re: #1006 hebrewtoyou

Exactly! The reason the cartels exist is because they’re not being punished by Mexico for growing marijuana. If US citizens could grow their own weed and if US corporations could market it this wouldn’t be a problem. Do you see many people buying black-market alcohol?

I sure don’t…

Pot-farming protectionism won’t be needed to hurt the cartels. If marijuana were legalized, the cartels would cease to be “cartels” by definition: i.e. their oligopolistic advantage would evaporate. They would merely be another provider out of many. Price takers.

I predict there would be great advances in squashing crime and illiteracy rates among poor urban minority youths too. Once the prospects of dropping out of high school to be a violent pusher/dealer no longer represent a lucrative career choice, I think many more will stick with legitimate educational pursuits.

Illegality creates an underclass, not only of consumers, but also of providers. Both are hurt.

Legalize drugs now!