Sunday, June 14, 2009

Legalizing Marijuana

There's a vigorous comment string on The Volokh Conspiracy on legalizing pot in the U.S.A.

Here's mine:

I can think of several likely consequences for legalizing MJ in the USA:

1) The price of MJ in the USA would drop drastically.
2) There would be thousands of Americans freed from jail.
3) Spending on law-enforcement, courts and prisons could be re-directed to treatment and rehabilitation.
4) Thousands of young men would no longer be able to make a living as street dealers.
5) Mexican drug cartels would find that there is no profit to smuggling MJ into the USA.
6) Americans would try to smuggle MJ from the US (where it is cheap and legal) into Mexico and Canada (where it is illegal and expensive).
7) Monsanto would create a genetically-modified MJ ("Roundup-tolerant") and patent it.
8) Some users of other drugs (cocaine, meth, etc.) would switch to MJ because it gave them a similar experience but was cheap and legal.
9) Pigs would fly.

6 comments:

Shermlock Shomes said...

What he said.

Shermlock

red said...

I know a few LEOs who think it should be legalized. Think of the taxes they could rake in! But, you're right, it won't ever happen.

Rob K said...

I love #7. That is too hilariously true. Now I have to write a story, set in the not-too-distant future, and it is going to include an ad aimed at farmers for RoundUp Ready™ marijuana seed.

Turk Turon said...

Go for it, Rob! I hereby irrevocably release #7 into the Public Domain. Signed, Turk Turon

Drang said...

Research for the ads has already been done by Big Tobacco, including those aimed at agriculture as well as consumers. I learned this in Criminal Justice classes in the 1970s.

Crucis said...

Not sure about the rest, but #9 would be a sure thing.