If We Legalize Marijuana, We'll Bankrupt Canada's Pot Economy
It's an open secret that the Canadian economy has long been propped up by substantial marijuana exports to the U.S. market. As California prepares to vote on legalization, Canada's biggest cash crop faces a threat far less forgiving than law enforcement.
This November, in an effort to increase tax revenue, California will hold a referendum on whether or not to legalise the cultivation and use of marijuana. If passed, the change in law would be devastating to the Canadian economy, halting the flow of billions of dollars from the US into Canada and eventually forcing hundreds of thousands into unemployment.
Over the past 20 years, Canada has developed a substantial and highly profitable marijuana industry that is almost completely dependent on the US market. Between 60 and 90% of the marijuana produced domestically is exported to the US via cross-border smuggling operations. It's exactly like the alcohol prohibition of the 1920s, only far more sophisticated and more profitable. The establishment of a legal industry based in the US would likely cripple these exports overnight. [The Guardian]
Canada's staggering $20 billion marijuana industry owes its prosperity to American consumers, and would shrink to a fraction of its current dimensions without them. There's just no way around it. Legalization in America would literally dismantle one of the largest industries in Canada, and it would do so with ruthless efficiency. They've been sending us their worst commercial pot at inflated prices for decades and we will dispense with it quite unceremoniously at the next opportunity.
This is the first thing that ought to come to mind when we hear opponents of marijuana legalization claiming that it won't help our economy. We've been sending $15 billion a year to Canada, you morons. Forget taxes, let's talk about gross revenue.
Canada Missed Its Chance
The political atmosphere was teetering on federal legalization in Canada like 8-10 years ago. Can you imagine the money they could have made up there out of a decade of pot tourism? What college kid within 200 miles of the border wouldn't be driving over once a month? They had a window where the cat was still in the bag down here, but it's slipping away real fast. Too bad for them.
Poor Cananda
Yet, I am not the least bit phased. Things change, people lose jobs, new jobs are created, life goes on.
I comment on CNN, almost entirely pot/drug/cartel related comments - (and a big shout out to PaulLanu over there!), Anyway, I have seen the jobs lost argument on CNN several times. Some say the Cartels will move onto worse crimes (wow) and some say the police need the money (a bit more reasonable).
One of my better replys, was that the money "saved" by ending the Drug War will be spent on areas that are far more beneficial to our nation. The money spent means jobs created.
Net change = better use of our resources.
Join the growing chorus of reasonable marijuana activists on cnn. Keep it professional and friendly and you are guaranteed to win some needed swing voters to our side. I can also guarantee the opposition will resort to name calling and they destroy their creditability in the process. Please let them do it :-)
The facts are squarely on our side. Stick to them, without slinging mud, and we are assured victory!
Thanks for reading!
a nuance
Lets get serious people.
Lets get serious people. Given that in 2008 Canada's GDP was about 1.5 Trillion, 20 billion, while substantial is only a percentage point and a bit of the total economy, though it would likely have a more local effect in British Columbia.
Easy, there
absurd!
the re-legalization of alcohol in the u.s. certainly didn't put the canadian beer and spirits economy out of business...for those of you who don't know - during u.s. alcohol prohibition, alcohol was also illegal in canada - with the exception of manufacture of alcohol for EXPORT...including the illegal (from the u.s. side) export of alcohol to the united states...
Anonymous Nation comes out of the closet ?
The whole country hides behind Marc Emery...they threw Rick Simpson under the bus...he is famous in Europe as he lives in Czech (bohemia) Republic...yet forgotten in Anonymous Nation of the most freedom in North America ? Lackey of American greed and sumptuary law slavery. Master Ricky please live safe in Europe,but don't cry for chickenshit Canada.
Curious Inverse
Canada's but not Mexico's?
WHO CARES ! AMERICANS
WHO CARES ! AMERICANS FIRST!!!!!!!!!!
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