The booming money laundering business due to legalized marijuana

[Paratus]

Yeah, I'm against it. I have my reasons, but I'm sure things will continue to progress forward. It seems pot and legalized gambling are taking more of a hold on government as they seek ways to pay higher salaries and cover budgets... No need to get into a heated discussion, but let's just say I have kids and know a number of people who wasted their lives sitting around smoking. I'm not blaming mj 100%, but it certainly didn't help them any and I don't want to have to rent "Reefer Madness" and force my kids to watch it.

Reefer Madness?... Really?...

 

[ch33zw1z]

Maybe if you're talking edibles. Call me a wimp, but I run and bike and stuff....I want my kids to be active. My delicate little lungs can't even go to smoky bars anymore, let alone inhale much of anything directly anymore without me paying the price the next day. That's why I want my kids away from it. Lung cancer is real and while THC is cool, breathing any smoke ain't normal.

MJ doesn't smoke itself. Smoking in bars and restaurants should be banned (and is in many places, like statewide here). I don't handle smokey rooms well at all, but what you're talking about is really why it should be legalized, so we can drastically reduce smoking it. As far as your kids are concerned, again, MJ won't smoke itself. It's up to us parents to give them reasonable expectations. DARE was ineffective, so I go with discussing the harms of each type of popular recreational drug...including tobacco and alocohol, and providing our children real world expectations which I think is critical. And on top of that, NOT shaming people who end up abusing drugs of any kind, legal or illegal, is the logical next step. People who abuse drugs often have mental health problems, so addressing those and not stigmatizing them as weak or pathetic is important.

I talk about sex, drugs, or whatever when the topic comes up. I use myself as an example to discuss the difference between dependency and addiction (got myself a solid caffeine dependency going). I also strongly encourage hobbies that are active type hobbies: biking, inline skating, hiking, park+rec sports, etc...these will become tools for them to keep their minds and bodies active and reduce their likelihood for drug abuse.

Rest assured, the world will NOT end with legalization. If this was 1930, you'd be saying alcohol is coming to kill your babies?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Reefer Madness?... Really?...

Propaganda like woah. I'll watch it with my kids when they're ready, but not in the "serious guys, this is real" kinda way.

 

[Thump553]

Last I knew (and it has been a couple of years since I looked into it) the feds barred banks/financial institutions, credit cards firms and the like from handling (state law) legal firms money-they can't even open a checking account to pay their landlord, payroll, etc. This almost guarantees widespread money laundering/offshore banking etc. just to be in business. This is a crime mandated by federal law.

For over fifty years I've been expecting MJ to be federally legalized in a year or three, and we are barely any closer now than back in Nixon''s era. Donnie talked about doing it, but surprise, surprise, no action.

Prohibition proved the stupidity of outlawing what the people want. No sense continuing to repeat the same mistake.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Reefer Madness?... Really?...

You never seen it? It's a cult classic!

 

[Vic]

With the Dems in control of the Senate, the SAFE Banking Act will likely pass, and the issue the OP was complaining about will be a thing of the past.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

With the Dems in control of the Senate, the SAFE Banking Act will likely pass, and the issue the OP was complaining about will be a thing of the past.

I sincerely hope so.

You realize the majority of Dems are in the same pocket as Republicans, right? The same reason they are just as in favor of war as Republicans are?

 

[Vic]

I sincerely hope so.

You realize the majority of Dems are in the same pocket as Republicans, right? The same reason they are just as in favor of war as Republicans are?

We've already had this discussion, and you're full of shit and you know it. In almost every election that includes a vote on cannabis liberalization, the vote invariably falls along party lines. Which is why Alaska and South Dakota are the only red states that have legalized, and the only states left where even medical use is prohibited are all red. And the only reason the SAFE Banking Act isn't already law is because the Republicans in the Senate blocked it in committee.

 

[zinfamous]

I love how it takes marijuana industry for folks on the left to see the folly of too much government regulation lol.

I know this is year old...but it's weird that you read the first page of this thread (Well, honestly hopefully not, because that would be damningly stupid for you) and came away with that conclusion. ...only the exact opposite of what you said has been suggested, proven, explained, experienced....oh wow, all this regulation and still prices got lower, way lower...with even more room for regulation, just to allow black market to compete!.

recently, supply has lessened up because of all the pandemic effects on the dispensaries (for the grey area stuff), but it's only back to normal, tolerable, black market stuff since...well 2+ decades.

and I'm in a market that is only "legal" right now, lol.

 

[woolfe9998]

I know this is year old...but it's weird that you read the first page of this thread (Well, honestly hopefully not, because that would be damningly stupid for you) and came away with that conclusion. ...only the exact opposite of what you said has been suggested, proven, explained, experienced....oh wow, all this regulation and still prices got lower, way lower...with even more room for regulation, just to allow black market to compete!.

recently, supply has lessened up because of all the pandemic effects on the dispensaries (for the grey area stuff), but it's only back to normal, tolerable, black market stuff since...well 2+ decades.

and I'm in a market that is only "legal" right now, lol.

Absolutely. I think it's much better regulated than not. One example is that they are required to give THC % for smoked products, and THC in milligram doses for edibles. Back in the day, taking an edible was a total crapshoot - could be so weak you could barely feel it, or way more than you bargained for.

 

[Bitek]

Yeah, I'm against it. I have my reasons, but I'm sure things will continue to progress forward. It seems pot and legalized gambling are taking more of a hold on government as they seek ways to pay higher salaries and cover budgets... No need to get into a heated discussion, but let's just say I have kids and know a number of people who wasted their lives sitting around smoking. I'm not blaming mj 100%, but it certainly didn't help them any and I don't want to have to rent "Reefer Madness" and force my kids to watch it.

Yes, some people will do this. I knew enough people that did this before it was legalized even.

That's not the point. The point is that it's not the point of the state to regulate your life and save you from irresponsible behavior, particularly when doing so harms so many other responsible adults.

There are plenty of vices in the world, and any of them can be self destructive. I wouldn't put weed in a particularly severe category of this. Keeping it illegal is a failed policy which on net does more harm than good.

Give adults their freedom, let them choose, and allow them to be responsible for their choices.

 

[HomerJS]

I sincerely hope so.

You realize the majority of Dems are in the same pocket as Republicans, right? The same reason they are just as in favor of war as Republicans are?

You fail to acknowledge illegal pot just like prohibition was a morality issue. This was a righty concocted stand that the left was afraid to buck. Righties love to regulate things they consider a matter of morality. Ever heard of abortion restrictions?

 

[ch33zw1z]

You fail to acknowledge illegal pot just like prohibition was a morality issue. This was a righty concocted stand that the left was afraid to buck. Righties love to regulate things they consider a matter of morality. Ever heard of abortion restrictions?

How else could you constantly find reasons to shame others if you're not legislating your virtue signaling

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

We've already had this discussion, and you're full of shit and you know it. In almost every election that includes a vote on cannabis liberalization, the vote invariably falls along party lines. Which is why Alaska and South Dakota are the only red states that have legalized, and the only states left where even medical use is prohibited are all red. And the only reason the SAFE Banking Act isn't already law is because the Republicans in the Senate blocked it in committee.

Well then I guess they can quickly pass it in a reconciliation bill this time around, eh?

Keep on thinking those blissful dreams of "They would do that! It's those DAMN REPUBLITARDS that are preventing them from doing something that could have been done without them"

 

[K1052]

Well then I guess they can quickly pass it in a reconciliation bill this time around, eh?

Keep on thinking those blissful dreams of "They would do that! It's those DAMN REPUBLITARDS that are preventing them from doing something that could have been done without them"

The only reason it didn't pass previously was that Banking Chair Sen Crapo bottled it up in committee because he's an asshole. There is sufficient GOP support for passage even at 60 votes.

 

[fskimospy]

Well then I guess they can quickly pass it in a reconciliation bill this time around, eh?

Keep on thinking those blissful dreams of "They would do that! It's those DAMN REPUBLITARDS that are preventing them from doing something that could have been done without them"

How would you pass banking regulation through reconciliation?

 

[K1052]

How would you pass banking regulation through reconciliation?

If you used a nominal federal tax on marijuana sales seems like there is an argument you could insert most of the banking package inside the provision and slip it past the Senate parliamentarian.

 

[nickqt]

Yes, some people will do this. I knew enough people that did this before it was legalized even.

That's not the point. The point is that it's not the point of the state to regulate your life and save you from irresponsible behavior, particularly when doing so harms so many other responsible adults.

There are plenty of vices in the world, and any of them can be self destructive. I wouldn't put weed in a particularly severe category of this. Keeping it illegal is a failed policy which on net does more harm than good.

Give adults their freedom, let them choose, and allow them to be responsible for their choices.

First, I highly doubt that there are brilliant, take-charge individuals out there who would have created vast business Empires, but succumbed to the temptation and damnation of marijuana. Typically, lazy fucks are going to be lazy whether or not they use a substance in addition to their laziness. There are plenty of people who "smoke weed e'ryday" and are far richer than 99.99% of the population, so the whole "it makes you lazy" argument is absolute and utter fucking bullshit.

Second, ALL DRUGS should be decriminalized. It is absolutely unconscionable that a government can attempt to control my consciousness, minus it's inherent ability to make sure that laws exist to prevent and punish me hurting others.

Yes, that includes meth and heroin. As is, all of the meth and heroin users by their very nature use those substances even though they are illegal. And the people who use their legal counterparts (adderal, opoids) are just as likely to hurt themselves with addiction/overdose, or hurt others as are the illegal users. So, the "but everyone will become meth addicts" argument is total horseshit, since there are already legal alternatives to the illegal drugs.

Third, by decriminalizing all drugs and treating addiction as a brain disease (which it is physically) rather than as a crime (unconscionable control of a human being's consciousness) then perhaps instead of pushing addicts into shadows, we can actually help them up instead of pushing them down. How radical.