Legalization has failed to solve any of the problems and has created new ones.
States Make Hash of Marijuana Legalization
By: George Noga – March 12, 2023
Consistent with our libertarian bent, MLLG favors legalization of most drugs including marijuana. But we also favor legalization for a slew of practical reasons including:
- Enhanced product safety
- Regulation and disclosure of dosage
- Lowering the cost
- Quit enriching criminal drug cartels
- Remove economic incentives for illicit distribution
- Eliminate turf wars and resultant mayhem
- Increase respect for the law
- End drug-related corruption of police and judges
- Stop drug dealers from becoming role models
- Reduce corruption of entire narco states
- Focus US foreign policy away from drug issues
Currently 21 states have legalized marijuana, although it remains illegal under federal law. Instead of making things better, such as by accomplishing the benefits listed above, legalization has failed to solve any of those problems and has created new ones, an outcome we hitherto believed impossible. We now have the worst of both worlds!
No state has gotten legalization right, but New York, California and Colorado have made the biggest hash of it. Unlike alcohol and tobacco, states have taxed and regulated marijuana so heavily that the illegal traffic has not subsided and actually has been enhanced. Instead of being put out of business, black markets are thriving.
Biden wants to impose a new 25% federal tax and hyperregulation.
The craziness is legion. New York is giving preference for obtaining a license to former drug dealers and convicted felons under the wacky theory their experience better equips them for the now-legal market. California taxes and regulates marijuana so heavily it can’t compete with the black market, which is on steroids. Turf wars have expanded to include violence over access to water. It is so bad some of the largest legal pot operators are pulling out of California, Oregon and Colorado. Thousands of legal marijuana shops in California are closing due to state taxes of up to 80%.
To top off the pot craziness, the Biden administration is proposing a 163-page bill imposing an additional 25% federal tax and horse-choking new federal regulations.
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The next post March 19 is entitled “Revenge of the Polar Bears”.
More Liberty Less Government – mllg@cfl.rr.com – www.mllg.us
