Feds Predict Major Drop in Marijuana Prices
Unless you measure success by the number of people arrested, the failure of the war on marijuana is becoming more obvious than ever before. A new Department of Justice report, Drug Threat Assessment 2008, reveals that increased indoor cultivation is flooding the U.S. market with high quality marijuana. As a result, marijuana users may soon be getting more bud for their buck:
In the section, "Predictive Estimates," the report concludes:
• Increased cannabis cultivation may result in reduced marijuana prices.
The recent increases in cannabis cultivation and marijuana production within the United States coincide with the continued flow of marijuana from foreign sources, which may lead to market saturation [in] major markets. This saturation could reduce the price of the drug significantly. [CelebStoner.com]
That's good news for marijuana enthusiasts and bad news for anyone invested in trying to eradicate America's #1 cash crop. Ironically, drug warriors have often cited increased potency as evidence that marijuana is becoming more harmful. This is all nonsense, because users adjust their dose to achieve the desired effect, just as an alcohol user might drink a 12 ounce beer, but not 12 ounces of vodka (not to mention the lack of evidence that marijuana is harmful even in large doses). Nevertheless, the real story here is that marijuana eradication efforts are failing to affect price and supply.
What then is the point of spending billions in an unsuccessful attempt to eradicate this plant? What desirable outcomes are being achieved in exchange for the innocent lives disrupted or lost in the course of this fruitless crusade? Reasonable people can disagree about marijuana use, but who among us cannot think of better things for police to do than this?
Anyone who ever thought we might someday purge this plant from our borders can now be relieved of that foolish notion. Opponents of marijuana and its users must now take stock of the situation and ask whether the indefinite continuation of this endless cat and mouse game is desirable.
It is amusing, perhaps, to the marijuana fans among us to hear that the price of a ¼ bag could go down soon. But remember how much our nation has sacrificed in a hopeless effort to prevent this from happening. Remember how many of our friends and neighbors have been yanked off the streets, forced out of school or work, even lost custody of their children, all because of the stupid idea that we could successfully wage war on marijuana.
I don't begrudge any of you your cheap bags of good bud, but don't get too comfortable. The war on marijuana may have failed, but it still sucks.
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Funding Dynamics
Comment posted by Giordano on Tue, 11/13/2007 - 4:09amWatch drug enforcers use a decrease in marijuana’s retail cost to justify asking for more federal and state money to fight the omnipotent weed.
It seems that when the drug warriors fail, they’re given more money to succeed, and when they claim success, they want more cash to do more of the same.
But their successes do not translate as easily into increased funding. If the funding works, why increase it? The drug warriors who fail while claiming success would do better to fail as much as possible while admitting their failures in order to rake in the most funding. Under this plan, everyone gets their drugs, drug enforcement gets its money, and everyone is happy.
But no. First, ONDCP claims drug enforcement is an outrageous success, and in less than a blink of an eye the DoJ says the drug war is failing. Once again, ONDCP Director John Walters has totally screwed everything up.
Giordano