The outcome of legalizing marijuana in California won’t be what you might expect. It doesn’t signal the end of western civilization because laws don’t make that much difference. Most people I know take it or leave it for reasons of their own. I do expect to see a big drop in the price of marijuana. In anticipation, local governments are going to impose a usage tax instead of a sales tax for marijuana purchases. So, even though the price will go down to something like $38.00 an ounce ..we will be paying an additional $50.00 to $100.00 an ounce in fees. I expect this will result in a black market created to avoid paying these fees, which means there will be less money than anticipated for state revenue and we’ll be back to the days when we busted marijuana users for tax evasion. I can’t imagine Humboldt County pot farmers are too enthusiastic. At roughly $14 billion a year, marijuana is the largest cash crop in California. Legalization will definitely take a bite out of their profits. The biggest factor in the price structure is the risk of getting caught. However, in Humboldt they’ve already offset that risk with fees paid to local law enforcement agencies to look the other way. You can do that when you’re the biggest player in the local economy. They may be able to offset their losses by selling to other states. Interstate commerce will be lucrative since it will continue to be a federal offense. I hope there’s a way to create a legal supply chain from the ‘emerald triangle’. They produce the finest quality marijuana in the land ..no one else comes close. One factor that may defeat proposition 19, in addition to overblown fear ..is the loss expected by the legal establishment. Police officers, attorneys, courts and penal institutions are built around treating marijuana users as criminals. I can’t imagine defense attorneys sitting idly by while two thirds of their clientele are about to disappear. Confusing as it might sound, I do hope proposition 19 passes. It’s a step in the right direction. I’ve seen criminal penalties ruin more young lives than marijuana ever did.
7 comments:
Good information Bill, I will be moving back to Californis by the end of this year, just a bit of what I have here, they are still asking for Obamas Birth Certificate, I went to this auto-shop and on the window there is sign that say " Obama show us your birth certificate"
I took a black marker and wrote under it, show us your D--k
another dude tried to tell me that the inviornment in Price william sound is better after the exxon valdez incident, just imagine what i told him.
Sorry Bill: I meant to say "Prince William Sound "
Of course, if it ever does become legal, you know everybody's hand will be in it... so, like you, I don't see it being very cheap... on the other hand, to just be able to legally partake would really be huge! The next question would then be, how many employers would continue to test for the stuff, anyways? And, considering how long it takes to get out of your system...
Skepticism is a good thing ..but persistence in spite of all they see and hear is just denial.
Hurry back, people believe California will have seceded from the union by then.
It’s OK ecelliam ..my eyes mistake mis-spelling for what it really means ..(!?)
Shimmerrings, I have no expectations.
I think it’ll still be used as a test for political office ..which is another reason it’s still illegal. It’s allowed one generation to keep another generation from rising to power.
Interesting thought, there...
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