Ph03nix and I spend a lot of time discussing the threads we read here. That's the advantage of having a partner that you can talk with, it keeps your brain active...
Here is a hypothetical that formed while we were talking about all the posts here so far, with a focus on the small grower:
The scenario is that cannabis is fully legalised for medicinal use according to its use. For example, lower potency would be sold the same as Panadol. Higher strengths such as used to deal with pain, depression etc, would also be available over the counter. It would also be legal for personal recreational use much the same as alcohol. IOW, if you are over 18, you can walk into a drug store/chemist, clinic, co-op or bottle shop and buy your pot without need for a card or any other 'permit'.
Growers such as FDD can become licenced as a commercial grower, or can become licenced to grow for personal use (unlike tobacco where the laws [I think] still prohibit growing and processing in your back yard).
The commercial licence allows the grower to sell to either Government licenced co-ops, commercial processors who market pre-packaged, strength specific medicinal strains for chemists/drugstores, or to distributors for sale through liquor stores and clubs etc.
Commercial growers can grow as much pot as they want (supply and demand will control this), but must grow specific strains of specific strengths. Growers who produce superior crops with known, stable potency (read FDD) will command premium prices from buyers in the pharmaceutical sector. Growers of lower quality weed will sell to the recreational market where limits will be placed on the potency of the pot that can be sold, much the same as alcohol and tobacco. A further option for commercial growers will be to open their own 'boutique' outlet (like ilkhan's vintners) and sell their best quality products to the general public in the same way as a winery. This would be covered under a special licence.
The personal use licence will allow people to have thirty seedlings (up to budding stage) and five mature plants (in full bud) per season. It will be illegal to trade, sell or otherwise profit from these plants. You can share your harvested bud with friends, the same as home brewed beer, but not sell it. If you get busted breaking the rules, you lose your licence FOREVER and cop big fines. You will then have to buy your weed the same as anyone else. THERE WILL BE NO JAIL TERMS FOR THESE OFFENCES. However, the fines will be steep and you will forever lose the opportunity to have a growers licence.
Much the same as home brew, there will be some who grow as a hobby and to save money. Others will go big like Budweiser or Fosters and grow acres and acres of mids for the recreational market. Others will concentrate on the medicinal trade, while others will be happy to run their own outlet.
With full legalisation come taxes of course. We're not economists, so we couldn't think of what sort of a rate. Probably based on a potency and quantity rate. That way small high potency boutique growers wouldn't be paying higher taxes in comparison to large scale commercial mid-strength enterprises. Higher potency crops would attract higher taxes. However, if the grower was producing small amounts (coffee shop amounts), it would be reasonable. This would deter large scale high potency crops other than for the high end medicinal market. Government concessions would be available to medicinal patients to offset the tax component.
...I'll continue this later because we are really late and have to go out very soon else we'll miss the bus... (sorry for 'jacking the thread FDD)...
we've still got to think about prices, say between $100 and $300 an ounce retail including taxes etc. depending on potency. Top end boutique pot could even sell for more than it is today. Consider the value of a fine bottle of single malt scotch or a barrel proof bottle of Wild Turkey. Think of the price of some fine wines.
Anyway, the point is... imagine yourself going to a big flashy cocktail party and discussing your job with some old lady dripping in diamonds:
"So, Mr Fdd, what do you do for a living?"
"Well, I grow top grade medicinal canabis for Canafine (a fictional pharmaceutical company)".
"Oh, how lovely. I know your products well. I'm completely off Valium now. And is that going well for you, dear?"
"Well yes. I have 100 000 acres of the finest quality bud, almost ready to harvest, and I just bought a small plot to plant out with a little experiment of my own. It seems that this new pot we're growing can completely eliminate any type of cancer cell known. Oh, I'll have to show you my new yacht. We took delivery last week... *blah, blah, blah*
That'd be a pretty cool job, I think.
