SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
California launches legal sale of cannabis for recreational use
California will launch the world's largest regulated commercial market for recreational marijuana on Monday, as dozens of newly licensed stores catering to adults who enjoy the drug for its psychoactive effects open for business up and down the state.
It becomes the sixth U.S. state, and by far the most populous, venturing beyond legalized medical marijuana to permit the sale of cannabis products of all types to customers at least 21 years old.
Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Nevada were the first to introduce recreational pot sales on a state-regulated, licensed and taxed basis. Massachusetts and Maine are on track to follow suit later this year.
With California and its 39.5 million residents officially joining the pack, more than one-in-five Americans now live in states where recreational marijuana is legal for purchase, even though cannabis remains classified as an illegal narcotic under U.S. law.
The marijuana market in California alone, which boasts the world's sixth-largest economy, is valued by most experts at several billion dollars annually and is expected to generate at least a $1 billion a year in tax revenue.
- All Politics — and Cannabis Marketing — Are Local (Study: Washington, Colorado Provide Insight for California)
- California preps for pot-infused fare, from wine to tacos
- As California legalizes pot, laws collide at US checkpoints
- Medley of agencies tasked with enforcing California pot laws
- The Failed War on Drugs
- Legal recreational pot in California: What you need to know
- New year brings broad pot legalization to California
- Latest: Confusion for LA dispensaries as legal pot begins
- California pot shops ring in 2018, ring up first legal sales
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 02 2018, @07:53PM
There isn't a whole lot you can do unless you go full out and provide housing, but that will also entail a near-permanent officer presence since drug addiction is highly correlated with homelessness. Many homeless people avoid shelters too, not only are they an easy target for bullies / thieves but many do not want to live under the various restrictions that get put in place. I believe a lot of homeless from other areas make their way to CA because the weather is nicer and the economy still has some legs under it so they can scrape by more easily.
I guess the new problem is the wave of working homeless, people who can't afford the insane rent prices. There is nothing we CAN do unless we go the dreaded "planned economy" route and do some rent price fixing or something. The speculation and corporate ownership of massive amounts of real estate makes the problem untenable for the average person.
Seems like so many people just love to hate on California, perhaps ask yourselves why that is and then do research into the various talking points that come to mind. Then compare to your favorite midwest state, see if California is really as bad as you think.