I honestly think that we would all regret the full legalization of marijuana. I mean can you guys even imagine what these blood sucking corporations would do to our herb! Just thinnking about it makes me sick.
It alarms me to no end to see such a rash of anti-corporate mentality lately. After all, a corporation is nothing more than a collection of
individuals coming together and pooling their capital for the purpose of providing a good or service. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and state that your fear is not actually of corporations per se, but
Corporatism; which is an alliance between government and corporations for the purpose of manipulating the economy for mutual benefit. Corporatism is
not free market capitalism, it is the economic component of Fascism.
There would probably be all kinds of regulations on growing it, if we were even allowed to grow at all! Remember were not allowed to make our own whiskey... why would herb be any defferent? They would tax the hell out of it too which would basically give govt the authority to jack up the prices as often as they want. We made the mistake of giving the Govt authority ta do this with tobacco and now were payin nearly 10 bucks a pack!
Of course there would be regulations, but that is a
good thing. And taxes are a fact of life in
any civilized society. Regulation and taxation would give cannabis legitimacy and take away many objections from people who are largely ambivalent to cannabis. Removing the upward price pressure which accompanies Prohibition will
offset any taxes which result from re-legalization. Although I agree with you on the
sin taxes angle; that is another argument.
You are
incorrect about whiskey. Currently people can produce their own beer, wine, and whiskey without interference from the government as long they do not sell it.
I personally would much rather see decriminalization. That way WE can retain control of the industry, not the corporations.
Decriminalization will allow law enforcement and criminal cartels virtually the same power they have now. And government will not benefit from tax revenues derived from full re-legalization.
Right now marijuana gives the little guy an oppurtunity to make some extra cash to support his family when times get tough. And even with herb being 100% illegal its a relatively easy going hustle. I mean compared to selling hard drugs herb is a cake walk! The clientel is laid back and not going thru withdrawl. You dont have ta worry about them over dosing on your product or their kids going hungry because of their herb addiction! Anybody thats sold hard drugs will tell ya that sellin herb is just a totally different game.
Right now the little guy gets shat on by the criminal cartels and law enforcement. There are little in the way of opportunities and no prospects for a street level drug dealer. It's not exactly something one puts on one's resume. Maybe it is just me, but I have never known a drug dealer who sold cannabis
exclusively. Again, that is just me and I have not purchased cannabis in
years.
The only good that will come from legalization and taxation is that you wont have ta worry about getting arrested and the prison population will decrease. But those two things can also be accomplished thru decrim as well, IF its done right!
I have already explained in a previous post how the benefits of re-legalization far outweigh any benefits of decriminalization. It is an apples and oranges comparison.
I would just hate to see the same big wigs that have shit on us for years profit from our hard work and suffering. Because there is no doubt about it that as soon as legalization happens 99% of us are gonna be nothin but customers.
Does anybody feel me on this one???
With re-legalization, people will be able to grow their own because it will be
legal. Just like beer, wine, and liquor. Furthermore, large corporations do not monopolize the alcohol industry now. There are thousands upon thousands of wineries, microbreweries, and small distilleries. Tobacco is slightly different because it does not grow in all climates, but people do grow and cure their own tobacco. And there are smaller tobacco companies as well.