Colorado survey shows what marijuana legalization will do to your kids

[Lord of Planar]

My primary concern is that legalizing pot and not other recreational drugs will only inspire the dealers to work harder to push the hard stuff.

Interesting though.

FYI. I live in the Centennial district. Both my kids went to school there. My older one had a friend who died while on ecstasy. Something about his heart giving out. I don't remember the details. I personally think harder drugs use will diminish as legal ones will be easier to get. But who know. I will not try to discredit your concern without facts in hand.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

The prediction has not materialized in Colorado. At least it hasn't yet. But one state's experience might make other states contemplating legalization of pot more cautiously optimistic about the long range effects, but it cannot be considered conclusive until others have also tried it. My primary concern is that legalizing pot and not other recreational drugs will only inspire the dealers to work harder to push the hard stuff. We'll see how it turns out.

Or the "dealers" will simply enter in a regulated marketplace and continue to sell marijuana, but this time sell it legally.

 

[Lovebug]

Read more @: Colorado survey shows what marijuana legalization will do to your kids

But if we legalize weed all our kids are gonna become lazy pot head hippies! Wait a sec, that prediction isnt materializing? Say it ain't so! [/FONT][/COLOR]

It is a fantasy. Legalizing isn't forcing anyone into using. Alcohol is legal, some drink, some don't. Cigs are legal, some smoke, some don't and on and on we go.

 

[Lord of Planar]

It seems that many are coming to see it as a great cash cow for its "sin" (hippy?) tax and agricultural (a crop that needs little water) potential - freedom is just an unfortunate side effect to many of them.

Well, the last time I bought a 7 gram bag of Purple Kush from the dispensary, the receipt had $80 + $20 tax.

I think I threw away the receipt.

 

[Lord of Planar]

It is a fantasy. Legalizing isn't forcing anyone into using. Alcohol is legal, some drink, some don't. Cigs are legal, some smoke, some don't and on and on we go.

I think legalizing it increases the usage, but only by those who stay within the law. These will also be more responsible users I think. I don't think we will see increases by those who don't care about the law.

 

[Grand Mal]

Well, the last time I bought a 7 gram bag of Purple Kush from the dispensary, the receipt had $80 + $20 tax.

I think I threw away the receipt.

Wow. $400/oz. Well,$320 to the dispensary. I wonder what the grower got. Up here, top quality indoor goes for $1,000. $1,200 a pound. Outdoor a bit less- not sure why.
That's Canadian bucks, so knock off about 25% for Yankee dollars.

 

[clownboy]

Or the "dealers" will simply enter in a regulated marketplace and continue to sell marijuana, but this time sell it legally.

Well now, there's still a bit of the illegal sales going on. Price point is inflated, and not just because of the tax. The inspections, quality checks, and price of carrying employees and such all contribute to a higher price than on the street. About double. For instance, I've bought from the same independent growers for years - $200 an ounce. They are very good at this, huge, dense buds. Everything from Girl Scout Cookie to some wonderful tasting Kushes.

I finally tried going to one of the dispensaries last week. Just curious. Made me laugh. They were all kids (twenty somethings) and it was like when Starbucks first started their chain, going in and just wanting a cup of coffee. Hell they picked out a little bud at a time with long tongs, like it was radioactive. The image was hilarious for me who had probably been smoking pot for twice as long as they've been alive.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

Well now, there's still a bit of the illegal sales going on. Price point is inflated, and not just because of the tax. The inspections, quality checks, and price of carrying employees and such all contribute to a higher price than on the street. About double. For instance, I've bought from the same independent growers for years - $200 an ounce. They are very good at this, huge, dense buds. Everything from Girl Scout Cookie to some wonderful tasting Kushes.

I finally tried going to one of the dispensaries last week. Just curious. Made me laugh. They were all kids (twenty somethings) and it was like when Starbucks first started their chain, going in and just wanting a cup of coffee. Hell they picked out a little bud at a time with long tongs, like it was radioactive. The image was hilarious for me who had probably been smoking pot for twice the time they've been alive.

Oh I agree a black market will continue. Its almost impossible to completely end a black market. I mean we still have cigarette and alcohol black markets in this country. But my point was that more people who were once selling on an illegal market will move into a legal regulated market.

 

[Lord of Planar]

Wow. $400/oz. Well,$320 to the dispensary. I wonder what the grower got. Up here, top quality indoor goes for $1,000. $1,200 a pound. Outdoor a bit less- not sure why.
That's Canadian bucks, so knock off about 25% for Yankee dollars.

This is top shelf product, and the recreational price. The cheaper stuff is half as much. Those with a medical license get it for half these prices as well. Recreational you are limited to 7 grams a day. Medical use is limited to 28 grams, at a top shelf price of $200 for the ounce.

There are likely taxes at each step. Or, maybe the growers just get paid well.

 

[Lord of Planar]

Well now, there's still a bit of the illegal sales going on. Price point is inflated, and not just because of the tax. The inspections, quality checks, and price of carrying employees and such all contribute to a higher price than on the street. About double. For instance, I've bought from the same independent growers for years - $200 an ounce. They are very good at this, huge, dense buds. Everything from Girl Scout Cookie to some wonderful tasting Kushes.

I finally tried going to one of the dispensaries last week. Just curious. Made me laugh. They were all kids (twenty somethings) and it was like when Starbucks first started their chain, going in and just wanting a cup of coffee. Hell they picked out a little bud at a time with long tongs, like it was radioactive. The image was hilarious for me who had probably been smoking pot for twice as long as they've been alive.

LOL...

Yes, it's funny watching them use the tongs. But it makes sense. State regulation of proper handling of medicine.

 

[Lord of Planar]

Oh I agree a black market will continue. Its almost impossible to completely end a black market. I mean we still have cigarette and alcohol black markets in this country. But my point was that more people who were once selling on an illegal market will move into a legal regulated market.

I agree.

 

[Absentglare]

I think legalizing it increases the usage, but only by those who stay within the law. These will also be more responsible users I think. I don't think we will see increases by those who don't care about the law.

Exactly.

The users who would respond to legality (meaning that they only use drugs that are legal) are NOT the most problematic group of drug users.

 

[AlbqOwl]

Interesting though.

FYI. I live in the Centennial district. Both my kids went to school there. My older one had a friend who died while on ecstasy. Something about his heart giving out. I don't remember the details. I personally think harder drugs use will diminish as legal ones will be easier to get. But who know. I will not try to discredit your concern without facts in hand.

I have lost people to addictions too. So I probably am more personally sensitive to that than the average bear. But we can hope your theory turns out to be the right one though I sure don't want more people on pot either.

 

[AlbqOwl]

Or the "dealers" will simply enter in a regulated marketplace and continue to sell marijuana, but this time sell it legally.

They will do that if it is equally as profitable I'm sure. It worked by legalizing alcohol. Lot's of 'if's'

 

[Thoreau72]

Oh I agree a black market will continue. Its almost impossible to completely end a black market. I mean we still have cigarette and alcohol black markets in this country. But my point was that more people who were once selling on an illegal market will move into a legal regulated market.

Black markets are created by poor government legislation, and they can be ended instantly by good government legislation.

Black markets can be created by outright prohibition of certain consumer products, and they can be created by excessive taxing schemes. They can be ended by avoiding either. This was demonstrated handily by the Volstead Act.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Or the "dealers" will simply enter in a regulated marketplace and continue to sell marijuana, but this time sell it legally.

and this time they can't just shoot the competition.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Oh I agree a black market will continue. Its almost impossible to completely end a black market. I mean we still have cigarette and alcohol black markets in this country. But my point was that more people who were once selling on an illegal market will move into a legal regulated market.

Some, but illegal alcohol isn't anywhere near what it was during prohibition. The price of legal pot will do the same for the illegal stuff, price it out of the market.

 

[Lord of Planar]

I have lost people to addictions too. So I probably am more personally sensitive to that than the average bear. But we can hope your theory turns out to be the right one though I sure don't want more people on pot either.

Personal compulsions destroy people. It shows itself in forms of alcohol addiction, gambling, drug use, etc. I don't think people prone to compulsions care much about legality.

 

[Texmex]

Hey, you guys stole from us to gain political points, so yeah. Are libertarians just supposed to forget about being called crazy for saying this stuff decades ago?

You are the only person I know that turns an agreement into an argument. Libertarians were right, liberals are now right. We agree! You won us over on the issue, congratulations. Be happy!

 

[Henrin]

You are the only person I know that turns an agreement into an argument. Libertarians were right, liberals are now right. We agree! You won us over on the issue, congratulations. Be happy!

Who ever told you that libertarians and liberals agree on the topic? If liberals did in fact listen to libertarians and find agreement then they pretty much missed the point.

 

[Texmex]

Who ever told you that libertarians and liberals agree on the topic? If liberals did in fact listen to libertarians and find agreement then they pretty much missed the point.

BS! You just like to argue and have a disagreement. I am a liberal who smokes marijuana, probably since you were young. Over the years, most of the people I have smoked with have been liberals. When I was in Colorado most of the people I met were liberals. Colorado and Washington have both legalized marijuana use and they are liberal states. The first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal use was California, a liberal state.

 

[Texmex]

Point still stands. Shouldn't dems be leading the vanguard on this issue?

To be fair, repubs won't exactly be endorsing legalization any time soon.

Republicans will not be anywhere near the White House anytime soon either. Guess who will decide this issue?

 

[Henrin]

BS! You just like to argue and have a disagreement. I am a liberal who smokes marijuana, probably since you were young. Over the years, most of the people I have smoked with have been liberals. When I was in Colorado most of the people I met were liberals. Colorado and Washington have both legalized marijuana use and they are liberal states. The first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal use was California, a liberal state.

Do liberals think government has authority to control who can sell a legal product? Do liberals think pot should be taxed? Do liberals constantly go on and on about how much tax revenue the state gets from pot sales? Do you think any of this stuff sounds like something libertarians support?

Even when liberals pretend to be more like libertarians they fail horribly.

 

[Texmex]

Oh my god.... I had no idea we were this close to passing it. I thought my otherwise liberty-loving home state would be one of the last ones to do it. Thanks for sharing this!

I agree. I told my adult boy a few weeks ago that he would probably be an old man before we saw marijuana legalized in Texas. Then, along came Trump.

 

[Texmex]

Do liberals think government has authority to control who can sell a legal product? Do liberals think pot should be taxed? Do liberals constantly go on and on about how much tax revenue the state gets from pot sales? Do you think any of this stuff sounds like something libertarians support?

Even when liberals pretend to be more like libertarians they fail horribly.

I don't give a **** what Libertarians support, I'm a democrat. Again, all you want to do is make an ass out of yourself and argue.