My two cents on the "legalize marijuana" issue. Per Bob Marley.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

A bit of paraphrasing..."The drink, it make you drunk. The herb, it make you think."

:hi: MKJ

[seemslikeadream]

1. Legalize it, time to recognize it

Sean Paul

Just gimme di trees and mek we smoke it yo (Smoke it yo!)
It a mek we peace so dont provoke it yo (Voke it yo!)
We nuh need nuh speed so we nah nuh coke it yo (Coke it yo!)
Set yuh mind at ease we gotta take it slow

So when yuh see di S.P. floatin dont provoke him
Cau di weed weh we smokin need fi soakin
Fastin fi di medication, and di best hygrade a Jamaican
When we a bun a weed we supportin and promotin
Lau di crack and di coke ting yeah we smoking
Herb a di healin of di nation
Legalize it right now we gwaan blaze one

Everyday, we be burnin not concernin what nobody wanna say
We be earnin dollars turning cau we mind deh pon we pay
Some got gold and all dem diamonds all we got is Mary J
Legalize it, time to recognize it

This purple haze it mek mi crazy
Mek mi write new tune yeah dats what pays me
Cau dat not di only occupation
Goin to get some I give yuh medication
When a farmer grows it he knows to close it
Economical benefit help fi those who a fi deh yah pon di hard jugglin
Cau di system only keep man struggling
Studyin people a use it dont abuse it
Cau di concentration well reputed
Dats why herb man dem a di wise one
And it found on di grave of King Solomon
And it good fi di eye sight and di chest sight
And it give yuh nuff inside just gimme di light
And, mek we blaze it we should a neva waste it

Again, we be burnin not concernin what nobody wanna say
We be earnin dollars turning cau we mind deh pon we pay
Some got gold and all dem diamonds all we got is Mary J
Legalize it, time to recognize it

Just gimme di trees and mek we smoke it yo (Smoke it yo!)
It a mek we peace so dont provoke it yo (Voke it yo!)
We nuh need nuh speed so we nah nuh coke it yo (Coke itr yo!)
Set yuh mind at ease we gotta take it slow

So when yuh see di S.P. floatin dont provoke him
Cau di weed weh we smokin need fi soakin
Fastin fi di medication, and di best hygrade a Jamaican
Cau we know it as a great ting no debatin
While incarceratin true dem hatin
Cau dem dont waan see we a remain calm
Even though dem condemn

Again, we be burnin not concernin what nobody wanna say
We be earnin dollars turning cau we mind deh pon we pay
Some got gold and all dem diamonds all we got is Mary J
Legalize it, time to recognize it
Again, we be burnin not concernin what nobody wanna say
We be earnin dollars turning cau we mind deh pon we pay
Some got gold and all dem diamonds all we got is Mary J
Legalize it, time to recognize it

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

2. Between THC and hemp, there are so many benefits.

Why can't some corporate type billionaire recognize this and get going on the mega-profits to be had? MKJ

[Jagdalena]

4. On another note...

Legalizing it would certainly bring down the crime rate, too.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

6. Welcome to DU, Jagdalena. Your observation is spot on! n/t

MKJ

[newyawker99]

8. Hi Jagdalena!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[IowaGuy]

5. uhhh, it's more profitable if it's illegal....

Entire countries in South America and central Asia economies would go belly up if it (all illegal drugs in general) was made legal, and therefor became cheaper, cutting profit margins. Their entire underrground economies would collapse casing tremendous strain on the countries ability to pay on loans to the World Bank.

In a strange way, illegal drugs are integral to the stability of world trade...

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

7. But, if those drugs become corporate, the profits would probably match or

exceed the current profit margins.

Illegal is iffy, legal and corporate is guaranteed. MK

[Zynx]

9. They would still probably be grown in those areas.

Also, without the significant legal risks the margin reduction would be balanced off by the fact that there would be a much lower risk premium in all other aspects of production. There would no longer be a need for extensive bribery and also little need for so much high priced security.

[IowaGuy]

10. a little different, perspective with all due respect to yours, consider...

"Also, without the significant legal risks the margin reduction would be balanced off by the fact that there would be a much lower risk premium in all other aspects of production"

The "lower risk premium" would encourage more entities to get into production/distribution. The lower security costs and increased competition would be reflected in lower prices at the consumer level. For overall revenues and profit margins to stay at present levels the market would have to greatly expand.

I don't think that would happen to any great extent. I think people that smoke pot do now, regardless of legality or cost. It's just a personal decision, predicated on many factors...cost and legality being fairly irrelevant, (this is one reason why the "drug war" has failed). Admittedly, I have no solid research or evidence to back this assertion up....just personal life experience in all aspects of the drug culture, as user, grower, dealer and now straight.

End game...you would have more distributors/producers selling to same market level for reduced prices. Basically a race to the bottom. More people splitting up a smaller revenue pie. This would not help the economies of the countries that depend on this revenue.

In a sense, keeping it illegal is a way of nationalizing the industry and keeping the revenues artificially high, where they do not have to be affected by the normal market forces of a "legit" enterprise.

Mind you, I'm not arguing that it should be kept illegal. I would like to see it at least decrimalized or legalized entirely. I just don't believe that will happen because it would hurt a lot of powerful people economically (i.e. the World Bank). There is less chance of this happening than our gov't giving up on farm subsidies, and we know that isn't going to happen...despite the harm it does create in other parts of the world.

[marmar]

3. If it makes every city as cool as Amsterdam...

LEGALIZE IT RIGHT NOW!

:smoke: