Why the US has completely messed up the partial legalization of marijuana (so far)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Fresh Toast.

One of the most frustrating problems in efforts to end the marijuana ban has long been the suspicion of freedom and the pretext that we are somehow “boldly going where politicians have never gone before”.

In particular, marijuana in the Netherlands (not just Amsterdam) has been sold over the counter to people over the age of 18 for decades. It also enables consumption on site. And almost no regulations, except NO HARD DRUGS. And basically no problems (except for the supply, which is still forbidden).

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However, when Nevada legalized leisure sales, even Las Vegas (!!!) did not initially license local consumption because they were not sure how it worked and what consequences it could have.

SEE: Las Vegas and Recreational Marijuana

In states where politicians and police distrust people even more, the regulations are even more absurd. For example, new medical marijuana laws in Ohio (and some other states) do not allow patients to smoke marijuana because the party’s prohibition line is “NO MEDICINE IS SMOKED”.

SEE: Profiles in Prohibition: General Barry McCaffrey’s War Against Marijuana Users

That’s the finding of the Institute of Medicine study, paid for by the Drug Czar’s Office in 1999, that concluded that marijuana is just as safe or safer than most drugs, aside from the risks associated with smoking. This point was taken up as propaganda by the drug czar who ignored everything else. When Ohio voted to end arrests of the sick and dying twenty years later, they included the tsar’s propaganda without ever reading or even hearing his propaganda.

GO TO Cannabis In Ohio

Pennsylvania regulations and taxes make medical marijuana much more expensive than most other states.

GO TO Cannabis in Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia Inquirer published an excellent synopsis on “Why Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Is One Of The Most Expensive In The US “

An eighth of an ounce costs $ 58.86 in Pennsylvania, but only $ 17.84 in Washington state!

“The patient community is always outraged by the prices,” said Luke Shultz, a member of the state’s medical advisory board on marijuana. “I’m not sure where the price is supposed to be. But we would definitely like to see it lower. “

Of course, nobody knows where the price of anything “should” be, which is why free markets work and “socialism” doesn’t. However, if prices are too high, there is either too little competition or too much regulation.

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The United States is supposed to be the largest free market in the world, but the federal marijuana ban doesn’t allow cheap marijuana from one state to compete with expensive marijuana from states with excessive supply restrictions – or excessive taxation.

Meanwhile, Insider NJ in New Jersey has an excellent report entitled “NJ’s Lame Duck cannabis train wreck“By Jay Lassiter.

“NJ still locks people up for weed every day.

Sick people in New Jersey still have to endure long lines to pay $ 500 for an ounce of crappy medical marijuana.

Can’t afford NJ’s overpriced pot? Bad luck! Because the penalties for self-cultivation are “draconian” to say the least, up to 20 years in prison for a few plants.

The eradication of low-level nonviolent crime remains unsolved. “

Remember this is after: “New Jersey citizens voted overwhelmingly (2 to 1 ahead) on Public Question # 1, which asked if they would agree to an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution to legalize possession and leisure Marijuana Uses for Adults 21 and over in New Jersey. “

politics has an exceptional article by Mona Zheng that should be required reading for anyone dealing with the marijuana topic.

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Richard Ross / Getty Images

“How state marijuana legalization became a boon to corruption”

By turning local officials into gatekeepers for multi-million dollar business, states created a breeding ground for bribery and favoritism….

In the past decade, 15 states have legalized a regulated marijuana market for adults over 21, and another 17 have legalized medical marijuana. But in their rush to limit the number of licensed dealers and give local communities control over the location of pharmacies, they created something else: a market for local corruption …

States that have largely avoided corruption controversy either have no license caps – like Colorado or Oklahoma – or issue a limited number of licenses through a lottery instead evaluate applicants on performance – like Arizona. Many entrepreneurs, especially those who lost on license applications, believe that The government shouldn’t pick winners and losers and just let the free market do its job. “

Unfortunately, too many people who want to legalize marijuana do not believe in free markets, and too many people who claim to believe in free markets do not trust the American people with personal freedom.

SEE: FBI Investigates Corruption in California Marijuana Retail Licenses

Richard Cowan is a former NORML National Director and author of Why You May Want To Buy CBD This Christmas?