The Green Thread: Marijuana in the states

[darklordoftech]

I believe (and someone can fact check me on this), but I do believe that Anglos in California had the highest % support for Legalization in the State, compared to Black and Latino, and Asian-American voters in Cali....

Now, it could well be that Midwest and Rocky Mountain State Anglo retirees might have different perspectives on the subject....

Generally, based upon what little we know about MJ legalization initiatives in heavily Multi-Ethnic states (Basically data points from California, haven't really checked precinct results from NV), it does appear that for whatever reason Minority voters were less receptive to legalization than Anglos.

Yet people always say that marijuana was banned by racist whites.

[darklordoftech]

Has any state actually implemented legalization? If so, what’s it like living there?

[darklordoftech]

Has any state actually implemented legalization? If so, what’s it like living there?

You mean among the recently legal states (AZ/IL/MI/MT/VT) or any state? Cause we've had legal sales for the last 3 years, CO & WA for the last 7 years.

At least for California, I feel we've bungled it quite a bit:


- No more than a third of municipalities allow legal sales; Some regions, such as the South San Jaoquin Valley, have become 'cannabis deserts' where you have to drive quite a ways to buy legal weed. According to WeedMaps, the nearest dispensary to Bakersfield is 70 miles way. Until last year, I had to drive 20 miles & a county over to buy legally (Even though my county & city voted for legal weed).

- High sales taxes which vary greatly by city and/or county. The state tacks on a 27% cannabis tax + 8% general sales tax + whatever the city/county taxes. What's listed as $25 can end up being $40 when taxes are included.

- Incredibly slow process of business licenses being approved; Leading to little social equity, chains who got in early (Such as MedMen) comprising a significant portion of the legal market & smaller landowners being in financial/legal limbo for the last 2-4 years.


All those problems have led to a black market that hasn't shrunk since Prop 64, county raids of illegal grows to "protect the medicinal recreational market" & lighter-than-expected tax revenue. Basically, little seems to have changed since legalization went into effect.

Are there any states that you think have handled it well?

[darklordoftech]

The failure in South Dakota is strange. Anyone have any ideas?

I’m still wondering about this.