Legal marijuana about to start spreading

[jimnyc]

Quite a few states have already adopted the legality of marijuana for recreational use. Somewhere around 15 states or so have done so.

Imagine you are debating the idea within your state with the rest of the leaders. One of the most important things is the annual budget. And suppose your state needs money. And you read these headlines. That's $2 billion dollars for just 2020. That's a lot of $$!! And that doesn't even account for the $4 billion then spent on pizza and cookies! :laugh:


Colorado shatters marijuana sales record with $2.19 billion in 2020; $10 billion since 2014

Colorado’s first-in-the-country recreational marijuana industry reported nearly $2.2 billion in sales during 2020, and more than $10 billion since it started in early 2014, regulators said Tuesday.

Figures released by Colorado’s Department of Revenue show that recreational marijuana sales during the past calendar year totaled more than $2.19 billion, setting a new state record.

Coloradans voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012, paving the way for the state to set up a system for regulating and taxing retail sales. Nine others have since followed suit.

On the revenue department website, newly published figures show that between the start of 2014 and the end of 2020, total recreational marijuana sales in Colorado totaled over $9.978 billion.

Colorado has not released marijuana sales figures for January. It has published related sales tax data, however. Taxes and fees generated several million dollars in revenue for Colorado last month, according to those numbers, meaning the first-of-its-kind recreational marijuana industry has reported more than $10 billion in sales in its roughly seven years of existence.

Rest - https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/10/colorado-marijuana-sales-shatter-record-with-219-b/

[Mr. P]

Time to buy some pot stocks, I guess.

[Abbey Marie]

I don’t have a particular beef with legalized weed, but I wonder what’s next on the legalization horizon.

As for the current situation, there are so many ads for gambling/sports betting now, it’s unreal. I think people are being lured in who really can’t handle it. Imagine how many lives and marriages are being shattered by gambling addictions? (Just wait until prostitution is legalized).

Same goes for any other addictive thing.

So many times lately I find myself thinking it’s probably good that I’m not young. I am starting to not recognize my country. Living in a time when police are being defunded, abortion is funded, and “social influencers” are highly regarded, makes my stomach turn.

[jimnyc]

I don’t have a particular beef with legalized weed, but I wonder what’s next on the legalization horizon.

As for the current situation, there are so many ads for gambling/sports betting now, it’s unreal. I think people are being lured in who really can’t handle it. Imagine how many lives and marriages are being shattered by gambling addictions? (Just wait until prostitution is legalized).

Same goes for any other addictive thing.

So many times lately I find myself thinking it’s probably good that I’m not young. I am starting to not recognize my country. Living in a time when police are being defunded, abortion is funded, and “social influencers” are highly regarded, makes my stomach turn.

Look at Oregon, they recently decriminalized all street drugs. Sure, that should help fix things! :thumb: One of the dumbest things ever IMO.

Marijuana and laboratory made drugs are 2 different worlds. One grows naturally and has never killed a single recorded person. The others are responsible for many deaths.

[fj1200]

Look at Oregon, they recently decriminalized all street drugs.

And some other countries.


...
Oregon 1st state to decriminalize possession of drugs (https://apnews.com/article/oregon-decriminalize-drug-possession-6843f93c3d55212e0ffbdd8b93be9196)
While this approach is new in the United States, several countries, including Portugal, the Netherlands and Switzerland, have already decriminalized possession of small amounts of hard drugs, according to the United Nations.
Portugal’s 2000 decriminalization brought no surge in drug use. Drug deaths fell while the number of people treated for drug addiction in the country rose 20% from 2001 to 2008 and then stabilized, Portuguese officials have said.

We'll see what happens.

[Gunny]

And some other countries.



We'll see what happens.Most certainly since no one is going to do a thing to stop it. I have no problem with weed anymore than I have with drinking. Do it responsibly. But there is ALWAYS a "next" with the progressive left.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Most certainly since no one is going to do a thing to stop it. I have no problem with weed anymore than I have with drinking. Do it responsibly. But there is ALWAYS a "next" with the progressive left.

sssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
Must not speak about -- ""the next"".....
Must keep the blinded, gullible masses in the dark and sing high praises to the marvelous enlightenment of the dems/liberals.
You know, bow to and praise the mighty gods of their own fantasies, the lords that get the votes by any means to enslave those that they have so brilliantly blinded.( by their engineered totally corrupted liberal public education system)
((I wrote my senior term paper on this back in 1972... Only student in class to get a perfect score, 100...
My teacher was in her late fifties and was not a blinded fool.))
Which reality says, there is truth in --" So as you sow, so shall ye reap."
The dems worship only -darkness and power. Gained by any means. At any costs. Destroying any opposition.
And that is the making, the sowing of a very evil coming dictatorship as sure as water is wet.--Tyr

[jimnyc]

And some other countries.

We'll see what happens.

I believe the idea in general has good underlying roots and if successful may very well be beneficial to some.

Portugal is the most referred to country in reference to fully decriminalize drugs as Oregon has done. Small amounts tolerated, little larger and you may get a ticket/fine. The larger 'dealer' style amounts are still illegal. A shame, but one of the main ideas behind it - and Oregon and other future places, has a lot to do with getting help for those who need it. Back assward but true. For whatever reason, while it's ok for doctors/pharmacists to toss out drugs like candy, they then offer little to nothing if someone comes for help. Same with hospitals that turn people away for such things but will gladly pump some drugs into you to "help" if needed. So rather than fix that issue, of which they apparently tried, they decide to then legalize the drugs which in turn for some odd reason now allowed for addiction services and all kinds of other help. I haven't a clue as to why they couldn't get that passed or installed somehow else. Of course there is more to it than that but it's a part of it.

And then apparently, in Oregon, they will take income from the marijuana industry and use that monies towards addiction programs.

I suppose if it were to all work as it does on paper then it may not be as bad as I think. But still is bass wackwards. But the places you refer to, I believe Portugal being the most discussed, has had mostly positive results from their new laws. Granted it's just over 10+ million there, but otherwise the same idea. Ecuador being the only larger one I see at 17mil, but their changes are different & the sale is still illegal. Oregon is smaller, if it remains contained.

It'll be interesting, but I just hope that here in America it doesn't result in anyone getting their hands on things like heroin or meth or other things that they may not have seen around let alone swallowing or smoking.

https://i.imgur.com/A8Vf41l.png

[Gunny]

MOre like they'll take those monies taxed for help with addiction and spend it rebuilding Portland.