I don’t use the stuff and never will, but even for an uninvolved party it’s easy to see that business sector will not be immune to ethics problems. The illegal nature of the substance has been selecting for those who have little to lose and less to respect. Legalization will not mean a rapid influx of those with average business ethics (especially if the existing ops have their way), so there will always be an aura of shadiness in that sector.

If legalization does come about, finally there will be a business sector that makes the payday loan and used car salesmen feel good about their work.

haven’t clicked through to the link, is this bone fide legal or shades-of-grey legal or simply feds-waiting-until-they-think-they’ll-scare-the-most-crap-out-of-people-before-they-bust-them legal?

You can’t have legal anything until a pot breathalyzer is developed to appease the police union, and people stop drinking budweiser

Perhaps they should instead develop a standard test for the physiological status deemed necessary to drive. Visual acuity, reaction time, etc. Then it wouldn’t matter if the user had a couple of beers, a spliff, or had just taken too much Nyquil.

No need for substance discrimination if the goal is to determine whether the user can safely operate a vehicle.

Nobody ever stopped civil injustices with civil behavior.

Ghandi?

“Since 2009, Mann and his employees have donated $4,300 to Quan and three other council members including Brooks, who recently signed on to a proposal to have the city issue permits for large-scale growing operations. I asked her what criteria the council would use to pick Oakland’s most reputable cannabis entrepreneurs. She laughed as Mann cut in, “Tall, good-looking, handsome.”

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/wegrow-dhar-mann-derek-peterson

“Based on current prices, such a factory would generate about $60 million in annual revenue, more than twice the gross receipts for Oakland’s four medical marijuana dispensaries last year. ”

““Our real goal is to eliminate a lot of the public problems stemming from illegal and unregulated cultivation,” said Dhar Mann, an Oakland businessman who plans to apply for one of the permits if the proposal passes. ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/us/18bcmarijuana.html?pagewanted=all

So it’s not really about the profit, it’s about ending “illegal and unregulated cultivation”? How stupid does he think we are?

So in the one corner you have $300 Billion to the legal system and police forces + the worlds biggest companies vs Oakland’s Marijuana Superstore. Anyone taking bets? I bet California falls into the Pacific Ocean before these guys sell their first bong.

I will put it to you simply.

You can’t have legal anything until a pot breathalyzer is developed to appease the police union, and people stop drinking budweiser. Ummm yeah, I said it. Put down the bud, “no”, the other one. Great. Now get the other hundred million Americans who imbibe beer to the same. Easy right?

Better chance of Nascar switching to bio-diesel or hybrid-electric.

I was in Atlanta when the Feds busted “Southern Lights”… those guys got 10 year minimums for selling this stuff, then they confiscated the ledger and busted everyone they sold too, and some of them got 10 years as well. Over some lights and some weed…

Times have changed a little, but still. When I was a kid we had to find dealers, and if you weren’t cool, then you couldn’t get any (but that’s another story). Can’t you people find dealers? I actually like the screening process… (hint: move to someplace you can surf).

Don’t mess around with this stuff people, sip your tinnie, and do what you are told. Otherwise, you are up against the police, the tea baggers, the alcoholics, and the faux hippies who have lost their cash crop (personally, the cops have nothing on those wackos).

As Keith Richards says: “Keep it in the dark”. If everyone gets it, it’s gonna suck. Just go to Holland if you don’t believe me… their country is underwater and they are happy as shit.

I hope it was just a bad choice of words.

If legalization does come about, finally there will be a business sector that makes the payday loan and used car salesmen feel good about their work.

As opposed to alcohol distributers, my friend?

No no – I think she’s referring to that “happy time” after the salespeople and loan officers get home from their respective jobs, and light one up to relax.

But you are right though – the alcohol people are after that market too.