There's just so much of this issue that you probably don't know about or understand. If only it was that simple as the cars analogy. As crosscheck states, legalizing one ounce for personal use will change nothing, but to legalize marijuana in general will throw gasoline on an already out of control fire in Mexico. There is not the time or space to fully explain it here, but it would cause a violent power/money struggle among DTOs that operate both in Mexico and (sadly) in the US (including control of grow fields in our national parks, operated by Mexican cartels). Who's marijuana will be in more demand due to quality and/or price? How far will DTOs go to keep control of the illegal marijuana trade (it won't die out, trust me)? What drug will they switch to for better revenue?

So they shouldn't legalize marijuana in California, because of how the drug cartels will feel about it?
That's basically letting what amounts to a group of terrorists determine what our laws will be.

hey, I'm pro-decriminalization, but he's got a point about the drug cartels.
A lot of these Mexican cartels grow the stuff right here in California on state of federal land (I know, I've crossed paths with them hiking and it was scary as hell).
They're not growing it for Californians though, they're growing it for you.

Legalizing it in California or anywhere else would throw an entire black market economy on its head and that will never end well.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Yankee, really? That's the way you took my post?

My point is not about how DTOs will feel about it, it's about what they will do in response and in their effort to keep/regain control of the marijuana trade. They won't just throw up their arms and give up. Forget about the current proposal in California - it won't change anything. Complete legalization won't change the fact that DTOs will still operate in the US, whether it be for illegal sales in the US (undercutting prices for underage users) or sales outside the US with marijuana grown in the US (since our national parks and other forest land is so convenient).

Further, will there be enough legal production to supply demand in the US? That's a huge question mark. If not, Mexican DTOs will be competing with other producers at a violent cost. Hopefully the Mexican gov't won't try to overtake grow fields for legal production, or there will be a virtual bloody war over that revenue. If the demand increases, there will be even more risk of the above issues. Many people might not care where their pot came from, but I wouldn't be very pleased with smoking pot that Mexican officers died over while trying to rein in DTOs that refuse to give up the trade just because there's a little more competition in the industry.

Not to sound blisteringly naive, but what's to stop cartels from getting work visas to grow marijuana in California legally?

Commence flaming...

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mechaphil

Well, there's so many possible equations depending on the law, availability of legal pot and it's quality, and how DTOs will respond. Legalizing it is not a simple solution to drug trafficking, and it could be a flashpoint for increased viloence until the market settles (however many years that might take).

Wouldn't the DTO's just not worry about California, because every other state won't be legal, would they focus more on the other states instead then?

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The current legislative proposal won't change anything, because it's only talking about an ounce being possessed for personal use. Any sale or possession/sale of more than an ounce will still be in play as illegal trafficking amounts, and DTOs only deal in pounds/kilos anyway.

My comments are geared toward if a total nationwide legalization were to occur.

There would be a low limit on possession (1 oz) and a low limit on how many plants one could own.
Those limits would make what the cartels are doing still illegal.

Well that and work visas come from the Federal government and I don't think they're handing out pot growing visas anytime soon

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Haha fair enough

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mechaphil

You do know 1 oz is ALOT of weed for personal use actually.

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Trust me, X knows

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mechaphil

Maybe for you......

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Hold my beer and watch this...

1oz of weed would last one person for well over a week. Even if they smoked a few bowls a day. 1oz of weed is bigger than a cereal bowl.

One person could suffice on a 1/4 for a week by themselves. An Ounce is four of them. I mean unless you smoke it like cigarette smokers who smoke 3 packs a day, then it would be gone quickly.

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I don't need a lesson, thanks

I have "friends" that buy by 1/4 pound increments because running out to get it is a pain in the butt.

1oz. is not a lot.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

If they made it absolutely, completely legal to grow and possess as much as you wanted, it would put the cartels out of business IMMEDIATELY.

Yep

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mechaphil

naa, they still have:
Cocaine / crack
Heroin / opium
peyote / mescaline
mushrooms
human trafficking and kidnapping to keep themselves busy.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Well ya, but I meant the marijuana business. These guys have no intention of ever leaving the life of crime behind whatsoever.

That's why the "legalize it" crowd is not as noble as they want to appear. They want their drug of choice to be legal, and to convince the rest of the crowd that it's good for everyone by reducing drug trafficking. It won't do that, and it may have an initially worse effect at first. Ultimately there are other routes to take (as stated above) if the marijuana trade proves too difficult. Drug users are too caught up in their own ideology that supports their habit, and ignore the corruption and violence that their habit/addiction causes.

I say this again and stand by it whole heartedly - I wouldn't feel very good about using a drug that a Mexican officer (or a family member) died over while trying to fight a drug trafficking organization. People want to just get high and not bother anybody, and I get that (I really do), but how can you justify smoking weed that came off a trailer delivered by a cartel that murdered one or many Mexican officers before it got rolled into your cigarette? Think about that next time you light up.