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State mounts largest crackdown on illegal pot shops in LA

JacksinPA

JacksinPA

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State mounts largest crackdown on illegal pot shops in LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators mounted dozens of raids against illegal marijuana retailers in Los Angeles this week, the largest crackdown to date against the city’s thriving black market, officials announced Friday.

The state has been under pressure from California’s legal industry to do more to stop the underground pot economy, which in Los Angeles and other cities often operates in plain sight. According to some estimates, roughly 75% of sales in the state remain under the table, snatching profits from legal storefronts.
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Snatching revenue from the tax man is more the story.
 
JacksinPA said:
State mounts largest crackdown on illegal pot shops in LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators mounted dozens of raids against illegal marijuana retailers in Los Angeles this week, the largest crackdown to date against the city’s thriving black market, officials announced Friday.

The state has been under pressure from California’s legal industry to do more to stop the underground pot economy, which in Los Angeles and other cities often operates in plain sight. According to some estimates, roughly 75% of sales in the state remain under the table, snatching profits from legal storefronts.
====================================================
Snatching revenue from the tax man is more the story.
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You called it.
 
The "Black Market" is actually a Free Market forced to go underground by excessive taxes.

If California would simply lower taxes and licensing fees on legitimate sellers, folks will stop buying black market marijuana, and buy from the licensed sellers.

By lowering taxes, the state would actually make more in tax revenues.
 
SkyChief said:
The "Black Market" is actually a Free Market forced to go underground by excessive taxes.

If California would simply lower taxes and licensing fees on legitimate sellers, folks will stop buying black market marijuana, and buy from the licensed sellers.

By lowering taxes, the state would actually make more in tax revenues.
Click to expand...

But that would be too hard for the pols. A lot of CA residents, conservatives especially, still consider pot a gateway drug.
 
JacksinPA said:
State mounts largest crackdown on illegal pot shops in LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators mounted dozens of raids against illegal marijuana retailers in Los Angeles this week, the largest crackdown to date against the city’s thriving black market, officials announced Friday.

The state has been under pressure from California’s legal industry to do more to stop the underground pot economy, which in Los Angeles and other cities often operates in plain sight. According to some estimates, roughly 75% of sales in the state remain under the table, snatching profits from legal storefronts.
====================================================
Snatching revenue from the tax man is more the story.
Click to expand...

Another reason our State Government is so expensive?

General operation of the laws should be uniform.

We could be generating more revenue at lower cost with greater access to markets in a more convenient manner.

Article 1, Section 3, paragraph (b)(2) ...A statute, court rule, or other authority adopted after the effective date of this subdivision that limits the right of access shall be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.
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Our federal welfare clause is General and we have a Commerce Clause in particular which implies public policies which are market friendly at every capital opportunity.
 
JacksinPA said:
A lot of CA residents, conservatives especially, still consider pot a gateway drug.
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I don't doubt this is true, but conservatives are not the ones who must pay outrageous prices in the legitimate weed shops - people like me are. So naturally we buy black market weed because it's half the price.
 
SkyChief said:
I don't doubt this is true, but conservatives are not the ones who must pay outrageous prices in the legitimate weed shops - people like me are. So naturally we buy black market weed because it's half the price.
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Marijuana should be as easy to obtain as tobacco.
 
JacksinPA said:
But that would be too hard for the pols. A lot of CA residents, conservatives especially, still consider pot a gateway drug.
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While pumping their kids full of adderall which HAS been determined to give kids a taste for stimulants.
 
Any objection to thresholds for potency from marijuana potentially sold at convenience stores?

Any local consumer market for CBD products could potentially have access to better products at lower cost.

Taxes could be higher but prices still lower than black market products in such a case.
 
JacksinPA said:
State mounts largest crackdown on illegal pot shops in LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators mounted dozens of raids against illegal marijuana retailers in Los Angeles this week, the largest crackdown to date against the city’s thriving black market, officials announced Friday.

The state has been under pressure from California’s legal industry to do more to stop the underground pot economy, which in Los Angeles and other cities often operates in plain sight. According to some estimates, roughly 75% of sales in the state remain under the table, snatching profits from legal storefronts.
====================================================
Snatching revenue from the tax man is more the story.
Click to expand...

Hopefully they don’t make the same mistakes as the New York City police.
In NYC they seized 104 pounds of hemp which is legal.
NYC is looking at a 10 million dollar lawsuit.
 
danielpalos said:
Marijuana should be as easy to obtain as tobacco.
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The problem is that tobacco is not as powerful an intoxicant as weed. There are a number of problems associated with pot: police field tests to determine the extent of intoxication, and corporate drug testing. The railroads are are real big on this. There was a major train accident some years ago near Philadelphia & most if not all the train crew were stoned. I think this was before the big focus on drug testing.
 
JacksinPA said:
The problem is that tobacco is not as powerful an intoxicant as weed. There are a number of problems associated with pot: police field tests to determine the extent of intoxication, and corporate drug testing. The railroads are are real big on this. There was a major train accident some years ago near Philadelphia & most if not all the train crew were stoned. I think this was before the big focus on drug testing.
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Being intoxicated with any drug can have the ability of impairing normal reaction times. Practice must make perfect. Only physical impairment is a physical barrier to safety.
 
It's not just about the taxes, it's about controlling the means of production regarding weed. While the taxes do add much to the cost, the idiotic regulations imposed on legal weed also increases prices.

Once I saw how much they charge, I avoid these dumb legal weed shops like the plague. The guy I buy from gives me excellent bud at a really good price, and zero dollars from the sale go to the rotten state. Capitalism for the win, as usual.
 
JacksinPA said:
State mounts largest crackdown on illegal pot shops in LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California regulators mounted dozens of raids against illegal marijuana retailers in Los Angeles this week, the largest crackdown to date against the city’s thriving black market, officials announced Friday.

The state has been under pressure from California’s legal industry to do more to stop the underground pot economy, which in Los Angeles and other cities often operates in plain sight. According to some estimates, roughly 75% of sales in the state remain under the table, snatching profits from legal storefronts.
====================================================
Snatching revenue from the tax man is more the story.
Click to expand...

If you were the Captain of a doomed ship, you'd be trying to keep it afloat any way you could.
 
SkyChief said:
The "Black Market" is actually a Free Market forced to go underground by excessive taxes.

If California would simply lower taxes and licensing fees on legitimate sellers, folks will stop buying black market marijuana, and buy from the licensed sellers.

By lowering taxes, the state would actually make more in tax revenues.
Click to expand...

I have not studied the California situation, but I'm guessing you're probably correct.
 
Is there any association that can help out with excessive regulation in this area?

Most would probably not mind higher taxes for a safer product and more revenue for public goods and public services.
 
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