Cannabis should be legal?
In this recent poll, only 14% of Americans thought MARIJUANA should be ILLEGAL. What do you all think about CANNABIS? Will it ever become legal in ALL FIFTY STATES?
In this recent poll, only 14% of Americans thought MARIJUANA should be ILLEGAL. What do you all think about CANNABIS? Will it ever become legal in ALL FIFTY STATES?
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Yes it should be legal. Alcohol and Nicotine are the top 2 killers. Now they are both legal why isn't marijuana? I'm not going to be an idiot and say marijuana hasn't killed anyone but I bet it hasn't killed anywhere north of 10k. Big Pharma companies manufacture drugs such as OxyContin that have similar effects/chemical makeup to heroin, those are legal and you can just go to the doctor and say your back hurts. There is a huge opioid epidemic in this country due to people who are stupid and drugs such as OxyContin. Marijuana isn't a good thing to use but it sure as hell isn't near harmful as the legal drugs.
Nicotine actually isn't harmful and is a heavy metal chelator as well as a hermetic stressor. I use nicotine gum and don't smoke. It's all the other shit they add to it, as well as the act of smoking, that is terrible for your health. I saw a study on farmers, who are exposed to massive levels of heavy metals. The smokers actually had lower all-cause mortality incidence because the heavy metal chelation effects outweighed the detriments of smoking in their cases.
Edit: Marijuana also very much is a good thing to use. All of the health benefits aside, what in the world is not good about something that relaxes you and enhances a lot of experiences? Personally, it helps my chronic back pain a lot. And I know of the plethora of health benefits, but I'm already healthy so I don't notice any acute effects from that.
Right, should've said cigs. Patches, Gums and vaporizers shouldn't be compared to smoking tobacco.
As for marijuana, I have been using it after work and all. I notice it makes me very tired (kind of a good thing) and sometimes gives me anxiety when I come off it. I feel like I can't remember certain things. This all may be in my head, after all I've only used it for a month. But all in all it's great to use but it does get boring after a while. The strain definitely matters, some makes you energetic and some make you flat out sleepy.
Edit: you're spot on with enhancing experiences. Whenever I watch a movie or listen to a song it's 10xs better and I'm able to pick apart little things which is fun af.
Yes. Is time to legalize it
It should definitely be legal. There are things out there that are legal and have caused far more problems (e.g. drinking, smoking, fast food) to public health. But I'm not saying that these three things should be made illegal. As with anything, it's up to the person to ensure that they use / consume these things in moderation. It should be no different with weed. It would also be beneficial to legally monetise the market for weed, derive taxes and generate legal jobs from it , all whilst reducing the pressure on the legal system.
420 is fine , yeah
TL;DR Regardless of my opinion below, I think it should be legal because their is real benefit in the eventual commercialization of marijuana.
Now just because it's commonly used and 'accepted' doesn't mean it's good for you or us as a society/culture. I think most of the acceptance is just mob mentality; individualism is declining. Yes, alcohol, tobacco, and prescriptions are legal but it's because they are big rackets. Those 3 things are in need of SERIOUS reform. Plus, it's flawed and frankly defeatist logic to say that because we have some shitty things, it's okay to have more shitty things. Collectively, people are stupid and I don't trust them to react positively to anything.
That's just my 2 cents. I have a few more reasons why I dislike the culture of drug use/acceptance in our society but that's for another time. This isn't grounded in religion or prudish behavior either. I have used copious amounts of the stuff and think that I and others would have simply been better off just not using it or anything else. Sober people are better, happier people imo. Medical cases and legitimate needs are an exception to the rule, obviously.
+1. I agree the "culture" of people who smoke marijuana is pretty low. Most potheads I've met are losers with no ambitions, just a sad fact. I don't think we should speak highly about smoking but rather just let people do their thing and don't judge.
MJ "culture" is a joke, the people who are really into pot and wear bob marley tshirts shit like that are a tiny minority of users. I know genius level people who smoke on a regular basis and have an outsized impact on the world when compared to anyone on WSO. No knock to the people on this board, but to generalize that all pot users are just like the guys from Friday is a idiotic leap.
Agree but I've encountered many people in the industry who smoke after work or on the weekends to de-stress. I wouldn't include them in the "culture" but can definitely see where they come from.
It is kind of mind blowing that this is still a question. The research done has proven that alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs have a far worse "societal impact" than cannabis. Just look at the opium problems in Chicago, Ohio, etc. With that said, there needs to be more research done to measure the positives effects it can have medically. The problem is, as long as it is listed as a class A drug, researchers can't get FDC or federal support to conduct their research.
There is also a deeper concern that stems from the war on drugs. This domestic/foreign "policy" has created a huge market for illegal drugs and put enormous amounts of money in the pockets of criminals organizations. Look at crime (homicides in particular) statistics in Mexico starting in the 1950's. That is why I call it a foreign policy as well as a domestic. It has had incredibly detrimental side effects in South American countries like Columbia, Mexico, Boliva, and Brazil.
Does it make people lazy? Maybe, but I also know some seriously successful people that use on a daily basis. Legalize, so you can tax the hell out of it. That would help solve IL's budget problem.
Marijuana Legalization and Real Estate (Originally Posted: 09/25/2015)
Mod Note (Andy): see below for an update in the comments by the op Gene Parmesan
The fund I work for does some investing in Colorado and the effect on real estate has been substantial, especially industrial properties (1). Even tourism has shot up (2).
National laws preclude institutional investors and related groups like my company, thus creating opportunity for the little fishes. There's a crack in the dam - other states/municipalities will be envious of the revenue (3) and Generation Y actually shows up to vote for the stickiest of the icky. Anyone here looked into this?
(1) http://www.denverpost.com/marijuana/ci_25316132/pot-growing-warehouses-… (2) http://www.businessinsider.com/denver-flights-marijuana-legalization-20… (3) http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2014/03/11/its-no-toke-col…
They've started the process a few months ago.
I've sold retail containing medical marijuana dispensaries into CMBS. Didn't even underwrite the tenants as vacant!
I wouldn't expect financing on single-tenant industrial properties leased to pot farmers anytime soon, though.
An interesting article our Denver office sent about possible ramifications of financing CRE deals with pot-based tenants. http://www.cobizmag.com/articles/legalized-marijuana-and-the-real-estat…
My friend's been following these guys http://growlifeinc.com/ for a while and they seem to be trying to get into the interim financing biz: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-16/growlifes-plan-to-cash-…
Mate, just looked at their stock. It's a penny stock that keeps on going all over the place, and only news i can find on the price is some sort of legal settlement they are trying to reach. Looks pretty icky to me...
It's going to be super difficult for these organizations to get banking services. My bank turned down a $1 million deposit because the guy gave $650 to his nephew who was visiting family in Iran. FDIC insured banks don't mess around.
Thanks for the feedback. DCD I think that only contributes to the opportunity as it keeps people out of the market
There's definitely opportunity out there, but how much? Commercial banks have some of the thinnest profit margins of any industry. The legal marijuana business isn't that big of a business--I'd imagine economies of scale would be extraordinarily difficult to achieve for these alternative financial institutions, especially if there is significant competition. One way to get higher ROA is for the depository institution to lend to higher risk deals, but if you're a marijuana business operator do you want your non-insured deposits going to 2nd lien loans or to private equity investments?
If these financial institutions were so easy to operate then why don't we see a lot more of them? It's probably because we don't really have a solid business model yet for non-FDIC insured, low volume depository institutions. Banks are not required to be FDIC insured in the U.S., yet nearly all of them are FDIC insured because it's a sound business model.
Been wondering about this lately myself.
Circling back to provide an update 18 months later.
Last week California passed medical cannabis regulations through a series of three companion bills: AB266, AB243, and SB 643. It will take some time, 6-8 months, at least, to take effect but it has provided a beginning framework for companies to legally operate in the industry.
This represents an important milestone for two reasons. First, California represents almost half (5) of the overall cannabis market, which totaled $2.7 billion nationally in 2014 - and this market is expected to significantly grow post-legislation. The second reason is that the state has been the lobbying battleground since the Compassionate Use Act (CUA) of 1996, and where California goes in 2016, many states will follow. The CUA, also known as Prop 215, served as a crack in the dam for cultivators, manufacturers, and dispensers to operate in a free-for-all. Ostensibly this was to for "afflicted" individuals but as anyone in California will tell you, it is not a stringent process to receive a medicinal license.
From the Federal level, guidance from the White House and Department of Justice reinforced policies granted at each respective state (9) and has encouraged banks to accept cannabis-related business accounts. The recent legislature in California continues to delegate authority down the line. Individual Counties and Municipalities can decide their own stance on cannabis - San Francisco, for example, has permitted indoor growth facilities in the city (8).
That isn't to say there aren't skeptics. Banks, lenders, and the majority of HNW individuals (3) are staying clear of the cannabis vertical, and the Drug Enforcement Agency still categorizes marijuana as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, on the same level as heroin and LSD. There are a few small investors, lenders, and now VCs (6) but access to capital is relatively limited, providing market inefficiencies. Privateer Holdings, who invests in various cannabis platforms and brands, is now valued at $400+ million (7).
The list of states allowing full Adult Use (recreational) now include Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and the District of Columbia. States permitting Medical Use have increased to 24 with Maryland, New York, and Minnesota passing new Medical Use laws in 2014 (10). Where medicinal cannabis is already allowed, growth is accelerating - Arizona's Medical Use market grew 5x from $35 million in 2013 to $155 million in 2014. As an update on Colorado - the revenue collected from taxes has doubled (1) and now exceeds tax on alcohol (2).
So where are the future opportunities? Right now, groups are successfully growing platforms from other industries. For example:
Yelp - www.leafly.com Zillow - www.herbfront.com YCombinator / Biz Dev - http://www.canopyboulder.com/ Insurance - http://www.cannassure.com/
Various groups are competing for delivery, point-of-sale / enterprise software, and so on. I'm personally interested in what value can be unlocked for real estate. Will continue doing research and report back... unless I find something too valuable.
GP
(1) http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/21/colorado-marijuana-tax-r… (2) http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/09/16/colorado-marijuana-tax-revenue_… (3) http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2015/09/09/morgan-stanley-rich-inv… (5) ArcView Market Research Report (6) http://www.geekwire.com/2015/seattle-marijuana-investment-firm-privatee… (7) http://www.geekwire.com/2015/were-not-smoking-something-this-marijuana-… (8) http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/chem-tales-indoor-grow-houses-mari… (9) http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/06/03/house-votes-to-ban-some-… (10) http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881
The upside is apparent, however so is the downside. Not just getting your property seized by the DEA but even more so what happens to rents when this hyper over inflated market implodes as new inventory comes online in the form of additional legalization from other states? That's what is going to really bite investors hoping to cash in on the CRE market. The problem is there is really no way to accurately model these things with any degree of accuracy. Think how many times California has had legalization on the ballot and it was expected to pass? I can think of at least 3.
Can't talk about reward without risk and that's definitely a big one.
What gives me comfort is understanding the goals of the decision-makers, in this case, the Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, who want to make it legal and safe. http://www.gavinnewsom.com/issues/drugpolicy/
My interest is to understand what operators are looking for, provide value, and benefit from the associated cash flow with a few equity partners (unlikely to get lenders).
I would think the smart guys making these plays know it's a temporary gold rush, not a long-term investment.
If you're paying for an industrial property, and underwriting pro forma rents based on what marijuana-related tenants will pay in the current environment, you're probably going to get smoked (couldn't resist). If you invested in the same property and it underwrote with traditional market rents, then OK, that probably works.
The investors really killing it have to be the guys who already owned suitable industrial properties that suddenly turned into cash flow monsters once they realized the rent premium marijuana producers/warehousers/etc. needed to pay given the lack of supply (caused by the lack of willing landlords) in the market.
Jaaaa Mon
Is it time to legalize marijuana? (Originally Posted: 04/15/2012)
Other than making criminal organizations wealthier and turning non violent users into hard core criminals, why are the anti-marijuana laws still in place?
Pot is already legal. If you think college educated, employed people are going to jail for smoking or having pot you are wrong. All of these laws are on the book to create a slave class of people for corporate run jails and disenfranchise people.
Just look at the demographics of people being busted for drugs and you will understand what the laws truly do.
Everyone needs to watch this documentary on Weed: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9077214414651731007.
Shows the hypocrisy behind the government's stance on drugs (We used to encourage hemp production) and explains the motives of some parties to keep it illegal (For profit prisons, pharmaceutical companies, etc.).
It is seriously a fascinating movie. I showed it to my parents who are extremely conservative and anti-drug and it completely changed their worldview on it. This is actually how I got my mom to start supporting Ron Paul.
It should be legal. It's legalized already in a lot of states for medical reasons, which is a great start.
Apparently Obama hasn't gotten that message yet: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57408126/feds-raid-calif-marijuana-….
Well, remove welfare checks before you legalize pot. ty.
Why? Better to have them smoke a joint and eat some junk food than smoke some crack and rob a liqour store.
Fine, remove welfare checks. Jeez
so hippies have something to talk about
I can see why there's an argument against legalizing weed (even thought it's a HORRIBLE one).
But the fact that there are people out there that are completely against medical marijuana is a fucking embarrassment to the human race. Mitt Romney knows more about the benefits of medical marijuana than doctors? Who fucking knew! lets listen to him. It's so god damned frustrating that we're trying to take away medicine from sick people for what reason? what good reason?????? Vicodin, Xanax, Morphine, Oxycontin are all waaaaaay worse for you than marijuana.
I need to stop here before I go on and on and on, and believe me I can. Just look at marijuana and alcohol side by side, look at the facts, then tell me that alcohol should be legal but marijuana shouldn't... and don't give me the gateway drug crap, that's about the stupidest shirt I've ever heard.
I can introduce you to a couple people that can make claims about the benefits of certain drugs over doctors. I still think 90% of people (in California at least), that have club cards are using it specifically for abuse. And I am pretty sure that the $150 cash you pay for your special doctor visit isn't going so he can give you a proper diagnosis of illness. Both of these things are well known secrets, that potheads laugh about and understand to be abuses. It's just when confronted with the truth to an opposing side they aren't willing to admit it. I am not taking either which way, I'm just pointing out a truth.
It's true, but your 90% guess is pure speculation. And you know what? I'd rather have 90% of the people with their cards be "abusing" it while the other 10% have their medicine than the other way around.
Other thing is: the citizens of California/Michigan/etc. voted on these laws and they want medical marijuana, why the hell is the government so infatuated with stopping these states from doing something that the majority of the citizens want? Michigan lawmakers are trying to change around laws to screw over med card holders, even trying to make it illegal to get a ccw if you have a medical card.
I guess even with the legitimate points you've made, I still can't wrap my head around it considering how nonsensical it is that I can go to the store and buy a lethal amount of alcohol for less than $13, but the only way I can die from smoking weed is if it's through too much smoke inhalation (a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooot more money than $13 for that amount of weed)
I think most of the people who are "abusing their medical cards" would definitely admit they're blazing mainly for recreation, whether talking to people for/against legalization. They just don't see it as an abuse. The case for criminalizing weed is ridiculous regardless.
weed is for pussies, do a real drug like beer coffee or smack
Real men do 'roids bro.
I won't lie, I inhaled once in my life. California tried to pass a law to legalize marijuana entirely in 2010, it didn't pass. I have no problem giving people with very serious diseases that are living in excruciating pain an alternative to an opiate addiction for the rest of their lives (which I think is the only rational use for it in a medical sense). But I think the terms of this thread, and pretty much everyone out there is not really talking about medicinal purposes. They are trying to use that as an excuse to bring it to the front page. But I think that this is an addictive drug that radically changes the dimensions of personality within a person. And as such, I only have to say, I have no issue with the legalization and taxation of it. Just please remove government subsidies from people who choose to utilize it for purposes other than living in chronic pain (from MS, severe back problems, etc).
Being a Libertarian of sorts. (or perhaps just a moderate Republican), I don't care what people do in the privacy of their homes, on their own time. It is none of my business. Where it becomes my business, is when either the value of my income, or the taxes that are incurred upon me are benefiting their lives in a disproportionate manner, IE taking special income from the government. In that case, I disagree with the Supreme Court, I think drug tests should be mandatory if they want money from the Federal government to aid in their lives, again, disproportionately from me.
I don't think it's physically addictive, but it may be habit forming. And I seriously doubt it "changes the dimensions of personality"...this isn't some crazy street drug we're talking about here.
Radically changes the dimensions of personality? Temporarily or Permanently? Alcohol elicits far more radical changes and seems to have a very high social cost. Yet it is still legal.
On the second point - they're doing that in Florida, and they are spending more money testing people than they would spend if they just left the 0-3% (or whatever it is) of users and welfare recipients alone. It might make sense under specific circumstances, but on a general basis, it does not.
The only reason why pot is illegal is because of social norms and taboos, which are slowly changing. I would be surprised if it was still illegal 20-30 years from now.
I can respect that. Just one thing though, marijuana is only mentally addictive, meaning that you can get addicted to it like you can get addicted to TV, or Video games, or porno... not physically addicted like you can with alcohol, vicodin, morphine, oxycontin, crack, nicotine, heroin, meth, etc.
Fun fact: I'm sure most people already know this, but you can actually die from alcohol withdrawals in rare cases if you were a big ass boozehound (k, not-so-fun fact)
Swagzz, but seriously, I do understand that the physical withdrawal is not deadly, but the mental aspect is a huge social stratifying addiction. You have never heard of lazy people who became potheads suddenly becoming more productive people. They may claim that selling pot has been entrepreneurial, but most of those cases are just break even status. Not baller IB status bosses.
For a good time, Vicodin, alcohol and blow should suffice for the mediocre man.
Yeah, the mental aspect can be a huge factor. I still believe that we should educate people TRUTHFULLY about the dangers of these drugs and let them make the choice though... no D.A.R.E. bullshit, there's no need to exaggerate the hell out of everything. If anything, once the kid grows up and realizes that weed really isn't as bad as people made it out to be, they're gonna have less faith in what the people who grossly exaggerated things said (happened with me and DARE).
You've never heard of lazy people becoming alcoholics and suddenly becoming more productive people either.
I don't know what your entrepreneurial point is getting at.
True that about lazy ppl and alcoholics. My point was that weed doesn't enhance people's capabilities, which doesn't necessarily mean that that should be a reason it should be illegitamized, but it was a negative point I was trying to make.
I personally believe it is illegal still (despite the indeed ridiculous reasons it originally began) because of the further imposition upon society that addicts would create. It does not twist people quite like cocaine or heroin does, but I do think that perhaps if the Supreme Court hadn't ruled against drug testing for Federal benefits, there could have been more of a backbone for its legitimization.
I am still of the opinion that the 4th Amendment was not intended towards people living off of government aid (since there was none at the time of inception), and as such I think the government totally has the right to impose restrictions upon the lives of people who benefit from it.
Otherwise, I believe free use of whatever is fair, but people should be prepared to either reap the punishment of the decisions they make as a result of the influence of drugs, and/or receive no "disproportionate" benefit from the government. (I put it in quotes this time, but its intent is the government programs, money for anything, etc. that taxpayers have to support.)
I think you have the wrong idea about marijuana "addicts"... those ones that sit in their mom's basement until they're 35 doing nothing but playing video games? They were gonna be losers with or without out.
Given the opportunity perhaps I could have done the same, but I like chicks :/ I think that >0 of those people you speak of would have done more in their lives if they didn't smoke a few bowls a day.
But that is beside the point. I really don't care what people do on their own time and whatnot, if a dude can live in his moms basement, more power to him. The issue I have are the people that live and survive off of the good graces of society. And there is a huge proportional amount of people living off of the welfare of the state that fall into this category.
drugs are bad mkay...
if we're gonna legalize pot, we might as well legalize heroin (black tar..Brown tar is just silly)
but seriously..pot should be legalized and regulated like booze and cigs
Legalize it, don't criticize it
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ABc8ciT5QLs
I'm a bit cautious about drugs. I feel pot makes you somewhat.... slow, makes you lose your fire, makes you lose your drive.
I also suggest that the argument claiming alcohol is more dangerous than pot is as much a call to ban alcohol as it is to legalize pot.
In the end, I'm with Tiger - if you take my cash, it's for food, housing and education. NOT for recreational herbs.
This testing should also be extended to include alcohol and tobacco, wtf!
just heard about this on the radio today, pretty awesome: http://news.yahoo.com/granny-drug-kingpin-busted-oklahoma-142202216.html
If you think weed makes you dumber or more lazy you're retarded. You would need to smoke 5 blunts a day for it to cause a neurological change in your brain and thus your personality. Lazy, stupid people smoke weed, but weed didn't make them that way. Like someone said before, that guy that's 35 and lives in his mom's basement and smokes weed all day would be in the same situation whether or not weed existed.
Correlation, not causation.
And it was time to legalize marujuana when Juarez, Mexico became the most dangerous city on earth.
I don't have a link to the study specifically, but I'm pretty sure that there's been a lot of research that shows smoking weed in the short term negatively affects IQ and memory. It also claimed that as long as the user quit, he would regain previous levels of IQ/memory etc, but it would take up to 3 months depending on how heavily the substance was used.
I'm not saying weed makes you dumber, but if it does in the short-term, and you chronically use it, well then I guess I am saying it makes you dumber (at least in terms of your current IQ/memory).
Lol, being sober now and reading the responses, I realized how much I don't care about people who want to be potheads. Smoke up brothas!
That's the spirit!
Weird how you're more against it when you're inebriated though? lol
Lol, I'll argue anything when I'm hammered. Wouldn't have been surprised if I tried to argue Keynsian economics against Abdel heh.
Friends don't let friends get taxed.
I think it's gonna take quite a bit of weed to have a noticeable impact in your IQ/memory for even 3 months afterwards... alcohol kills more brain cells than weed. I know, this whole "compare alcohol to weed in this aspect" thing is the easy way out... but that's exactly my point ha.
A short term shift in IQ by maybe ~3% might not be readily noticeable. And sure, your memory might be just the slightest bit off- especially short term memory. I'm not saying it's substantial (that's subjective and for other readers to determine for themselves), just relaying what I read.
I know everything I need to know about pot from the historically accurate film "Reefer Madness."
http://www.youtube.com/embed/54xWo7ITFbg?rel=0
Prohibition always works.
Arguments against legalizing pot: I read somewhere once I think that pot affects your memory, seriously, I read it
Practical arguments against legalizing pot: non-existent
Marijuana and memory loss is a well-documented phenomenon. I guess it's only recently that they're beginning to understand the science behind it.
You could at least throw in a simple google search before mocking someone's argument.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57389778/scientists-explain-marijua…
I'm sure you could've done a simple Google search before posing your argument. Also, I was kidding around.
I still don't think that it's a legitimate argument against legalization considering cigarettes and alcohol are legal.
Cannabis Legalization and Drug Testing (Originally Posted: 03/18/2014)
Hey guys,
I've had some conversations with my roommate about this and thought it was interesting. We were talking about the legalization of pot in Colorado and Washington and whether or not you could be punished for recreational use by your employers. He is from Northern Europe and said that a friend of his failed a drug test after a trip to Amsterdam, however his contract was not terminated due to the legality of the drug in Amsterdam.
Apparently, in the US, we are still not safe; http://www.denverpost.com/ci_24799683/employers-can-still-fire-pot-smok…
I personally don't have much interest in the drug, but consider it typically quite harmless when used in moderation and find it interesting how (as the article states) there seems to be a double standard for legally consuming alcohol (off-duty) and legally smoking cannabis. Thoughts? Should employees be able to have their jobs terminated for participating in legal recreational drug use?
Those who smoke will do it regardless of law. Those who don't smoke will continue to refrain from doing so.
It was only a matter of time until the law passed.
What I am severely hesitant about is another legal substance out there for people to drive intoxicated on. Especially when the states have no set protocol for detecting a person's abuse of the substance while operating a vehicle. My concerns come in lieu of reports I've read stating that accident rates in Colorado have increased by a large amount since legalization occurred.
That was a very flawed "study" where the base data was funded by groups who are to say the least less than happy about cannabis legalization.
I brought up this topic on different website forum and due to it not being federally legal there are no laws pertaining to it. Also, because it is not in one of the protected classes of things you cannot discriminate in hiring standards or reason for firing such as race, religion, sex, etc. they could still not hire or terminate due to finding thc in your system if it were federally legalized. If alcohol stayed in your body long enough to be picked up on a drug screen I'm sure some people would be not hired/fired for that reason as well.
Marijuana smokers are not a protected class. Companies can do what they want.
Pot Legalization (and Investing) (Originally Posted: 12/17/2016)
It seems as though one of the large movements in the U.S., marijuana legalization, is barely talked about or highlighted in the news. As of November 9th, recreational pot use has been legalized in 8 states including California, Nevada and Massachusetts. With this many states having legalized recreationally, as well as many more states having legalized for medical use, the movement seems all but inevitable to progress forward.
However, there is a major obstacle for the legal weed movement as Jeff Sessions' has been nominated as Attorney General. An article on Forbes Article Link highlights previous comments by Sessions which have raised concerns among those for legalization of Pot:
While the legalization movement has some obstacles it must overcome, the strong momentum forward raises another question about the potential to make money investing in it. While the potential for making money investing in companies in the legal pot market seems obvious, the choices are limited. Most of the companies that trade in the industry currently are only available OTC.
Of the OTC stocks, some of the best known companies are CANN, TRTC, and MJNA. These companies are well known as highly volatile companies which can be driven up or down hundreds of percent in only days. Outside of the speculative OTC stocks, there is one legitimate company out there capitalizing on the medical marijuana market: GWPH.
What do you guys think of the legal pot movement? Are you for or against it? Do you think Jeff Sessions as Attorney General will stop progression forward? Lastly are you looking to make money of the movement, and if so how?
Though I have some concerns, I'm totally for legalization. I visited Portland a while back and went to a dispensary. High-quality lettuce of all variety on sale - heaven, basically. Here in NYC I have to text a shady number and have a Mexican guy show up to my apartment.
And it's crazy expensive here. $60 an 1/8 with a $100 minimum per order. Fuck that.
I can get an eighth for $35-$40, good stuff too.
60 for an 1/8 is wild. Should be around 35/40
Buy in bulk, save some $
I think once the baby boomer generation and their parents are either dead or 100% senile, it'll be pretty universally legal. I'm not some hippie that thinks it's a snake oil that can cure a bunch of stuff, but I think the hypocrisy is laughable that alcohol and tobacco are legal and pot isn't.
as far as profiting, tread carefully. most, if not all the business is done in cash (assuming this hasn't changed with recent referenda) because it's illegal at the federal level. because it's federally illegal, no FDIC insured institution will accept deposits. furthermore, because of 9/11, there are all sorts of anti money laundering laws at financial institutions, so assuming the banker/broker isn't asleep at the wheel, you can't very well say "marijuana cultivation."
storage of capital is a huge issue, because banks can't accept deposits (which makes me wonder how it's taxed, if any transactions are on credit cards, and so on).
if the mob taught us anything during prohibition, it's distribution, not production, that can lead to big bucks. let the mexicans or hippies grow the stuff, just process & distribute it. if I had to guess, altria, reynolds, and lorillard will probably get into this because the distribution of tobacco is likely at all the same locations (assuming it becomes legal at the federal level).
I think you are right about the baby boomer generation. Most of the time when I discuss the legalization movement with someone from that era they throw the whole "it's a gateway drug" or "it is much more potent these days" arguments at me. These are the same people that will then explain to me how the drinking age is way to high as they puff on a cigarette. The one good thing I will say, is that when I provide counters to those arguments, they tend to change their view point very easily.
I have no money invested in the pot market currently. I am waiting for many of the issues that you highlighted to be resolved before I start picking up companies. I thought we were getting very close to federal legalization, but am worried that Jeff Sessions may set things back a bit.
With the older generations dying off and younger generations beginning to vote it's only a matter of time until it is legalized. I wouldn't and haven't invested any money in it though. Too volatile.
Yea I agree about the volatility. It is unfortunate there aren't better options out there to capitalize on this trend yet. What time frame do you think it will be when there is full federal legalization?
I believe all drugs should be legal/ decriminalized. Not doing so just gives us Pablo Escobar and El Chapo Guzman. It fuels gang violence, overdoses, and is part of America's mass incarceration problem (not the majority of it though, that is due to mandatory minimum sentencing).
I've always wanted to question people who complained about Bill Clinton's criminal justice policies. "3 strikes and you are out." So how about after you make your mistake, don't make it again and you won't be in prison?
3 strike laws and minimum mandatory sentencing are the most perverted pieces of the criminal justice system, and that's saying something.
You have very poor ability to empathize with people from different backgrounds than yourself. Not everybody who gets convicted of something has a legal option they could easily fall back to. But putting someone in prison for life because they got caught selling pot twice and couldn't afford to pay child support doesn't help anyone.
And this is coming from someone who was charged with 4 felonies related to selling pot. It ended up being the best thing that could have happened to me. You know why? Cause I had options. I was an educated white male with a supportive family, no kids, good health, world is my oyster basically. So I just took the legal route to making it. Selling pot was just an easy way to get by. But what if I was some 18-year-old black kid from the hood who had a baby and who had never seen anyone in his family succeed?
What do you think he would have gotten when he got out of jail on bond? Probably wouldn't have gotten out on bond. Probably didn't have a sister to put down $15K and hire the best attorney she could find immediately. Probably would have sat in jail for 8 months until the court date. And the public defender probably wouldn't have gotten him 3 charges dropped, one reduced, and the best and most forgiving probation available. And if he did somehow avoid prison time, what were his options when he got out? It probably wasn't to keep working his W-2 job, move in with his girlfriend, and start saving for a house. All he knew was selling drugs. How's he gonna support that baby? Do you get it yet?
all drugs should be legal. if someone wants to hurt themselves, go for it.
the fact that pot, LSD, shrooms are all schedule I substances when they show limited toxicity and little propensity for addiction is absolutely asinine.
I sincerely hope that once the evangelicals who were of the "reefer madness" generation die out then we'll start to see some more legislation about this. legalize, regulate, and tax these substances. maybe we don't make cocaine or heroin things you can get at your local supermarket, maybe we keep those controlled substances like oxy. but at a minimum we ought to stop incarcerating nonviolent offenders, instead offering them rehab.
another benefit is if we legalize, we take away the monetary premiums charged because these are illegal substances, and if there's no economic incentive, druglords will likely go into other businesses or go legit and just start farming.
Psychedelics shouldn't be available to the average Joe. If you have a bad trip, it will haunt you for a VERY long time. I've seen it happen to people and they're now terrible.
No you haven't.
by that logic, nothing that could potentially be harmful to a small group of people should be legal. is opiod abuse a problem? absolutely. should all opiods be completely illegal (no use even in a medical setting)? fuck no, because if you've ever had the kind of physical pain that's only stopped by something like morphine, you'll be glad they exist.
my point is you cannot protect people from themselves, and making things illegal does NOT stop the flow of drugs, it just provides economic incentives for criminals.
On a side note, those who dream of legalized nation of small growers are kidding themselves. Once it becomes legal the big pharma and vice companies are going to swoop in under cut the entire market and drive everyone else out of business before raising prices again.
Yep on the big players winning out. When big corporations take over the business, just watch how the left will go after the industry the way it's starting to go after American football.
why do you hate "left" so much?
Some AA equicalency, don't drink/smoke and drive, "smoking kills" by liberals, regulation, high margins/expensive prices, this is what's coming with weed legalization. I don't smoke often but if I do, I'd rather just buy it on the dark market.
As long as it doesn't bother me, then I have no problem with it.
I'm with Ben Shapiro on this one. Marijuana should be legal; people who are regular users of marijuana are f*cking morons (my words, not his). I smoke pot, like, 4 times a year. If you're doing it 4 times a week you are a loser.
all drugs should be 100% legal, in addition to gambling and hookers.
I'm surprised more politicians don't take that approach. They'd win in a landslide victory.
Uh, they would not win in a landslide. First of all, most people don't support legalizing "all" drugs (cocaine, heroin, meth)); marijuana, on the other hand, has relatively broad support. However, marijuana legalization is about 51 on a list of 50 issues most important to your typical voter. I support marijuana legalization, for example, but unless the candidates were extremely similar save for that issue it would not be the deciding factor in my vote.
I also don't think most voters support legalizing gambling and prostitution. But again, even if they did, it barely registers as an issue on the radar of voters.
In the words of the great recording artist Keith Murray, "Legalize and i'll advertise!"
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