doubledog said:

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Like alcohol, marijuana must be legal nationwide to slow down "black market" sales.

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"Whatever we're losing in margins, we'll just make up in volume," huh?

I've never partaken so I have no personal idea, myself. But a buddy of mine has a couple of brothers who smoke the stuff but would never be caught dead in a store. Why? All of what these stores sell is the cheezy, weak stuff. The stuff they want, they either grow themselves or they have to get it from those that grow it.

The black market in pot sales is NOT an economic issue. Oh, sure, saving taxes is a benefit, but the thing is, there's a premium built in to avoid law enforcement -- at least to the extent those laws are enforced. And the thing is this: if the government is missing out on tax revenue, you better believe selling pot illegally is going to be enforced like it never has before. Not because of a war on drugs but because of a war on governmental competition.

Hell, you might get the death penalty for being a dealer.

Looking at the actual revenue gain from pot sales vs. the entire budget (on whatever scale -- local, state, national) would make the most dim-witted economist laugh at the most ardent legalization advocate. It is sort of like trying to raid your 4 year old's weekly allowance to pay off a million dollar debt.

agwrestler said:

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I'll compromise:

Legalize all drugs.
Piss test before you receive your monthly check.

I pass my screenings as a condition of employment and receipt of wages. Those requirements should be universal.

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Before we make piss testing a standard, please let me know which companies get approved for testing so I can Nancy Pelosi that *****

91AggieLawyer said:

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doubledog said:

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Like alcohol, marijuana must be legal nationwide to slow down "black market" sales.

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"Whatever we're losing in margins, we'll just make up in volume," huh?

I've never partaken so I have no personal idea, myself. But a buddy of mine has a couple of brothers who smoke the stuff but would never be caught dead in a store. Why? All of what these stores sell is the cheezy, weak stuff. The stuff they want, they either grow themselves or they have to get it from those that grow it.

The black market in pot sales is NOT an economic issue. Oh, sure, saving taxes is a benefit, but the thing is, there's a premium built in to avoid law enforcement -- at least to the extent those laws are enforced. And the thing is this: if the government is missing out on tax revenue, you better believe selling pot illegally is going to be enforced like it never has before. Not because of a war on drugs but because of a war on governmental competition.

Hell, you might get the death penalty for being a dealer.

Looking at the actual revenue gain from pot sales vs. the entire budget (on whatever scale -- local, state, national) would make the most dim-witted economist laugh at the most ardent legalization advocate. It is sort of like trying to raid your 4 year old's weekly allowance to pay off a million dollar debt.

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Huhh? In CA and CO almost all of the flower product is extremely strong. Like 30-35% THC. I can't imagine needing or wanting more than that.

Now if they're talking about edibles, I could maybe see it. The standards seems to be 10 piece @ 10mg each. You just don't see the super crazy strong ones as much any more. I wonder if they were sending too many people to the hospital?

An "OD" can basically send you into a panic induced frenzy where you soon convince yourself you are dying.

91AggieLawyer said:

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doubledog said:

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Like alcohol, marijuana must be legal nationwide to slow down "black market" sales.

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"Whatever we're losing in margins, we'll just make up in volume," huh?

I've never partaken so I have no personal idea, myself. But a buddy of mine has a couple of brothers who smoke the stuff but would never be caught dead in a store. Why? All of what these stores sell is the cheezy, weak stuff. The stuff they want, they either grow themselves or they have to get it from those that grow it.

The black market in pot sales is NOT an economic issue. Oh, sure, saving taxes is a benefit, but the thing is, there's a premium built in to avoid law enforcement -- at least to the extent those laws are enforced. And the thing is this: if the government is missing out on tax revenue, you better believe selling pot illegally is going to be enforced like it never has before. Not because of a war on drugs but because of a war on governmental competition.

Hell, you might get the death penalty for being a dealer.

Looking at the actual revenue gain from pot sales vs. the entire budget (on whatever scale -- local, state, national) would make the most dim-witted economist laugh at the most ardent legalization advocate. It is sort of like trying to raid your 4 year old's weekly allowance to pay off a million dollar debt.

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I'm not 100% sure what you are getting at, but the argument that the black market isn't driven by the difference in price between legal and illegal weed is dubious.

Half the cigarettes smoked in NYC are black market:

https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_york/report-finds-new-york-tops-country-in-cigarette-smuggling/article_a3567088-77c9-11ed-92a0-03ce877878f8.html

The legality of weed farms in some states makes the risk of interstate smuggling practically nil for producers or wholesale distributors.

When you can sell weed at a big discount compared to dispensaries --- and still make more money than selling legally, a black market will thrive.

Kansas Kid said:

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Sumlins Pool Guy said:

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Eh I know several people who started smoking when it became legal


Also 37% sales tax isn't the free market

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Have you seen the taxes on your cell phone bill or taxes and government fees on rental cars? Yes it is high, but I don't see how that affects the issue of the free market resulting in way too many getting into the business resulting in inefficient businesses shutting down.

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FYI most of the taxes on your cell phone bill and cable bill are actually fees from your service provider pretending to be taxes

Transtaxes if you will

My position on ALL drugs and controlled substances is that it should NOT be a Federal Issue at all.

It should be a state issue. Period.

Disband the FDA and DEA.

I am indifferent on pot legalization but against legalizing Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, other opiods, and Meth at the State and Local level.

Fightin_Aggie said:

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Kansas Kid said:

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Sumlins Pool Guy said:

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Eh I know several people who started smoking when it became legal


Also 37% sales tax isn't the free market

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Have you seen the taxes on your cell phone bill or taxes and government fees on rental cars? Yes it is high, but I don't see how that affects the issue of the free market resulting in way too many getting into the business resulting in inefficient businesses shutting down.

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FYI most of the taxes on your cell phone bill and cable bill are actually fees from your service provider pretending to be taxes

Transtaxes if you will

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Can you link me an article on this?

PA24 said:

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Stuff is one of the reason we are heading to hell at warp speed.

Will absolutely slow your development especially in the brain.

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Alcohol too. We need to do something before it's too late

Missouri is making a killing from the approval of recreational use. The dispensaries directly across the MO/AR lines are getting all they want from Arkansas residents. They head to MO, buy it legally and drive back to Arkansas where possession has been decriminalized. Same goes for Tennessee, Iowa and Kansas residents. Same thing happens to the counties who are dry or don't sell alcohol on Sunday. Missouri is happy to accommodate.

Although most counties voted against it, the counties in the greater STL and KC areas voted yes. Along with Columbia and Springfield counties and surrounding areas. It's inevitable that other states will follow suit. Arkansas narrowly missed passing the bill due to it being written very poorly. Next election cycle, it'll pass. Point being, if there's money to be made, may as well get ahead of the slow-movers. You can pocket more money as a state while the others fight the inevitable.

Quote:

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Looking at the actual revenue gain from pot sales vs. the entire budget (on whatever scale -- local, state, national) would make the most dim-witted economist laugh at the most ardent legalization advocate. It is sort of like trying to raid your 4 year old's weekly allowance to pay off a million dollar debt.

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It's not about revenue, it's about liberty.

schmellba99 said:

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doubledog said:

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Jack Boyett said:

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Farming is hard. Margins are slim. There was no way mj was going to be a lucrative business. Niche commodity that can be grown anywhere.

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It is a weed... Go to any trailer park.. Find the back door of a mobile home and look around.

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That is akin to saying that the corn the Aztecs grew is the same type we have today. Or that I should be able to go somewhere and just find some wheat to grind up to make bread and expect that the loaf comes out exactly like the Mrs. Baird's you pick up at HEB.

There is a world of difference in type and quality of plants that are cultivated in true farming operations versus the ones you'll find growing by the train tracks somewhere. Just like with pretty much any other agricultural crop there is you can think of.

The same principles of selective breeding, proper nutrients in the soil, right amount of water, etc. apply to marijuana as they do to corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, wheat, potatoes, etc.

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Aztec tobacco contains around 3-5 times the amount of nicotine as commercial tobacco, and is used historically as a sacrament, not as an addictive substance usually snorted in combination with another psychoactive substance like mushrooms.

Aztec corn, similarly, was grown with probably 3-5x the nutritional content as commercially available corn designed for mass consumption and war-time food supplies....now for a bad sugar substitute or worse fuel.

Adverse Event said:

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schmellba99 said:

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doubledog said:

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Jack Boyett said:

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Farming is hard. Margins are slim. There was no way mj was going to be a lucrative business. Niche commodity that can be grown anywhere.

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It is a weed... Go to any trailer park.. Find the back door of a mobile home and look around.

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That is akin to saying that the corn the Aztecs grew is the same type we have today. Or that I should be able to go somewhere and just find some wheat to grind up to make bread and expect that the loaf comes out exactly like the Mrs. Baird's you pick up at HEB.

There is a world of difference in type and quality of plants that are cultivated in true farming operations versus the ones you'll find growing by the train tracks somewhere. Just like with pretty much any other agricultural crop there is you can think of.

The same principles of selective breeding, proper nutrients in the soil, right amount of water, etc. apply to marijuana as they do to corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, wheat, potatoes, etc.

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Aztec tobacco contains around 3-5 times the amount of nicotine as commercial tobacco, and is used historically as a sacrament, not as an addictive substance usually snorted in combination with another psychoactive substance like mushrooms.

Aztec corn, similarly, was grown with probably 3-5x the nutritional content as commercially available corn designed for mass consumption and war-time food supplies....now for a bad sugar substitute or worse fuel.

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And that's why the Aztecs were ripped.

Too bad they couldn't invent gun powder.

Hagen95 said:

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Too bad they couldn't invent gun powder.

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Gunpowder, oddly enough, was originally a medical invention and used as such for centuries before used as a military/national security device against Mongol invasions.

Makes me ponder on psychedelics eliminating fear of death and South American cultures, versus pursuing "fear of death" funded research.

The emperor of Constantinople was given the chance to adopt cannons, and he sent the guy off and didn't adopt. The cannons were sold to Mehmed II, whose Ottomans conquered Constantople with those freshly adopted guns amd cannons.

I've never met a pothead whose life wasn't in shambles... the correlation being the more pot smoked the worse the persons life was.

TxAgPreacher said:

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I've never met a pothead whose life wasn't in shambles... the correlation being the more pot smoked the worse the persons life was.

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Maybe you should get out more.

What do you (or other posters who use this word) consider a "pothead"? You likely know lots of people who use cannabis, and you don't even know.

Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

doubledog said:

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Like alcohol, marijuana must be legal nationwide to slow down "black market" sales.
My advice... Keep a high tax rate on all sales, legal and illegal and let the pot smokers pay off Biden's debt.
Drug pushers can be prosecuted for tax evasion.

Sorry Grape...

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Only part of the solution. Cartels have to be stopped from getting their product into the states as well.

TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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Elon Musk and Joe Rogan are fairly productive

TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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*squawk* potheads are lazy *squawk*
Preaching parroted propaganda is no way to live a life.

You can do better. I'll pray for you.

Tanya 93 said:

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TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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Elon Musk and Joe Rogan are fairly productive

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By that logic, Scott Adams recommends shrooms so, we should all probably run out and get some.

Yeah mushrooms of most types hold value for humans in some manner.

Were you making a point somewhere?

TxAgPreacher said:

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I've never met a pothead whose life wasn't in shambles... the correlation being the more pot smoked the worse the persons life was.

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If that's true, it has nothing to do with legalization.

And has been mentioned, most people don't talk about their use.

TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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LOL, my wife does that. All people did was counter your "life in shambles" contention. Nobody contended that pot increases productivity. It's not an either/or.

cecil77 said:

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TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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LOL, my wife does that. All people did was counter your "life in shambles" contention. Nobody contended that pot increases productivity. It's not an either/or.

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Nobody countered my point. The more you smoke the worse things get. People who smell like pot all the time are unproductive. I thought I was clear to distinguish between pot heads being the ones in shambles. Those who use it little, aren't. But apparently there is no honest discussion to be had on this topic.

To me, if the more you use something the worse your life gets then to me logically that means it's not good for you.

TxAgPreacher said:

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I've never met a pothead whose life wasn't in shambles... the correlation being the more pot smoked the worse the persons life was.

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Yeah you have. It's a statistical certainty. You're only thinking about the stoner losers and not the functional adults who consume MJ in their personal time but keep it on the down low. I know a number of these people, across the political spectrum. They're among you.

TxAgPreacher said:

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cecil77 said:

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TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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LOL, my wife does that. All people did was counter your "life in shambles" contention. Nobody contended that pot increases productivity. It's not an either/or.

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Nobody countered my point. The more you smoke the worse things get. People who smell like pot all the time are unproductive. I thought I was clear to distinguish between pot heads being the ones in shambles. Those who use it little, aren't. But apparently there is no honest discussion to be had on this topic.

To me, if the more you use something the worse your life gets then to me logically that means it's not good for you.

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Then to be intellectually honest, you must be in favor of alcohol prohibition. It has ruined far more lives than pot ever will. And is more likely to with over use.

Also, consider that potheads you know (i.e. people ruining their lives with marijuana and don't care if anyone knows they're using it) are a subset of people who don't care about illegalities and are addicted. If you are indeed a preacher of a church of any size at all, I can guarantee you that you have a few regular pot users in your congregation, along with a bunch of regular alcohol users. You've also got a bunch of people with tattoos (something I don't understand at all).

And note that I don't use pot. Wine? you betcha.

Quote:

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To me, if the more you use something the worse your life gets then to me logically that means it's not good for you.

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It's called addition, and in my life I've seen people addicted to illegal drugs, alcohol, Rx pills, chocolate, golf, and yes, even religion. And in each of those cases their lives, to some degree, got worse. It's the addiction, not what you're addicted to. And as to your quoted contention, water and salt are both required for life. Too much of either are not good for you.

TxAgPreacher said:

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I've never met a pothead whose life wasn't in shambles... the correlation being the more pot smoked the worse the persons life was.

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There's probably a few casual pot users at your church.

Owlagdad said:

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Maybe not so many pot smokers after all? Appeasing a screaming minority, and media feeding it?
Lol, just let us smoke, get married and we will leave you alone.

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I don't use it, but edibles should be legal and regulated. How it would be any worse than alcohol is beyond me. Might make people eat more.

whats the big deal with this? Causal users are smoking regardless of the "law of the land" and potheads gonna pothead either way.

TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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Let's face it, nothing will change your mind. You are the type that makes up your mind without any actual data and then digs in while vehemently refusing to actually listen to reason, look at data or anything else.

TxAgPreacher said:

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cecil77 said:

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TxAgPreacher said:

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Sure, you have changed my mind! Pot makes people more productive!

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LOL, my wife does that. All people did was counter your "life in shambles" contention. Nobody contended that pot increases productivity. It's not an either/or.

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Nobody countered my point. The more you smoke the worse things get. People who smell like pot all the time are unproductive. I thought I was clear to distinguish between pot heads being the ones in shambles. Those who use it little, aren't. But apparently there is no honest discussion to be had on this topic.

To me, if the more you use something the worse your life gets then to me logically that means it's not good for you.

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LOL.

I have 3 buddies that are regular users in one form or fashion. 2 are vice presidents of their companies and are, by all accounts, both very successful and productive. The other is a senior project manager that builds multi million dollar commercial buildings.

There is an honest discussion to be had, you just don't want any part of it and have made it patently clear that is the case.

InfantryAg said:

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The other thing that hasn't been discussed here is the absurdity of having cannabis as a schedule 1 drug when there is ample evidence of potential medicinal value. There is only one US lab where it is studied and that is on a small scale.

Comprehensive studies need to be done to explore the medicinal value.

The industry needs to come up with standardized testing and guidelines, or the fed will.

Currently you oftentimes don't know what you're getting. THC levels vary, as do the pesticides and other chemicals used. The growers that use "independent" labs aren't gonna pay for a lab that gives them negative results.

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Big Pharma is actively working to keep rescheduling weed from happening.