Colorado

[Windigo]

http://www.9news.com/news/article/371498/339/Pot-sales-exceed-1-million-on-first-day

Taxes, farming/greenhouse operations, employement .... won't be long before many other states follow suit

[GDS_Starfury]

we should have a betting pool for which states hold out longest.  its got to be either Florida or Texas.

[BanzaiCat]

Once it sinks in with the government how much of a potential tax cow this is, there will be debate on making this legal.

Geez, if they legalized the whole shebang, Texas cross-border traffic would come to a standstill. The cartels in Juarez and elsewhere would dry up and blow away like autumn leaves.

[GDS_Starfury]

and how do you tax something that you can grow at home?
granted its not easy and the same could be said for produce.

[mirth]

and how do you tax something that you can grow at home?
granted its not easy and the same could be said for produce.

Same thing with tobacco or alcohol. It will probably end up that you're allowed to grow so much for personal use in a given year. I think we have some law in Maine that limits how much beer or alcohol you're allowed to make on your own in a given year. I doubt enforcement is real strict though.

[GDS_Starfury]

its a surprisingly difficult plant to grow.

[Greybriar]

Once it sinks in with the government how much of a potential tax cow this is, there will be debate on making this legal....

I submitted a college research paper in 1967 presenting the advantages of legalizing marijuana but nobody paid any attention to it. It was probably too soon for its time.

[LongBlade]

and how do you tax something that you can grow at home?
granted its not easy and the same could be said for produce.

Same thing with tobacco or alcohol. It will probably end up that you're allowed to grow so much for personal use in a given year. I think we have some law in Maine that limits how much beer or alcohol you're allowed to make on your own in a given year. I doubt enforcement is real strict though.

It's been 20 years since I homebrewed but back then there was no monitoring of how much malt I bought.

However, I was only buying like five pounds at a time in clearly individual lots. Had I requested a couple of tons I suspect folks would have taken notice.

Home growing, however, could be different. Once it's legal what's the point of worrying whether you've got one plant or an entire back yard? Much like alcohol we'll probably figure out a way to allow for personal cultivation, but at some point the issue of lost tax revenue will drive where the law will define excessive amounts.

On the positive side of legalizing, it will be nice to put the cartels out of business, or at least make a big dent in their revenue. The unintended consequences will be inevitable. An uptick in violence south of the border will be a given, but I wonder what else could happen we're not expecting?

As for the last states to hold out against legalizing? My bet is on South Carolina.

[GDS_Starfury]

Much like alcohol we'll probably figure out a way to allow for personal cultivation

that parts been figured out for a while.  ;)  its still not an easy thing as not every plant grows what you want and there is a level of gardening knowledge thats needed.  I suspect most people wont bother with it the same way most people dont home brew beer.
as for whats excessive, that scales been around for a while.  the law considers any plant to be able to produce X amount for a given size.  so if your caught with 20 plants but only allowed 1 pound your going to get in trouble.

or so Ive read.  ::)

[BanzaiCat]

NSA uplink to the ATF in 5, 4, 3...

[DoctorQuest]

we should have a betting pool for which states hold out longest.  its got to be either Florida or Texas.

Nebraska. We be stodgy bastards hereabouts.

[Con]

Much like alcohol we'll probably figure out a way to allow for personal cultivation

that parts been figured out for a while.  ;)  its still not an easy thing as not every plant grows what you want and there is a level of gardening knowledge thats needed.  I suspect most people wont bother with it the same way most people dont home brew beer.
as for whats excessive, that scales been around for a while.  the law considers any plant to be able to produce X amount for a given size.  so if your caught with 20 plants but only allowed 1 pound your going to get in trouble.

or so Ive read.  ::)

Much like other products which were once illegal then went legit its going to come to quality, consistency and marketing.  Typically all associated with larger organizations.  I suspect that we will be seeing tobacco and alcohol industries begin to  muscle out the mom and pop hippy joints.  Its going to allow Budweiser to use their catch phrase in all sorts of new ways.  This Buds for you!

Con

[MetalDog]

Alabama will be the last state to legalize.  There's a church on every corner and a moralist ready to send you to the fiery pits of hell in each pulpit.

[Staggerwing]

My money's on Kansas as the final domino... unless it goes to the county level and then there will be a number of states with permanent 'smokeless counties', probably matched up closely with contemporary 'dry counties'.

[GDS_Starfury]

we need a chart!