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How state marijuana legalization became a boon for corruption
In the past decade, 15 states have legalized a regulated marijuana market for adults over 21, and another 17 have legalized medical marijuana. But in their rush to limit the numbers of licensed vendors and give local municipalities control of where to locate dispensaries, they created something else: A market for local corruption.
Almost all the states that legalized pot either require the approval of local officials – as in Massachusetts -- or impose a statewide limit on the number of licenses, chosen by a politically appointed oversight board, or both. These practices effectively put million-dollar decisions in the hands of relatively small-time political figures – the mayors and councilors of small towns and cities, along with the friends and supporters of politicians who appoint them to boards. And these strictures have given rise to the exact type of corruption that got [Jasiel] Correia in trouble with federal prosecutors. They have also created a culture in which would-be cannabis entrepreneurs feel obliged to make large campaign contributions or hire politically connected lobbyists.
For some entrepreneurs, the payments can seem worth the ticket to cannabis riches.
For some politicians, the lure of a bribe or favor can be irresistible.
[...] It's not just local officials. Allegations of corruption have reached the state level in numerous marijuana programs, especially ones in which a small group of commissioners are charged with dispensing limited numbers of licenses. Former Maryland state Del. Cheryl Glenn was sentenced to two years in prison in July for taking bribes in exchange for introducing and voting on legislation to benefit medical marijuana companies. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson's administration is the target of law enforcement and legislative probes into the rollout of its medical marijuana program.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday December 28 2020, @01:30PM
The point is that these licensing schemes are creating obvious problems.
It seems likely that the U.S. Congress will deschedule cannabis at some point, but will allow the states to regulate it in the manner of their choosing, basically absolving themselves of any political issues. But implementation of legalization can vary wildly state by state, to the point of creating a state-taxed oligopoly [theguardian.com] in control of cannabis, or excluding certain people from getting a loicense [nbcnews.com] due to capital or conviction record requirements [reason.org].
On the other hand, I have a friend arguing to me that all existing cannabis businesses should be crushed, and the entire industry handed over to Philip Morris, which could create predictable outcomes but affect "Mom and Pop" operations all the way up to NASDAQ-traded Tilray [wikipedia.org].
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]