These seem to be heady days for marijuana legalization advocates, with public support for their cause reaching all time highs. My advice: be careful what you wish for.
Oh, sure, it would be great if you didn't have to worry about doing hard time for possession of eight ounces - and even better to know you weren't supporting assholes like these. (Who shoots at park rangers? I mean, really.) But don't think for one second that getting baked is going to remain a casual weekend activity once it becomes a legal and lucrative cash crop. There will be all sorts of regulations on strength, cannabis content, etc. - and that will be before ADM and Monsanto roll out their genetically modified super-pot. The GM super-pot will probably suck, but it will have a massive marketing budget behind it and eventually we'll be treated to commercials like this, but with people waving bongs instead of beer bottles:
Of course, there will be a "localvore" pot movement, but for the bulk of consumers it will likely be the super-pot. I guess giving money to ADM and Monsanto is marginally better than giving it Mexican drug cartels, but only marginally. On the other hand, it will give them a reason to revive Bud Man:
I've long maintained that proponents of legalization just can't handle making awkward small talk in smelly apartments.
It builds character, people.
Posted by: gil mann | June 24, 2009 at 02:27 PM