December 19, 2006
No Rainbow Needed for This Pot of Gold
So much of what is consumed in America comes from foreign countries, but now American “farmers” have made a former import their own. Yes indeed, today the largest cash crop in the U.S.A. is none other than marijuana.
According to a study conducted by Jon Gettman, a public policy analyst and former head of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), domestic growers produced roughly $35 billion worth of grass in the past year. The number estimated by NORML would mean the illegal herb generates more sales than corn and wheat combined.
The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy was not willing to substantiate Mr. Gettman’s estimate, but a spokesperson for the organization told Reuters the illegal drug trade in the country is estimated at $200 billion a year.
The five biggest states for marijuana cultivation, California, Tennessee, Kentucky, Hawaii and Washington, are estimated to produce more than $1 billion in sales annually.
Mr. Gettman arrived at his numbers based on government reports issued between 2002 and 2005.
“Marijuana has become a pervasive and ineradicable part of the economy of the United States. The contribution of this market to the nation’s gross domestic product is overlooked in the debate over effective control,” said Mr. Gettman. “Like all profitable agricultural crops, marijuana adds resources and value to the economy. The focus of public policy should be how to effectively control this market through regulation and taxation in order to achieve immediate and realistic goals, such as reducing teenage access.”
Tom Riley Office of National Drug Control Policy said that, although illegal drugs were a “serious part of the economy,” the use of marijuana was an “inherently harmful activity” and its production and consumption should not be legalized.
Discussion Questions: Is it time for marijuana to be legalized for over-the-counter sales? What are the implications for retail if the drug were to be
made legal? Should retailers, specifically grocery, convenience, packaged goods and tobacco stores, be lobbying for a change in current laws that make the production, sale and
consumption of marijuana illegal?
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Unfortunately, the “harmless” intoxicant of choice from the 60s and 70s has been bioengineered by basement botanists into a “superweed” with far stronger subjective effects. As much as I sympathize with those who would have decriminalized pot back then, the new product is more dangerous – especially when combined with motor vehicles.
I’m afraid there’s little chance of going back to simpler times when toking a little grass was innocent, rebellious fun. Add that to our society’s growing disapproval of smoking tobacco and I expect the arguments against legalizing marijuana will prevail. Excepting a few “medical” uses, I rather doubt our society can accept its commercialization.
Maybe a retailer, to gain traffic and publicity, should poll its shoppers once a week or once a month, on current public issues. Examples: marijuana legalization, unconditional withdrawal from Iraq, gay/lesbian marriage, raising the minimum wage, universal health care. The retailer could publicize the results by store location and across the chain (if it is a chain). The key would be: would the retailer’s market positioning gain value or would this just be an invitation for more trouble than it’s worth?
We sell cigarettes and alcohol, why not a far less dangerous drug like marijuana? Among the many benefits, it would not only boost retail profits and add tax revenue, it would also save tax payers millions of dollars by taking users out of the criminal justice system.
I don’t think it should be made legal and sold in stores in the USA. Being illegal is probably what keeps me from using it. I see no benefit from having it legalized. I do believe though that is should be legal to grow and cultivate marijuana to be exported sold to foreign countries except to nearby countries like Canada and Mexico. This way private businesses could legally sell millions or perhaps billions of $$$ worth of marijuana without affecting our own citizens. It would also help in balancing our foreign trade deficit.
As Cal Coolidge might have said, “I’m agin it!”
Sure it should be legalized but will it? No. I personally see smoking grass as no more a dangerous activity than drinking alcohol. The difference is drinking alcohol is publicly acceptable — using marijuana not so. Taking the growing and distribution of marijuana out of the hands of criminals and legalizing, controlling it (and yes, taxing it), would be infinitely better than the situation now — same for prostitution which has been around for centuries and will also never be legislated out of existence). The DEA sees marijuana legalization as a slippery slope leading to “harder” drugs and sending the public a message that drug use is acceptable, so I don’t see marijuana suddenly being available over the counter. Further I can’t see a Wal-Mart or Albertsons leading the charge lobbying for the de-criminalization of marijuana — they are part of a very conservative retail industry and fear the public backlash. However, instead of being behind the curve, they should at least be abreast of community attitudes on this controversial issue. That way, as public sentiment changes and evolves, they could put strategies in place as to how to handle the sale of this product. Imagine strolling into Whole Foods and being able to choose from 5-6 varieties of organically grown, pesticide-free grass! For BrainTrust entrepreneurs out there, I hear that “Acapulco Gold” is already trademarked.
The hardest thing to do in responding to this thread is pick a perspective:
A country boy with family roots not that far from “Copperhead Road” — where Cousin Jimmy is just as likely to be “growin’ him a li’l cash crop” as great grandpa “Uncle Johnny” was to have been running a still?
As a college student of the seventies — where the discussion of “how high is up?” wasn’t all that rhetorical on the Chapel Hill campus?
As a product of a devout Southern Baptist upbringing — where the only possible answer would be to concur with Calvin and Herb and agree “I’m a’gin it”?
As the father of three college students — who knows darned right well that those kids share a lot more of his own youthful penchant for excitement and exploration than they reveal?(In deference to his aging heart, of course!)
As a professional person — who tries to view this issue from a business perspective more so than a moral one?
The fact is that there is no absolute line in life to differentiate “indulgence” from “vice.” The lines only exist where society draws them. If society moves the line on marijuana then some retailers will eventually sell it. But even though the legal line is black and white, society’s line is always gray. That’s why most movie retailers don’t sell pornography and most QSR restaurants don’t offer beer (at least in the U.S.). So will we ever see Mary Jane by the Marlboro’s? Colombian by the Camels? Or Hawaiian Gold by the Hawaiian Punch? I don’t think so.
As a confirmed abstainer, my first question would be, could we please have a rational and non-political discussion as to the dangers of marijuana, versus tobacco or alcohol? With this clearly understood, decisions as to the benefits; medical, psychological and financial could be discussed with clear heads. Sorry for the pun but we all get so uptight about what our prejudices are, that we don’t hear the facts of the opposing side.
This ‘war on drugs’ is absurd.
The main lasting effect of government intervening to make a mind-altering drug illegal is to make evil gangsters very rich.
While I do not use or condone the use of pot, demand is there just as was the case with alcohol during the awful prohibition times. If not legalization of pot, then certainly make penalties along the lines of a traffic ticket…or get serious. Really serious.
Otherwise, consider the drug problem a health problem; a spiritual problem. Why is it one in ten people in this most fortunate and richest of all nations choose to regularly escape the torment of plenty using legal and illegal substances? Make love not war is perhaps a slogan that needs to be revisited.
But to punish people with jail time for smoking dope is well…even dumber than the people who dumb their brains using drugs.
First of all, there is no argument whether children need to be shielded from pot sellers. In a black market, there is little concern for selling anything to underage buyers. The best way to limit children’s access to pot is to get rid of the black market. My grandkids can get a bag of pot more easily than they can get a six-pack of beer.
That said, the big question here is not about deciding whether adults should engage in potentially harmful activities like rock climbing, cocktail drinking, or eating too many cheeseburgers. Then we might also discuss whether it is wise to remove from people’s pockets the billions of tax dollars that are needed to fund police and military efforts to stop adults from choosing to do themselves possible harm.
IMHO, the question for businessmen concerning the war on pot (which is actually a war on people) should be a question of economics. And the question is “how much do you believe in a free market economy?” If you believe in a “controlled free market” then you don’t believe in a free market and you open the door to any regulation that the breeze blows into the halls of congress. Good luck doing business in that environment.
Any government regulation that hampers one part of the economy (i.e., marijuana trade) will eventually grow and spread its ill effects to other parts of the economy and society. That’s why the war on pot is more harmful to individuals, families, and society than the actual pot smoking that adults choose to engage in.
The economics of marijuana as a cash crop is overshadowed by the fact that it is a mind altering drug. If we were to use the $$$ argument alone, why not legalize heroin?
Also, keep in mind that the reason the illegal drug trade generates so much money is in part because the drugs cost more BECAUSE they are illegal. Legalize them, regulate them, and the money generated decreases.
The question posed shows a lack of ethics built into capitalism: since we can make money at it, should we do it?
This very question has led industry to damage the environment and leap over the rights of workers in order to produce greater profit. A quick review of history reveals that it costs far more to clean up messes than to prevent them in the first place.
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Unfortunately, the “harmless” intoxicant of choice from the 60s and 70s has been bioengineered by basement botanists into a “superweed” with far stronger subjective effects. As much as I sympathize with those who would have decriminalized pot back then, the new product is more dangerous – especially when combined with motor vehicles.
I’m afraid there’s little chance of going back to simpler times when toking a little grass was innocent, rebellious fun. Add that to our society’s growing disapproval of smoking tobacco and I expect the arguments against legalizing marijuana will prevail. Excepting a few “medical” uses, I rather doubt our society can accept its commercialization.
Maybe a retailer, to gain traffic and publicity, should poll its shoppers once a week or once a month, on current public issues. Examples: marijuana legalization, unconditional withdrawal from Iraq, gay/lesbian marriage, raising the minimum wage, universal health care. The retailer could publicize the results by store location and across the chain (if it is a chain). The key would be: would the retailer’s market positioning gain value or would this just be an invitation for more trouble than it’s worth?
We sell cigarettes and alcohol, why not a far less dangerous drug like marijuana? Among the many benefits, it would not only boost retail profits and add tax revenue, it would also save tax payers millions of dollars by taking users out of the criminal justice system.
I don’t think it should be made legal and sold in stores in the USA. Being illegal is probably what keeps me from using it. I see no benefit from having it legalized. I do believe though that is should be legal to grow and cultivate marijuana to be exported sold to foreign countries except to nearby countries like Canada and Mexico. This way private businesses could legally sell millions or perhaps billions of $$$ worth of marijuana without affecting our own citizens. It would also help in balancing our foreign trade deficit.
As Cal Coolidge might have said, “I’m agin it!”
Sure it should be legalized but will it? No. I personally see smoking grass as no more a dangerous activity than drinking alcohol. The difference is drinking alcohol is publicly acceptable — using marijuana not so. Taking the growing and distribution of marijuana out of the hands of criminals and legalizing, controlling it (and yes, taxing it), would be infinitely better than the situation now — same for prostitution which has been around for centuries and will also never be legislated out of existence). The DEA sees marijuana legalization as a slippery slope leading to “harder” drugs and sending the public a message that drug use is acceptable, so I don’t see marijuana suddenly being available over the counter. Further I can’t see a Wal-Mart or Albertsons leading the charge lobbying for the de-criminalization of marijuana — they are part of a very conservative retail industry and fear the public backlash. However, instead of being behind the curve, they should at least be abreast of community attitudes on this controversial issue. That way, as public sentiment changes and evolves, they could put strategies in place as to how to handle the sale of this product. Imagine strolling into Whole Foods and being able to choose from 5-6 varieties of organically grown, pesticide-free grass! For BrainTrust entrepreneurs out there, I hear that “Acapulco Gold” is already trademarked.
The hardest thing to do in responding to this thread is pick a perspective:
A country boy with family roots not that far from “Copperhead Road” — where Cousin Jimmy is just as likely to be “growin’ him a li’l cash crop” as great grandpa “Uncle Johnny” was to have been running a still?
As a college student of the seventies — where the discussion of “how high is up?” wasn’t all that rhetorical on the Chapel Hill campus?
As a product of a devout Southern Baptist upbringing — where the only possible answer would be to concur with Calvin and Herb and agree “I’m a’gin it”?
As the father of three college students — who knows darned right well that those kids share a lot more of his own youthful penchant for excitement and exploration than they reveal?(In deference to his aging heart, of course!)
As a professional person — who tries to view this issue from a business perspective more so than a moral one?
The fact is that there is no absolute line in life to differentiate “indulgence” from “vice.” The lines only exist where society draws them. If society moves the line on marijuana then some retailers will eventually sell it. But even though the legal line is black and white, society’s line is always gray. That’s why most movie retailers don’t sell pornography and most QSR restaurants don’t offer beer (at least in the U.S.). So will we ever see Mary Jane by the Marlboro’s? Colombian by the Camels? Or Hawaiian Gold by the Hawaiian Punch? I don’t think so.
As a confirmed abstainer, my first question would be, could we please have a rational and non-political discussion as to the dangers of marijuana, versus tobacco or alcohol? With this clearly understood, decisions as to the benefits; medical, psychological and financial could be discussed with clear heads. Sorry for the pun but we all get so uptight about what our prejudices are, that we don’t hear the facts of the opposing side.
This ‘war on drugs’ is absurd.
The main lasting effect of government intervening to make a mind-altering drug illegal is to make evil gangsters very rich.
While I do not use or condone the use of pot, demand is there just as was the case with alcohol during the awful prohibition times. If not legalization of pot, then certainly make penalties along the lines of a traffic ticket…or get serious. Really serious.
Otherwise, consider the drug problem a health problem; a spiritual problem. Why is it one in ten people in this most fortunate and richest of all nations choose to regularly escape the torment of plenty using legal and illegal substances? Make love not war is perhaps a slogan that needs to be revisited.
But to punish people with jail time for smoking dope is well…even dumber than the people who dumb their brains using drugs.
First of all, there is no argument whether children need to be shielded from pot sellers. In a black market, there is little concern for selling anything to underage buyers. The best way to limit children’s access to pot is to get rid of the black market. My grandkids can get a bag of pot more easily than they can get a six-pack of beer.
That said, the big question here is not about deciding whether adults should engage in potentially harmful activities like rock climbing, cocktail drinking, or eating too many cheeseburgers. Then we might also discuss whether it is wise to remove from people’s pockets the billions of tax dollars that are needed to fund police and military efforts to stop adults from choosing to do themselves possible harm.
IMHO, the question for businessmen concerning the war on pot (which is actually a war on people) should be a question of economics. And the question is “how much do you believe in a free market economy?” If you believe in a “controlled free market” then you don’t believe in a free market and you open the door to any regulation that the breeze blows into the halls of congress. Good luck doing business in that environment.
Any government regulation that hampers one part of the economy (i.e., marijuana trade) will eventually grow and spread its ill effects to other parts of the economy and society. That’s why the war on pot is more harmful to individuals, families, and society than the actual pot smoking that adults choose to engage in.
The economics of marijuana as a cash crop is overshadowed by the fact that it is a mind altering drug. If we were to use the $$$ argument alone, why not legalize heroin?
Also, keep in mind that the reason the illegal drug trade generates so much money is in part because the drugs cost more BECAUSE they are illegal. Legalize them, regulate them, and the money generated decreases.
The question posed shows a lack of ethics built into capitalism: since we can make money at it, should we do it?
This very question has led industry to damage the environment and leap over the rights of workers in order to produce greater profit. A quick review of history reveals that it costs far more to clean up messes than to prevent them in the first place.