[Masslessxphoton]

Pretend the goverment just made pot legal.

Fox news report:
Wal-mart sold over 2 million units of pot this tuesday. The sales are sky rocketing! anyone over 18 can buy this plant for only 40.00 per pound. Obama has had very high hopes.

What is the US like right now?

[Bluestreak]

	Originally Posted by Masslessxphoton To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	What is the US like right now?

Fast food stocks sky rocket. And I have the foresight to buy lots of it.

[illustral]

Increased crime rates, murder rates, and OD rates; increasing reports of hard drug abuse; widespread truancy; more car accidents than can be counted!

But in reality, a lot more people would be able to get higher paying jobs because they don't have to worry about passing a drug screen. And people would be a lot happier in general.

Also, hemp production would start back up, creating an assload of jobs in addition to the cannabis growing/processing, causing industrial growth in America, allowing us to import less and export more.

It's really an all-around good thing.

[sevans]

	Originally Posted by Masslessxphoton To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Pretend the goverment just made pot legal. Fox news report: Wal-mart sold over 2 million units of pot this tuesday. The sales are sky rocketing! anyone over 18 can buy this plant for only 40.00 per pound. Obama has had very high hopes. What is the US like right now?

Let me point out how this would actually occur:
First of all, cannabis would only be legalized for recreational use in adults over 21.
Second, it would not be called "Pot" as that is a negative term, would be called "Cannabis".
Third, Obama won't legalize it because he's an asshole who likes to flip his positions when running for office.
Fourth, Cannabis would be sold like tobacco in joints (cigarettes), blunts (black and milds), cigars, and freely.
Fifth, as much as I like your idea of weed being $40 a pound it will never be that low.

Okay so all that straightened out, you'd probably never see any difference in society, people may be more chill socially but that's about it. Less people would be grouped in with hippies just for smoking, and more people that you know would be open about their smoking. You'd see me, downtown or in a park somewhere, sparking up my bubbler and just sitting back and enjoying the scenery. You'd see your friends walking around passing joints, you'd see your aunts, uncles, grandparents, and maybe even your brothers and sisters smoking their bongs on their back porches. All in all, it would all be pretty much the same minus the subculture aspect.

---------- Post added 06-06-2012 at 11:23 PM ----------

	Originally Posted by Bluestreak To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Fast food stocks sky rocket. And I have the foresight to buy lots of it.

No, look at Taco Bell. Fourth Meal, Dorito Supreme Tacos, new flavors coming soon, over 100 million sold in about 8 weeks... I'd say Stoners already corner that market.

[deconspire]

Not much different. The people that really want to smoke pot already do.

[frontaLobotomy]

If regulated properly, it could be a good thing. The equivelant of £25 on the lb is a tad optimistic though, it costs more than that to produce a plant yielding those weights alone.

I'd be more interested in what implications such a thing would have on promoting greater hemp production, that stuff could (and perhaps should) change the world. Not like, utopia levels, but it would give deforestation and the textile industry a good kick to the pants area.

[INTJRyan]

It's worse to get a speeding ticket in CA than get caught with less than an ounce of ganj. And man, has it been absolute bedlam since it was more or less decriminalized. People running wild in the streets, rioting, overturning cars, shooting at cops, wide-eyed and dark skinned hooligans menacing the virtuous white lady, and general reefer-induced shenanigans.

In reality, the only negative effect is the inability to properly tax our biggest cash crop.

[FruitLoop]

It's harvest time here this time of the year, and frankly there is no work for the police right now. Everyone is pretty laid back LOL.

And business? My business is skyrocketing lol!

[Income]

Originally Posted by illustral To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Increased crime rates, murder rates, and OD rates; increasing reports of hard drug abuse; widespread truancy; more car accidents than can be counted! But in reality, a lot more people would be able to get higher paying jobs because they don't have to worry about passing a drug screen. And people would be a lot happier in general. Also, hemp production would start back up, creating an assload of jobs in addition to the cannabis growing/processing, causing industrial growth in America, allowing us to import less and export more. It's really an all-around good thing.

Sarcasm?

[zibber]

South Park is now the #1 show on US television.

	Originally Posted by Income To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Sarcasm?

Well spotted.

[Uncle Mort]

Well it might go some way to reducing the draconian no smoking laws currently in place.

[Income]

	Originally Posted by zibber To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	South Park is now the #1 show on US television. Well spotted.

Ah, well in this topic anything is possible to hear.

[Dru]

pros:

- taxable sales
- less non-violent offenders taking up jail and prison space (those are very V.I.P. these days)
- less money wasted - yes, wasted - on the persecution of pot-related offenses

cons:

- more crickets chirping

[Zsych]

Its probably worth testing in a few cities in different parts of the country (with different ways of life) for a few years, to see how it evolves in different circumstances and what type of regulation are preferable, where.

(I would never suggest 'one law for everybody'
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)

[PovertyPenalty]

	Originally Posted by Zsych To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Its probably worth testing in a few cities in different parts of the country (with different ways of life) for a few years, to see how it evolves in different circumstances and what type of regulation are preferable, where. (I would never suggest 'one law for everybody' To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. )

Alright. Let's try Ann Arbor, Michigan first.

But seriously. Everything would continue as normal, except that many of us would say, "I never thought [insert doctor, lawyer, politician, CEO or other professional] liked smoking weed."

I would guarantee that the sun would continue to rise and set on most parts of the world. Marijuana is everywhere. It is only the delusional who believe otherwise.

[Zsych]

Not everyone smokes pot or considers it a good thing. Legalizing it will change that somewhat as well as make it more easily available. I heard someone comment for example that they just couldn't manage to find pot in my city, unlike their own (not that it isn't there, but apparently its comparatively less prevalent - that would change if it was in every store)

You can't say that something will definitely have positive or negative effects before trying it out, and its not sensible to make a massive change with unknown side-effects, and just hope that things will go well.

People aren't dying because marijuana isn't legal. If its not legal in their state till ten years after some other place - their lives will still have been fine.

(and as you say, those that really want it, can find it)

[scorpiomover]

Cookie dough sales go absolutely bananas. Their sales skyrocket to 1000% of normal sales.

Several million people don't make it in to work. Many call in sick. But they can't stop laughing.

Crime rates plummet. Everyone is too stoned to care.

After about a month, everything goes back to normal, except it's much more more chillax. Less in your face. Oh, yeah. No-one gives a hoot about the Democrites versus the Republicanarians anymore. Same for the other cultural wars in America anymore.

	Originally Posted by Zsych To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	You can't say that something will definitely have positive or negative effects before trying it out, and its not sensible to make a massive change with unknown side-effects, and just hope that things will go well.

You can look at the UK. Many stoners here. The police don't do that much about it. They are mostly interested in catching the dealers. But dealers spring up every day. Even with the latest tech, their good days are when they "hold the line" (their words). Hardly any firms have drug testing of any kind.

Most stoners here, pretty much sit around after work, get stoned, laugh, eat, play video games, and that's pretty much all they do outside of work. They are probably the least violent group, ever.

Somtimes here, one wishes that weed was mandatory, just to get everyone to chill out, and relax.

[deconspire]

What Dru said about jail/prison is the most important change. Thats your tax money that could be used toward regulating more dangerous avenues of aberrant behavior.

[DeepThought]

There would be a major shift in production from plants like tobacco to marijuana in several states. This will result in a significant economic boost to those areas to take advantage of the change early. New businesses will sprout up. Many existing businesses in related industries (retail, coffee shops, pharmacies, etc.) will be slow to take advantage of the new markets out of fear of alienating consumers who still harbor reservations regarding the drug. Those business will miss out and some will eventually loose significant market share becoming ripe for take overs or liquidation.

There would also be a major shift in criminal enterprises as marijuana distribution becomes a mainstream business. Prices will drop and production and distribution channels become more refined and efficient. Many criminal organizations will become legitimate taking advantage of their product knowledge and producer contacts, but those who remain in the underground will shift away from marijuana into either harder, still illegal drugs or shift to other more lucrative activities. Crime in many areas will eventually drop, but the drop will not be immediate as the change will sow confusion and anxiety among many in the previously illicit trade. Some will have a hard time adapting to legitimate competition and will lash out.

Some states or local communities will resist for a while longer and implement strict prohibition laws of their own. Those laws will be challenged and ultimately defeated, but there will be many years, perhaps decades where marijuana use and possession will still be considered a major criminal offense in those areas.

Police in other areas would have to shift from general drug busting and enforcement of the prohibition to more selective enforcement to stem the inevitable initial rise in DUI and underage drug abuse.

There would be a major shift in pharmaceutical research as the political and societal stigma associated with that class of drug lessens. As a result new cannabis derived drugs are made available in a few years which are found to be affective against a range of difficult-to-treat symptoms.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that with the shift to increased domestic production production in South and Central America will be reduced dramatically. If governments in those areas follow suit then perhaps they will be able to pick back up some trade eventually, but they will loose ground and have to switch to either growing other illicit drugs or less profitable food items. Distribution (read criminal) networks in those regions will also collapse, probably in a brief violent spasm followed by a much needed calm. Those trying to shift to the distribution of harder drugs will face still competition with those already in that business. With a slacking demand it will likely result in a dramatic reduction in drug related violence throughout the Americas.

[Sk8ordude]

It should be available to everybody in its fresh non-psychoactive form for its amazing health benifits. I'd juice mine with my carrots and tomatos.

Anyways,

-Significantly lower incarceration rates.
-Less of the subsequent crime rates.
-Less alcohol abuse and related health complications.
-Less alcohol related violence and manslaughter.
-Dangerous synthetic cannabinoid use would become virtually nonexistant.
-Lower cancer rates with the awareness of the properties raw cannabis holds.
-Pissed off social conservatives.
-Less wasting of tax dollars.
-Less law enforcement employment.
-Lower rates of dangerous drug abuse.
-Drug education reform.
-Drug law reform.
-Sick people will have access to the medicine they need.
-All of these benifits will multiply across the world

[deconspire]

Bad things about Government-regulated Marijuana

-You still won't be allowed to grow it - it can't be taxed then.
-Production will likely be monopolized by whatever company kicks back to the FDA/Big RX the most.
-Prices will be driven up on quality strains.
-Quality will be regulated, and possibly diluted.
-Work-efficiency may fall. As a result, businesses will regulate employees more.
-Entertainment revenue might drop from people going out less.
-Since you won't be able to drive on it, police will become more aggressive about trying to figure out if you're on it. Blood samples instead of breathalyzers? Invasive. But they will have to do something.
-Fundamentalist backlash will be enormous. There will be a lot of pressure on school boards to institute new drug-free policies.
-US athletics quality will take a hit. More people smoking = less people practicing athletics. Especially the younger people that feed into the system. Some of the most talented athletes are from the most volatile areas...and then this legalization will create even more temptation/pressure on them.
-Overall GPA at the University level (at the least) will drop.
-Graduation levels will probably drop.
-Healthcare costs will probably rise.
-At the fringe levels of society, hard drug use will rise.

Basically, everything that happened in the Netherlands, except we have less empathy, guns, and more of a "fuck off" attitude.