Los Angeles county cracks down on "illegal" weed. Over a billion dollars of product confiscated.

[Greenman]

This is not an argument. It's your usual game that you play. It's boring. Whenever Felix posts, you can guarantee you will come along to run interference. How much Future PLC stock do the two of you own? Be honest.

No idea what your talking about, or why you would even bring it up. Is it your contention that there isn't untaxed MJ being sold? Are you trying to say that there isn't a criminal element involved in the sale of a billion dollars worth of untaxed weed?
Try to understand my words. My position is that there is an illegal weed market. The seizure of a billion dollars worth of the stuff is proof.

 

[hal2kilo]

$1.19 billion worth of marijuana seized in massive drug bust in California

The operation is the largest marijuana eradication of illegal cultivations in the history of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, officials said.

www.cbsnews.com

Everyone knows I am opposed weed. So when I read stories of pot being confiscated and hopefully later destroyed after those arrested are sent to prison for lengthy sentences its a good read.

Its too bad however that this is probably its just the tip of the iceberg. These illegal grows have been a problem for a very long time. And now that the state seeks to profit from its sale they have more motivation now than ever to eradicate more large scale operations.

I'm amazed that it's taken this long for the "revenuers" to show up. Loss of tax money to the government? Not happening.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Oh lawd. Put down the edibles bro. There are many discussions going on. Post something on topic without breaking out a conspiracy theory.

Just more garbage from you. Greenmans conservative views are known, even if he doesn't comprehend it.

 

[ch33zw1z]

No idea what your talking about, or why you would even bring it up. Is it your contention that there isn't untaxed MJ being sold? Are you trying to say that there isn't a criminal element involved in the sale of a billion dollars worth of untaxed weed?
Try to understand my words. My position is that there is an illegal weed market. The seizure of a billion dollars worth of the stuff is proof.

There's been a weed market since before it was prohibited. This is not news. CA tried but prohibition had already created a huge market in CA because it's ideal for growing MJ.. If you compare it to other states that have legalized, it will look different.

The answer here is for the Feds to legalize it nationally and let a real market develop for it.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Just more garbage from you. Greenmans conservative views are known, even if he doesn't comprehend it.

Just more garbage from you too. When you want to post on topic let me know.

Everyone should support the end of black market weed regardless of your viewpoint of weed in general.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Just more garbage from you too. When you want to post on topic let me know.

I've posted on topic quite a bit in this thread. Troll's don't care, good job.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I've posted on topic quite a bit in this thread. Troll's don't care, good job.

I'm not going to be distracted with your personal attacks, so you're ignored in this topic.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I'm not going to be distracted with your personal attacks, so you're ignored in this topic.

On par with your troll post history.

 

[soundforbjt]

Opioids are a frightening drug. I've refused them in the past when a doctor wanted to proscribe them. While I have no issue with weed, the fanatics are annoying. All of that is off the topic of untaxed weed being a viable commodity. Clearly there is an underground economy there and there are profits being made.

Yes, it’s getting mostly shipped to states that haven’t legalized it, some also ends up in illegal “stores” in California.

 

[VRAMdemon]

The majority of Republicans support marijuana legalization. Two-thirds of Americans support marijuana legalization | Pew Research Center That’s based on a combination of a common-sense approach for legalizing medical marijuana, past personal experience of many Republicans with marijuana, libertarian ideals, and recognition of past failed policies.

MJ prohibition is coming to an end. Legalization and regulation is the future. Get used to it and get over it.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Everyone should support the end of black market weed regardless of your viewpoint of weed in general.

Ninja edit. I never said I didn't, you do, but not in the form of legalized weed. That's your strawman.

 

[FelixDeCat]

The majority of Republicans support marijuana legalization. Two-thirds of Americans support marijuana legalization | Pew Research Center That’s based on a combination of a common-sense approach for legalizing medical marijuana, past personal experience of many Republicans with marijuana, libertarian ideals, and recognition of past failed policies.

MJ prohibition is coming to an end. Legalization and regulation is the future. Get used to it and get over it.

Times are changing that's for sure. But we must remain responsible for implementing legal processes and thwarting illegal activities in that regard.

 

[balloonshark]

They want to lock everyone up until they hear their taxes are raised to provide food, shelter, medical care, a lawyer, education, etc. for those incarcerated.

Meth has become a huge problem here. Every week in the paper the cops do some kind of bust where the people have scales and cooking supplies. Homelessness is getting to be a big problem as they are living in the woods around town. When driving you have to keep your eyes on the road for them walking and biking back and forth from town. Oh, and this is small town WV. I would much rather law enforcement focus their attention on meth than weed.

 

[Stokely]

I hope after they wipe out all the illegal weed they'll start working on making sand castles stand permanently against the waves. You'd have as much hope.

When there is a demand, there will be a supply. So instead of making bad guys rich, tax legal pot and help the legal industry grow (local businesses, jobs). And to be clear, not everything people want should be legal--child porn for example. The difference is that an adult toking up is not directly harmful to anyone, let alone a child. If you say it's harmful to *them*, well so is booze, snack food and not sleeping enough due to playing video games, better start banning everything.

But then what about that War on Drugs funding? And won't someone think of the private prison industry?

I say this as someone who hasn't smoked in 30 years. Give it the hell up already, the War on Drugs is about as good an idea as Prohibition was, for exactly the same reasons. And companies that drug test can piss up a rope, I am job hunting now (while currently employed, so I can be picky) and I ignore them in my search despite the fact that I'd pass 100%.

 

[dawp]

Why don't we have a black market for alcohol? People make their own for their own consumption.

not that I'm against weed BUT there is a black market for booze, especially in the south, because people hate paying any form of tax even if it guarantees quality that won't kill you.

it may not be big but it is there.

 

[ch33zw1z]

not that I'm against weed BUT there is a black market for booze, especially in the south, because people hate paying any form of tax even if it guarantees quality that won't kill you.

it may not be big but it is there.

Also, back when I was a 19-20 y.o., you could go the a guy to buy beer on Sundays because the stores weren't allowed to sell then. Sometimes those guys made quite a bit of money. I know, not quite the same.

 

[Stokely]

It's got to be a tiny percentage, considering that a lot of booze is cheap and as easy to find as the ABC on the corner. Not only cheap but you are fairly sure you aren't going to keel over (right away ) due to some weird shit someone cut it with. The only people I know who make their own beer do it for a hobby. I'm sure there are others like you say that have their reasons.

The uptight puritan hypocrites that brought us all Reefer Madness to scare us about the darkie menace are still alive and well apparently.

 

[woolfe9998]

I agree with enforcement actions against large scale illegal growers, particularly those of cartels. It not only protects tax revenue but the entire legal growing business in California, and all the jobs it supports.

Longer term, we will likely get rid of some of the unnecessary red tape which increases costs on the growers' end. Legalization is new here and we're figuring it out.

Small fry illegal growers will always persist as some people want to avoid the tax, although people in general prefer to purchase legally. No one ever said that legalization meant every single ounce sold in the state would be taxed.

 

[zinfamous]

Something made it worthwhile to produce and attempt to market a billion dollars worth of weed. That something is profit. You can argue any aspect of that you want, but the fact is that there is obviously money to be made in untaxed weed.

shipping to states where it's still illegal? You could just, you know, think about it for a few seconds. It was found in LA. Do we know if it was intended for sale in LA/CA?

I've not once purchased legal weed that has ever been anywhere near expensive as what I was paying for (lower quality) stuff 10, 20 years ago. They've taxed it to the point that it's too cheap to consider black market product, wherever you go. That's the reality. The blackmarket simply can't compete with the grow operations of the legal, regulated industry. It will never happen, and they will never be able to produce as much supply as it takes to compete with those prices.
You probably don't know this because you have zero experience with it; yet here you are making an argument that simple observation and experience would thrash into a pulp.

Even in DC, where it isn't fully regulated yet, I pay about 30% less in comparable amount/quality than I did back in illegal NC, years ago. ....and that current price is up from last year, due to "pandemic supply issues." Granted, I kinda doubt that one is going to come back down, any time soon, lol.

 

[zzyzxroad]

shipping to states where it's still illegal? You could just, you know, think about it for a few seconds. It was found in LA. Do we know if it was intended for sale in LA/CA?

I've not once purchased legal weed that has ever been anywhere near expensive as what I was paying for (lower quality) stuff 10, 20 years ago. They've taxed it to the point that it's too cheap to consider black market product, wherever you go. That's the reality. The blackmarket simply can't compete with the grow operations of the legal, regulated industry. It will never happen, and they will never be able to produce as much supply as it takes to compete with those prices.
You probably don't know this because you have zero experience with it; yet here you are making an argument that simple observation and experience would thrash into a pulp.

Even in DC, where it isn't fully regulated yet, I pay about 30% less in comparable amount/quality than I did back in illegal NC, years ago. ....and that current price is up from last year, due to "pandemic supply issues." Granted, I kinda doubt that one is going to come back down, any time soon, lol.

I think the financials around the industry are still sketchy right? I have to imagine after it is legal at a national level companies the size of Philip Morris will emerge, optimize production, streamline distribution and further decrease the costs. Is the point of this thread that that is what needs to happen or is this just another felix troll thread?

 

[FelixDeCat]

I think the financials around the industry are still sketchy right? I have to imagine after it is legal at a national level companies the size of Philip Morris will emerge, optimize production, streamline distribution and further decrease the costs. Is the point of this thread that that is what needs to happen or is this just another felix troll thread?

As Ive stated before this is a topic on law enforcement. Threads take many twists and turns and various aspects get discussed which is great!

What we have seen so far are posts that take the topic and use it to assume that those that were supposed to benefit from legalization where somehow harmed by a crackdown by the sheriff. I tried to show that was not the case.

I love to see crackdowns on criminals. And while I do not support the use of drugs, including weed, this is a win for those who want to see the legitimate shops succeed as they deal with the taxes and red tape of being in the business and not being undercut by cartels.

 

[soundforbjt]

I love to see crackdowns on criminals.

That’s funny, I haven’t seen that view by you in the insurrection thread or the Trump indictment thread...wonder why?

 

[FelixDeCat]

That’s funny, I haven’t seen that view by you in the insurrection thread or the Trump indictment thread...wonder why?

Did I support the insurrection? No. Did I support the person who goaded it on? No. Do I support Trump? I did until he lost the election and then refused to concede it to the man who won it.

Just because you lost does not mean you get to storm the capital. Its wrong no matter who does it.

edit: Would I support Trump in a future bid for the WH? No, he is too unstable and divisive. No sane person should want him as president again.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Did I support the insurrection? No. Did I support the person who goaded it on? No. Do I support Trump? I did until he lost the election and then refused to concede it to the man who won it.

Just because you lost does not mean you get to storm the capital. Its wrong no matter who does it.

edit: Would I support Trump in a future bid for the WH? No, he is too unstable and divisive. No sane person should want him as president again.

Didn't stop ya from voting for him twice.

 

[zzyzxroad]

Did I support the insurrection? No. Did I support the person who goaded it on? No. Do I support Trump? I did until he lost the election and then refused to concede it to the man who won it.

Just because you lost does not mean you get to storm the capital. Its wrong no matter who does it.

edit: Would I support Trump in a future bid for the WH? No, he is too unstable and divisive. No sane person should want him as president again.

The fact that you supported him at any time speaks to how gullible you are. Guessing you were a fan of the apprentice? Were you ignorant to the 20 years he had in the public spotlight prior to that show? He was and always has been a conceded con man. Anyone who could not see that had their head in the sand.