HazyBritBoi

Ok these questions has been bugging me for a while, but in the event of legalization, how would the government establish a profitable marijuana industry. Are the dealers who have been selling it through the prohibition legit now? Who would grow the plants in the abundancy needed by the population? How would marijuana be sold? How much will it be sold now that it is a legal substance? In Canada there is an MCBO, the Marijuana Control Board of Ontario, in the event of legalization. What does the US have that will ensure that the selling of marijuana will not go underground again if people simply don't enjoy the marijuana being produced?

fight4theright

I would imagine it would be based upon the way cigarettes are sold now...The dealers selling it now would still be considered criminals, unless they were licensed to sell it (my guess, obviously). Fields of cannabis could be grown like fields of tobacco are today. I'd also imagine there will be limits on the amounts sold, at least at first.

Anyways....I wouldn't hold your breath for legalization, but its certainly fun to think about how these things would work.

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HazyBritBoi

I figured as much, but how long would it take for a legit marijuana industry to sprout?

ITG

I'd bet less than a year.

I do not remember where I heard it, but I believe that Marlboro already has the marketing plan, paper and box design, and distribution plan created for marijuana cigarettes. In the case of legalization, I'm sure they would be able to get the permission fairly quickly, and since mj's such a relatively fast growing crop, we'd see it soon enough.

But then we have the question: who wants to buy Marlboro Marijuana? I'm thinking I'll still be using illegitimate dealers or growing myself if and when it becomes legal...

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Technologic

I've heard that before also. I'm sure most of the cigarette companies already do. But I'm not so sure whether or not I'd buy them. I'd be paranoid that they would add addictive properties like nicotine to the marijuana cigarettes like tobacco cigarettes.

Buzzby

Do you really think that if they did that the public wouldn't know about it? Labs have done qualitative analysis on cigarettes for years and told us what's in them. Can you imagine the lawsuits the companies would suffer?

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Buzzby

It wouldn't be up to the government to establish a profitable marijuana industry. All they would do is tax and regulate, just like they do with alcohol and tobacco. I don't think making a profit would be a big problem.

No. They would have to be licensed and it's not likely they'd get one unless they had a bricks'n'boards retail outlet.

Farmers who could show that they've got the necessary security setup to grow the crop without it being pilfered. Just another regulation.

Probably in the same places alcohol and tobacco is sold. I imagine that you'll be able to buy joints, processed weed, buds, hash, and oil. Brownies?

Are you asking how much it would cost or how much you'd be allowed to buy? How much beer can you buy? It all depends on the depth of your pockets. The price would be determined by the market and the taxes.

We have something called Free Enterprise. Suppliers will do what it takes to make their customers happy. Producers will compete to sell a better product at a better price. Given a choice between buying excellent weed at the corner Convenient store and risking prosecution for buying it from a black marketeer, most people would opt for the legitimate course.

Legal marijuana wouldn't support the current distribution system. It has too many people with their hands out, which is why a simple agricultural product sells for hundreds of dollars an ounce. I think legal weed would probably retail for $25/oz or less.

DiegoDraw

Yeah, think about if tobacco couldn't be farmed in huge, agricultural fields, and were reduced to random, small gardens and what not. Instead of costing five bucks, a pack of cigarettes could cost ya fifty bucks or something.

~D-Draw

HazyBritBoi

I had a feeling that the tobacco companies would step in and produce marijuana cigarettes.

Buzzby

If marijuana were legal, I would definitely grow my own. I love to grow my own vegetables and homegrown ones always taste better then veggies from the supermarket. The idea of vaping weed grown in my own soil and fertilized with my own homemade compost really appeals to me. The biggest problem would be keeping it from getting pollinated. If outdoor grows became common there would be cannabis pollen all over the place.

(I'll get rich marketing my patented anti-pollination spray! )