Time Article: Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy?

C

Chapdog

Abreast of the situations
Friday, Mar. 13, 2009
Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy?
By Alison Stateman / Los Angeles

Could marijuana be the answer to the economic misery facing California? Democratic state assemblyman Tom Ammiano thinks so. Ammiano introduced legislation last month that would legalize pot and allow the state to regulate and tax its sale — a move that could mean billions of dollars for the cash-strapped state. Pot is, after all, California's biggest cash crop, responsible for $14 billion a year in sales, dwarfing the state's second largest agricultural commodity — milk and cream — which brings in $7.3 billion a year, according to the most recent USDA statistics. The state's tax collectors estimate the bill would bring in about $1.3 billion a year in much needed revenue, offsetting some of the billions of dollars in service cuts and spending reductions outlined in the recently approved state budget.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1884956,00.html?iid=digg_share
 
America is not a land of free-thinkers so I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for sanity in our drug laws. Republicans are already jumping on Obama and Holder for their plans to not go after medical MJ growers .. even as the stay committed to arresting casual users and sellers.

However to the question .. absolutely.

California grows some of the best crop in the world. They hsould erect a monument to it in Humboldt County.

Imagine the revenue.
 
Damocles said:
More than 75% admit to smoking it at least once in their lives.

I'd guess the number of regular users are in the 25% category though.
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And how many of the remaining people would smoke if it were not for the legal consequences?
 
Its about the same as taking anti anxiety meds or having a drink after work is my feeling. At least it grows in the ground and not in a lab.
 
Chapdog said:
Its about the same as taking anti anxiety meds or having a drink after work is my feeling. At least it grows in the ground and not in a lab.
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Were it not for my job, I would be a regular smoker. I have Restless Leg Syndrome. I have had several prescription meds and tried some OTC stuff, but nothing helped as much as a bowl in the evening. And none of the morning headaches or grogginess the prescription meds left me with.

Its also a great cure for anorexia. lol
 
Solitary said:
Were it not for my job, I would be a regular smoker. I have Restless Leg Syndrome. I have had several prescription meds and tried some OTC stuff, but nothing helped as much as a bowl in the evening. And none of the morning headaches or grogginess the prescription meds left me with.

Its also a great cure for anorexia. lol
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Magic.. if it wasnt for my job id prob would 2. Cure for hangovers, Cure for stomach nausea/achs, cure for sore body, cure for sore eyes, cure for mental distress, cure for stress. the list goes on and on.

Id rather smoke then be taking some fucking anti depressant, anti anxiety, or sleeping pill every night. Much more healthy for you.
 
SmarterThanYou said:
how many pot smokers do you think we have in this country?
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Millions upon millions. More than in any other country in the world.

An American Pastime: Smoking Pot

The Netherlands, with its permissive marijuana laws, may be known as the cannabis capital of the world. But a survey published this month in PLoS Medicine, a journal of the Public Library of Science, suggests that the Dutch don't actually experiment with pot as much as one would expect. Despite tougher drug policies in the U.S., Americans were twice as likely to have tried marijuana than the Dutch, according to the survey. In fact, Americans were more likely to have tried marijuana or cocaine than people in any of the 16 other countries, including France, Spain, South Africa, Mexico and Colombia, that the survey covered.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1821697,00.html
 
Chapdog said:
Magic.. if it wasnt for my job id prob would 2. Cure for hangovers, Cure for stomach nausea/achs, cure for sore body, cure for sore eyes, cure for mental distress, cure for stress. the list goes on and on.

Id rather smoke then be taking some fucking anti depressant, anti anxiety, or sleeping pill every night. Much more healthy for you.
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And I am much safer being stoned than being drunk. I don't recall doing anything remarkably stupid when I was high. I cannot say the same for times I was drunk.
 
Solitary said:
Were it not for my job, I would be a regular smoker. I have Restless Leg Syndrome. I have had several prescription meds and tried some OTC stuff, but nothing helped as much as a bowl in the evening. And none of the morning headaches or grogginess the prescription meds left me with.

Its also a great cure for anorexia. lol
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Another one of the beauties of being your own boss.
 
blackascoal said:
I'm not so sure.

They write songs about the Humboldt crop. It has a sweet taste and many people smoke for the taste.
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I remember Humbolt weed being some pretty awesome stuff. The few times I had it (or at least what was claimed to be it) I thought it was the best stuff grown in the US mainland.

As far as domestic crop, I still think Hawaii grows the best.
 
Solitary said:
I remember Humbolt weed being some pretty awesome stuff. The few times I had it (or at least what was claimed to be it) I thought it was the best stuff grown in the US mainland.

As far as domestic crop, I still think Hawaii grows the best.
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Hard to argue against the Hawaii crop brother.

Surely that's what they're smoking in Heaven.
 
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