Voters give nod to legal marijuana in Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C.

a reply to: jonnyc55

It is a major problem that is a brilliant point! But let's hope Monsanto don't get their hands on it.

a reply to: damo1583

The beauty of marijuana is that it is so easy to grow, that even IF Monsanto got its hands on it, if you don't like that you could grow your own. But in any case, once legal, you can COUNT on big corporations like Monsanto getting involved. I've read at times that the tobacco industry is actually PREPARED for it to be legalized and already have business plans in the works so that they can start marketing marijuana to the public. But again, I can't see big business edging out small businesses here since it is so ridiculously easy to grow by yourself.

a reply to: Krazysh0t
Am sure the light cycles of most growers is off. It should be kept closer to natural ranges. For a more natural balance of the 67 chemicals.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

As you say big corporations will with out doubt get involved because of the numbers involved in a nationwide lifting of all restrictions! The Dutch have a much better government run farms that grow unbelievable quality and it is genuinely all above board and you know what you're getting!

a reply to: damo1583

Heh. Do you actually think that the American people will stand for the government becoming THAT involved in a manufacturing process? My guess is that it will eventually just fall under the purview of the ATF (ATMF?).

a reply to: jonnyc55

I wouldn't know. I've never actually tried to grow it.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: damo1583

Heh. Do you actually think that the American people will stand for the government becoming THAT involved in a manufacturing process? My guess is that it will eventually just fall under the purview of the ATF (ATMF?).

The Dutch are lucky enough to have a government they can ACTUALLY rely on to be fair! Yeah it will fall under ATF with weed being a subcategory of tobacco imo. DEA will have to concentrate on the hard stuff

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Well the states with other states that have already legalized weed bordering them are all going to have to do something due to the influx of weed across the state borders. As more states legalize, the number of border states will also grow. More people will learn that the propaganda surrounding marijuana is all lies and come around to legalization.

Really the only thing that could hold the legalization movement back at this point is the federal government. So we need to start looking to move the legalization movement to federal level. Because the feds won't stay out of this forever and if we can win them over early, it will be much easier in the long run.

When the world's 8th largest economy, er, California legalizes recreational marijuana in 2016, the game is over. For all intents and purposes, it's already over. The task now is to develop a price instrument (Colorado's model) that snuffs out the black market potential. The fact that Florida almost passed a medical marijuana ballot initiative requiring a super majority is all the evidence one needs -- with respect to the electorate -- that this isn't a particularly partisan issue. Sorry folks, republicans get high, too.

A very impressive read that isn't filled with too much jargon or econ-speak is this research brief by the Brookings Institute: How to Avoid a Trainwreck

California is the state to keep the closest eye on. Gavin Newsom, Lt. Governor, is heading the panel in California studying other state models for the legalization push that will be in full force come 2016. Once California legalizes, the Federal government will have no other choice than to reclassify, or declassify completely, cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act.

Oh, and it really, really, really helps that Mitch McConnell is from Kentucky. That state has gone whole-hog on legalizing industrial hemp. Hemp and marijuana are cannabis. That the CSA classifies them as the same will be the total undoing of marijuana prohibition. And the fact that the world's 8th largest economy is sure to legalize it in 2016.

a reply to: the_philth

No worries. They're user info suggest they are from Florida where a republican governor was re-elected while they damn near passed medical marijuana with the required super majority. They (LOSTinAMERICA) are in for a rude awakening come 2016, the individuals that backed this ballot initiative are formidable and you can best believe any issue that gets 58% of the vote is one in which every politician wants to be a part of. 58% agreement in this country on any single issue is a wheel-house talking point for any politician. And the 58% isn't shrinking, its growing.

Sorry, LOSTinAMERICA, but you're surrounded by unproductive, procrastinating potheads who keep you from paying state income taxes.

a reply to: BeefNoMeat

I am a Florida resident and can assure it will not be on the ballot again for another 4 years because of Rick Scott and Pam Bondi. Both a strongly opposed to medical cannabis and huge supporters of the prison conglomerate.

Despite the fact that we had 58% for medical cannabis, the opponents are already claiming victory and the people of Florida do NOT want medical cannabis. It madness.

The reason why it lost support the last week or two was the heavy campaigning that was going on against Amendment 2. There were many who would claim they are for medical cannabis but oppose the bill because it was full of loopholes, or because John Morgan was going to start growing commercially. Since many voters are easily influenced by a good speech, a good flashy commercial, or a 10 point manifesto on why the bill is bad, Florida lost this one. I am still amazed that so many fell for "The Bill is full of loop-holes" sales pitch.

Hopefully we will do better in 4 years!

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Hello all my first post here. I know that in Oregon it has just set the stage for big tobacco to take it over with monsanto's help.

a reply to: jrod

What you said, I have no idea (well, I have a bit of idea but you didn't do such a good job). Nowhere, in that rambling post of yours, did you even come close to correctly characterizing what I said.

I can assure you, anything that garners 58% of the electorate's 'aye' vote in a 'off-year election' (non-presidential) is a political winner and WILL be a legislatively-backed initiative, er, statute. Spelled out for you: Florida's state-elected representatives will embrace this and there will be a bill that comes out of the Florida's legislative branch in 2016. So, no, it's not gonna be another four years. You'll see medical marijuana in Florida in 2016. I'll make any legally-binding wager on this forum you would like, if you believe otherwise.

a reply to: BeefNoMeat

Well that may be the case. We'll have to wait and see about that, but you know what? I'm frankly surprised that California hasn't legalized it yet, let alone coming up in 2016. California was the state that started this movement when they became the first state to legalize medical marijuana all the way back in 1996. Since then many states have legalized medical marijuana, others have decriminalized it and with this election we now have four states and the capital of the country that have legalized it. California meanwhile has decriminalized it and with this election has decreased the fine on it. Not bad, but this state has San Fransisco in it...

Now I understand why it didn't happen. Apparently all the people growing medical marijuana don't want it legalized since if it is legalized their grow operations have to become regulated.

Why pot growers turned against Prop. 19

But it also didn't help that Prop 19 also fell on a midterm election year (like this past one). So going off of the results of the last try, I'd say it was a good call to wait until 2016.

Waiting For California to Legalize Marijuana

Good luck in two years. I'm rooting for you guys and I really hope you are right about your claims about forcing the Feds' hands, but I'm reserving judgment on that for now.

a reply to: Sluicebox

No more so than any other state that has legalized it. Though big tobacco has deep pockets, and I bet that once they start making money off of it, they'll start pushing lobbying money towards it.

ETA: Welcome to ATS!

a reply to: BeefNoMeat

It will NOT happen in Florida with Rick Scott and Pam Bondi. Amendment 2 almost did not make the ballot because Pam Bondi made up some loopholes to throw it out. Now with Republicans in control of Tallahassee any voter initiative will simply be thrown out. Rick Scott even claims he already legalized cannabis in Florida with the Charlotte's Web law.

It is unfortunate for those of us in Florida. To believe the 58% in support means anything to Rick Scott and Pam Bondi is naive. To them the bill was defeated and the people of Florida do not want medical cannabis.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Yep. It was definitely a casualty of a mid-term election. Those in California haven't had someone come to them and guarantee a price (i.e. the Farm Bill), and until those that are the backbone (your linked post essentially asserts that the Humboldt/Medocino/Trinity conglomerate of growers 'threw' the election for the sake of protecting their profits [which is completely understandable] of the black market are guaranteed a legal return, they'll squash any attempt to infringe upon their freedom (to grow the dankest of the dank).

Your linked articles have answered your query as why it hasn't been legalized yet. Don't mistake my pragmatism for optimism. Read the linked article. It's not exactly easy to clamp down on the world's 8th largest economy (and growing [but don't thank Obama, or Jerry Brown, or Gavin Newsom]).

originally posted by: jrod
a reply to: BeefNoMeat

It will NOT happen in Florida with Rick Scott and Pam Bondi. Amendment 2 almost did not make the ballot because Pam Bondi made up some loopholes to throw it out. Now with Republicans in control of Tallahassee any voter initiative will simply be thrown out. Rick Scott even claims he already legalized cannabis in Florida with the Charlotte's Web law.

It is unfortunate for those of us in Florida. To believe the 58% in support means anything to Rick Scott and Pam Bondi is naive. To them the bill was defeated and the people of Florida do not want medical cannabis.

I'm not a civics professor, and you clearly aren't one for the civics books, but I am fairly sure Pam Bondi and Rick Scott aren't casting 11 million plus votes in 2016. That said, if an issue garners 58% of the electorate's 'aye' vote, your (assuming you're really residing in Florida) legislature is going to be all over this like....well you know. Florida would've been the first state to pass a voter/ballot initiative requiring a super majority for any form of lessening the federal statutes mandating marijuana prohibition. Again, if you're convinced your governor and Lt. Governor can suppress the will of the people, I'll gladly encourage to make a gentleman's wager concerning the outcome in 2016.

a reply to: BeefNoMeat

I do think it is a matter of when and not so much a matter of if with California. I'm more worried about the Federal level at this point. The states are starting to fall like dominoes. It will be interesting to see how the Feds react to this now that they have taken Congress. They may even take the WH in 2016. If that happens, what how will the new President handle the growing issue of legal weed? Hopefully, we will have even more states having legalized it in 2016, so if that happens it will be that much harder to clamp down on it if the President disapproves.

a reply to: BeefNoMeat

Nice try at taking a shot at my intelligence....and my status as a Florida resident.

I hope you are right about this one, but I know better. Florida's legal system, probation system, and for profit prison system all make a killing off cannabis being illegal. They were the ones(and Sheldon Anderson, a billionaire casino owner) who were paying for the vote NO on 2 ads prior to the election, they were the ones who were all over social media and news sites saying how the bill is full of loop holes, they are the Republicans and they are now in control. There is no way they will allow something they fought so hard against to pass in two years.

Unless something happens on the federal level, Florida will not pass a medical bill.

You forget that politics in Florida is full of madness. The will of the people does not matter when those in charge are making a fortune off criminalizing a plant. I know my own state and very few civics professors have the real life experience I do.

What would you like to wager on the issue?

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Did you bother reading the Brooking's institute research brief? Quite the contrary: it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Again, I'll make a gentleman's wager. No, I'll make a prediction: in 2016 California will unequivocally legalize the recreational use of marijuana, regardless who resides in the executive branch.