SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
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: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Monday December 28 2020, @02:46PM (4 children)
As near as I can tell, there is a missing rule. Growing for personal consumption should be legal everywhere. But, it seems some of the laws are aimed at preventing exactly that.
I don't need or want to be involved, but it should be perfectly legal for me to buy the seeds, and grow a couple dozen plants on my own property. I'm afraid that if I had even one or two plants growing on my property, the law would quickly get involved. Arkansas, like other states, has a history of taking your property, your home, pretty much everything you own, when they catch you growing cannabis.
So, how does that play out, statewide in Arkansas, and nationwide? Are there still cops searching out "illegal" grow operations? Are there still "informants" snitching on people with a pot plant on their back porch?
We have laws regarding alcohol production, and firearms manufacture. You may produce limited amounts, for personal consumption. We need some unequivocal laws regarding personal production of cannabis products.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday December 28 2020, @04:11PM (2 children)
It should be legal to grow at home, and many of the state recreational laws [wikipedia.org] do permit some arbitrary amount of cannabis plants at home, but most people won't bother, and big farming operations will have better yields, cost per unit, etc.
Even black market grow+sales won't be able to compete effectively in the long run. They might not have to pay some taxes, but taxes are surprisingly low in some of these states (e.g. 10%, similar to alcohol), people would rather buy from a nice store than a street dealer, and getting caught could result in fines or prison.
So if states or counties are restricting licenses to a handful of companies, they are handing out a license to print money. It's worth bribing for it.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 28 2020, @04:30PM (1 child)
Black/grey market weed is thriving, and will continue to do so as long as corruption keeps competition down. If there is one retail competitor in a 50 mile radius, 400/oz for barely-not-booboo is the result. Meanwhile, shifting a pound or two can cover bills for any rando with a grow room.
(Score: 2) by EvilSS on Monday December 28 2020, @05:28PM
This. Recreational is legal where I live but they prices are insane (or so I'm told by acquaintances who bought before it was legal). It's mainly down to the limited number of licenses for growers. There are so few growers they can keep the prices high. The dispensaries are taking the heat for the costs but they are bitching about it too. Not to mention "big weed" doing their best to block things like new licenses and home growing while trying to take over as much as they can on the grown and sell sides. We've had legal rec for less than a year and there has already been massive consolidation in the industry here, with companies getting bought up right and left. In the mean time a lot of people who lined up on day 1 are back buying from their dealers because it costs 1/3 what the legal product does, it is more convenient to buy, and once they have it in their possession, well it's technically not legal but good luck proving where it came from once it's out of whatever it came in and into a jar.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday December 28 2020, @09:16PM
Most of the Florida laws seem aimed at focusing the profits into a small number of hands. Licenses to grow, licenses to sell, illegal to grow your own, etc.
Україна досі не є частиною Росії Слава Україні🌻 https://news.stanford.edu/2023/02/17/will-russia-ukraine-war-end