

[Marie2]

“Have you ever gone over the speed limit?” Yes, but I really try not to. Not because I think I am being dangerous, usually, but because I don’t want a stupid ticket, with the fee and the points. Because of that, I check my speed and notice speed limit signs. I also avoid double fine zones that I’m familiar with.

I got my only moving violation last spring - at a red light camera. I was, according to the photo, .15 seconds into the red light. It cost me $240, and traffic school to keep the points off my record.

Since then, I stop at yellows even if I think it’s going to annoy the person behind me. Why, because I think it’s terrible to go .15 seconds into a red light? No. Just because I don’t want the stupid ticket.

[dalereed]

“Prison? For smoking pot?”

Absolutely, i’ve fired a lot of people for smokimg it and if I smelled it when I went on a job and no one would own up to it I fired the entire crew.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I can’t talk to people who intentionally ignore the corp argument to focus on one aspect that want to push. Frequently, the internet just sucks.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

$50 an ounce will cause most users to just grow it in their back yard. It is real hare for most beer drinkers to brew one year’s supply of beer at home. It is not real hard for most pot users to grow one year’s supply of pot at home, assuming they have a house and a yard.

Law of unintended consequences will insure that the revenue generated by legalizing pot won’t go very far to closing California’s massive structural deficit.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I don’t buy pot, so I’ll defer to experts like you who do who’s bag of stems and seeds run them $15.

I researched the price. $20 to $60 for lower grade. $60 to $150 for good to real good stuff. I chose $60 as being right between.

More than that, I make an argument about revenues and I get a bunch of people off-topic wanting to talk about DUIs and cheap dope.

If all your all points are that California will make money hand over fist by taxing pot, then stay on topic and show me the math or STFU.

You can’t discuss jack on the internet because everybody brings their own baggage. Every thread goes off topic by post 3. Communication is futile.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Why did you even bother to respond?

I stated that most people enjoy drinks as a beverage. You talk about thousands of people getting DUI’s. I’m talking about 10s of millions enjoying alcohol as a beverage.

How many 10’s of millions of people had a drink today? How many thousands were ticketed for DUIs today.

Do some math. Thousands of DUIs vs tens of millions of drinks. Now look up the definition of “most” or are you seriously trying to tell me most of those tens of millions of people who had a drink today drove drunk or had it for any reason other than it is a beverage.

I hate the internet. You can’t say a thing without some know-it-all wanting to correct you or someone with a chip on their shoulder wanting to spew their point.

“MOST” means most. Most use drinks as a beverage as in, thousands of DUIs on any given day vs. tens of millions of drinkers on any given day. Sheesh.

I REALLY hate the internet.

[Nate505]

I bothered to respond because your argument sucks. You have no proof that most people enjoy booze as a beverage. I can also say most people enjoy booze because of the intoxicated effect it gives. Neither of use have any proof that either of our positions is correct.

Many people get by driving drunk without ever getting a DUI. DUIs only catch a small percentage of drunks behind the wheel. The fact that only a small percentage of people are given DUIs does not conclude that there are a far larger number of people who drive intoxicated.

And finally, I don’t give a damn if you hate the internet or not. Although it seems like a whiny thing to cry about since you are, gee, like on the internet.

[Nate505]

You’re an employer? Scary. Although the pity is for those who would want to work for you.

[Nate505]

Also interesting. You follow that with a huge diatribe a few minutes later.

Geez, that cursed internet. You just can’t stop talking to people who intentionally ignore the core argument to focus on one aspect they want to push!!! DAMN THAT INTERNET!!!

[TKDietz]

That's only about $1.76 a gram and a gram is enough for several smoking sessions. Most people don't buy whole ounces. In those medical marijuana dispensaries they often sell grams or eighth ounces (about 3.5 grams). In the Netherlands their shops sell grams, up to five grams per customer. According to our government's research people who smoke at least once a month on up to heavy smokers smoke an average about 7 grams per month. Data from surveys from other nations seems to suggest that average consumption for current users is between 7 and 10 grams per month. Obviously some smoke a whole lot more, and some smoke much less than that. But most people don't smoke enough to justify growing their own. From what I've read about these medical marijuana dispensaries they have in California they sell product that is quite expensive, sometimes $20 or $30 a gram, yet these places do a brisk business. These people all have medical marijuana cards. Why don't they just grow their own? Why do any of the Dutch go to their “coffeeshops” which also sell expensive product when they are allowed to grow up to five plants at home?

I think that even with high taxes pot will probably be cheaper than it is today. I don't think many people will put all the time and effort and expense involved with growing their own, and then wait moth for it finally to be ready, if it doesn't get moldy or eaten by critters or have some other problems. Most people would just go to the store with a wide variety of quality product and pick up a gram or two for a few bucks.