Originally posted by: destrekor
Originally posted by: SunnyD
Take the stigma away, tax the shit out of it, and watch it fall into obscurity. Hell, government subsidized "weed" farmers for a few years would all but ensure that nobody smokes it ever again.
seriously.
For the first few years, the amount used would skyrocket as it would be super easy to get a hold of.
But, the first notion is - would it be government-subsidized growers, or would it be whatever farmer wants to grow it and sell product directly to corporations, most likely already popular corps like whoever owns Malboro and the other groups? They've already shown interest in taking up whatever the market wants by doing trials of Snus for those who want nicotine to use discretely in places where smoking is not legal, like public places, or easy to use at work without requiring a spit cup.
If it were public corporations selling it, likely some corps would want to only buy premium crops, or buy a lot of varieties and sell it under different brands/labels.
If it were government subsidized, likely it would all be brown ass shag product.
Regardless, the same effect will be the result. Everyone who wants it legalized would run to the stores frequently buying a lot of product. But as a few years passed on and it became easy to find, the glory would fade. Those who like it would continue to purchase it, but for many it would become something almost like alcohol. Maybe enjoy it from time to time on weeknights, but likely more commonly a weekend product for the majority of the working population, and as the stigma fades, so would popularity. But they aren't quite tied. The stigma comes from so many seeing it as the evil of society. The popularity within some circles come from the fact that it's so readily enjoyable, because for many, it has to be enjoyed on rare occasions due to the stigma, and due to the "scarcity" of product - having to grow through dealers, it being illegal so it cannot be enjoyed everywhere, and having to even know who to get it from and have a place where it can be used, that and drug testing for many, are all factors that add to the popularity. With the rare use of it, you glorify it because you seek to really enjoy it when you use it.
If you can go into a convenience store and purchase it whenever you want, you will have stuff at home for whenever you want, can toke up on your way home from work, and likely could smoke as you walk down the street (barring city legality of smoking anything in public). The popularity would fade because the population will be used to it - it's there whenever you want it, and can use it frequently. It'll become like cigarettes and alcohol, depending on the person one or the other. Like alcohol for the ones who seek to use it as either a social or relaxing drug, and like cigarettes for the crowd that become addicted and have to take smoke breaks frequently just to stay calm.
But then again, it not being a stimulant, that might take away that possible effect. Many cannot really stay stoned all day while working at the office or at the restaurant, and I bet, while legal, many employers would seek to keep it out of the workplace. But drug testing would be inefficient, because if its legal, can a company really dictate that you cannot use it while not at work, as long as its not before work? That might cause some trouble but likely nothing too bad, and nothing that would last and employers become smarter about its use during work hours.
