Robert Celt
New Member
The much weakened marijuana bill that passed out of the House Judiciary Committee last week calls for the formation of a commission to study the likely prospect of legalization, but it falls short of legalizing the drug now.
A story in The New York Times on Tuesday foreshadowed what appears to be the all but inevitable future for the marijuana industry. It described the large-scale plans already underway in California to establish major marijuana growing operations as the state moves toward a ballot initiative in November likely to approve legalization. It isn't Ronald Reagan's California anymore.
California is already the world's largest legal market for marijuana, according to The Times; sales of medical marijuana totaled $2.7 billion last year. A new law now allows businesses in California to make a profit from marijuana – it has been forbidden for 20 years – and with legalization of recreational use likely in November, out-of-state investors are bringing big money to bear. Struggling municipalities are already working to foster a booming new industry.
The Vermont Legislature seems accurately to reflect the ambivalence of Vermonters toward legalization. The Senate has passed a bill permitting possession and allowing for the regulated sale of marijuana. Gov. Peter Shumlin and House Speaker Shap Smith support legalization, but misgivings among House members made it impossible to muster a majority within the House Judiciary Committee in favor of the Senate bill. A scaled-back bill that would have permitted the growing of two plants for personal use also failed. The Senate bill did not die, however. The committee gutted it, creating instead a commission to look at the future of legalization.
Supporters of legalization are disappointed. If the bill fails this year, a new Legislature will have to start from scratch next year. New committees will have to take new testimony, and Vermonters will have to gear up again for the marijuana debate.
There will likely be plenty of new testimony and much to debate. The reality of a large-scale marijuana industry centered in California could cast the issue in a new light. Legal consumption in Washington and Colorado is one thing, but a legal industry in California will take the business to a new level.
For one thing, legal marijuana in California would probably demystify the entire business. The state's experience would likely shed additional light on issues such as impaired driving, youth consumption, criminal involvement and the complications caused by federal law.
The Senate looked at these issues and decided legalization would do little to affect present consumption levels in Vermont, which are already high. Legalization would have the advantage of bringing the business within the state's regulatory reach and bring in revenues to help combat drug abuse.
But law enforcement and health officials in Vermont remain skeptical, and House members have heard their warnings. It is natural, in a time when drug abuse has established itself as a bona fide scourge in the state, that legislators would be cautious. It is a significant fact that marijuana is not the drug wreaking havoc in the state, but House members are reluctant to take what might be seen as a cavalier attitude on the issue.
Shumlin's support of legalization may not be much help. His tendency toward the cavalier turns some voters off. But even if the Legislature's effort fails this year, the trend is toward legalization. A new Legislature and new leaders may be even more sympathetic to the cause than the present ones. It is likely that California is paving the way for the nation.
The future battle is likely to be between big corporate growers and local boutique operations – as it is for beer. Enterprising operators could set up marijuana farms everywhere from the hills and hollows of Kentucky to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to the high desert of California, where big plans are already afoot.
As they do today, individuals will have to decide whether marijuana is for them. If not this year, then sometime when Vermonters feels more comfortable with the idea, the state is likely eventually to remove the shadow of illegality from that decision.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Author: Editorial
Photo Credit: Marina Riker
Website: Times Argus
A story in The New York Times on Tuesday foreshadowed what appears to be the all but inevitable future for the marijuana industry. It described the large-scale plans already underway in California to establish major marijuana growing operations as the state moves toward a ballot initiative in November likely to approve legalization. It isn't Ronald Reagan's California anymore.
California is already the world's largest legal market for marijuana, according to The Times; sales of medical marijuana totaled $2.7 billion last year. A new law now allows businesses in California to make a profit from marijuana – it has been forbidden for 20 years – and with legalization of recreational use likely in November, out-of-state investors are bringing big money to bear. Struggling municipalities are already working to foster a booming new industry.
The Vermont Legislature seems accurately to reflect the ambivalence of Vermonters toward legalization. The Senate has passed a bill permitting possession and allowing for the regulated sale of marijuana. Gov. Peter Shumlin and House Speaker Shap Smith support legalization, but misgivings among House members made it impossible to muster a majority within the House Judiciary Committee in favor of the Senate bill. A scaled-back bill that would have permitted the growing of two plants for personal use also failed. The Senate bill did not die, however. The committee gutted it, creating instead a commission to look at the future of legalization.
Supporters of legalization are disappointed. If the bill fails this year, a new Legislature will have to start from scratch next year. New committees will have to take new testimony, and Vermonters will have to gear up again for the marijuana debate.
There will likely be plenty of new testimony and much to debate. The reality of a large-scale marijuana industry centered in California could cast the issue in a new light. Legal consumption in Washington and Colorado is one thing, but a legal industry in California will take the business to a new level.
For one thing, legal marijuana in California would probably demystify the entire business. The state's experience would likely shed additional light on issues such as impaired driving, youth consumption, criminal involvement and the complications caused by federal law.
The Senate looked at these issues and decided legalization would do little to affect present consumption levels in Vermont, which are already high. Legalization would have the advantage of bringing the business within the state's regulatory reach and bring in revenues to help combat drug abuse.
But law enforcement and health officials in Vermont remain skeptical, and House members have heard their warnings. It is natural, in a time when drug abuse has established itself as a bona fide scourge in the state, that legislators would be cautious. It is a significant fact that marijuana is not the drug wreaking havoc in the state, but House members are reluctant to take what might be seen as a cavalier attitude on the issue.
Shumlin's support of legalization may not be much help. His tendency toward the cavalier turns some voters off. But even if the Legislature's effort fails this year, the trend is toward legalization. A new Legislature and new leaders may be even more sympathetic to the cause than the present ones. It is likely that California is paving the way for the nation.
The future battle is likely to be between big corporate growers and local boutique operations – as it is for beer. Enterprising operators could set up marijuana farms everywhere from the hills and hollows of Kentucky to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to the high desert of California, where big plans are already afoot.
As they do today, individuals will have to decide whether marijuana is for them. If not this year, then sometime when Vermonters feels more comfortable with the idea, the state is likely eventually to remove the shadow of illegality from that decision.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Author: Editorial
Photo Credit: Marina Riker
Website: Times Argus
