Legalized Marijuana - tourism boost ?

[Jerry1]

Last time I was in Canada/Nova Scotia, the sales tax was 15% and a six pack of the cheapest beer was $12.99.

Expect the government to tax pot to the point it is simply unaffordable. That is when the bootleggers will pick up the slack.

This is my concern. I’ve believed in decriminalizing substance abscess for a long time. That doesn’t mean I think we should encourage substance abuse but the war on drugs, IMO, has been a failure. I have never understood why we did not learn the lesson with prohibition. Put the money into rehab support and public service communication. I’ve never understood how one form of substance abuse/use is okay (tobacco and alcohol) and others are not.

But as I watch the pot legalization take form, I’m appalled at the framework of doing it because it will generate tax revenue. How is that not an encouragement for government to keep people using? Any revenue should be used for administration and programs to prevent usage and programs for rehabilitation.

Worse is that these governments appear to be taxing weed so much that the illegal suppliers are not being disincentivized. How foolish is that? Legalize weed and still have a criminal element.

People have and will likely always use. Governments role should be to discourage it and be there to support people who are overtaken by it. Not to profit from it.

To the OP question, I don’t think many will visit Canada just to smoke some ganja but I’m sure for those who partake, they will appreciate the ability to do so legally when they do visit.

 

[jim584672]

Eh, there may be a bit of extra tourism, but you can have the potbirds and all the extra homeless. Not worth it.

"Potbirds" is the new name for people going to Canada for pot. LOL


Looks like NY and NJ will legalize soon, so that would be shorter trip.

 

[hesperus]

Last time I was in Canada/Nova Scotia, the sales tax was 15% and a six pack of the cheapest beer was $12.99.

Expect the government to tax pot to the point it is simply unaffordable. That is when the bootleggers will pick up the slack.

Not here in colorado, and it was one of the main directives in the legalization process - prevent legal weed from being taxed so high that illegal market would again flourish. I know in our local government this is one of the main arguments against increasing taxes.

The disparity in taxes between medical marijuana (card carrying) and recreational marijuana is not insignificant, however.

 

[GravitySucks]

I'm near the Canadian US border. I won't go up just for the weed. I usually go up once a summer but passed this year. Don't want to get into political discussions, last year was bad enough.

 

[davebarnes]

As someone who lives in the Socialist Paradise of the City & County of Denver, all I can say is: what was the question again?

 

[cooch96]

To answer the OP, yes but slight.

Here in WA, the taxed legal stuff was initially 3x the black market bud, so most folks kept with their regular dealer. Many went to the new establishments for the novelty of buying legal pot; some traveled from out of state for the experience.

It’s been a few years and the marijuana shops are still in business. I suspect edibles are a big reason: all the chemical benefits without stinking up the house or car with tar-laden smoke. Edibles weren’t ever a huge black market item, but they seem to thrive in brick&mortar stores. I’m not super savvy on the subject, but I have a friend who works for a local establishment and DW said recently she couldn’t imagine why anyone would smoke anymore when they could just suck on a THC lozenge.

 

[hesperus]

As someone who lives in the Socialist Paradise of the City & County of Denver, all I can say is: what was the question again?

just grab a bag of chips and don't worry about it

 

[Sunset]

This is my concern. I’ve believed in decriminalizing substance abscess for a long time. That doesn’t mean I think we should encourage substance abuse but the war on drugs, IMO, has been a failure. I have never understood why we did not learn the lesson with prohibition. Put the money into rehab support and public service communication. I’ve never understood how one form of substance abuse/use is okay (tobacco and alcohol) and others are not.

But as I watch the pot legalization take form, I’m appalled at the framework of doing it because it will generate tax revenue. How is that not an encouragement for government to keep people using? Any revenue should be used for administration and programs to prevent usage and programs for rehabilitation.

Worse is that these governments appear to be taxing weed so much that the illegal suppliers are not being disincentivized. How foolish is that? Legalize weed and still have a criminal element.

People have and will likely always use. Governments role should be to discourage it and be there to support people who are overtaken by it. Not to profit from it.

To the OP question, I don’t think many will visit Canada just to smoke some ganja but I’m sure for those who partake, they will appreciate the ability to do so legally when they do visit.

I have no idea how Canada will tax it, but they tax cigs and booze and you see plenty of people buying the legal stuff, not too many folks buy illegal booze.

The fact that in almost all provinces it will be legal to grow your own, is certainly going to cut down on the black market organizations. It will probably end up being like the home brew or wine making industry in Canada, where people often do it, but still buy wine from the store.
Some folks refuse to make their own wine/beer as they believe the quality would never match the commercial product, I'm sure some pot users will be happy to be able to buy quality and safe (no added drugs) pot.

 

[cbo111]

The more pot the better!

Hey, Robbie, I was just visiting my DM up in the Modesto area. We stopped by a very nice little pot shop to get wife some CBD oil to help her sleep. For those not into the pot culture, CBD is extracted from the pot plant and contains very little of the THC stuff that gets you high. But the shop was in Delhi of all places, a small farm town. All their weed varieties were vacuum sealed in little pouches, all kinds of edibles and other products. Very professional staff and business. Not at all seedy like one might expect.

 

[shortstop14]

It’s been a few years and the marijuana shops are still in business. I suspect edibles are a big reason: all the chemical benefits without stinking up the house or car with tar-laden smoke. Edibles weren’t ever a huge black market item, but they seem to thrive in brick&mortar stores. I’m not super savvy on the subject, but I have a friend who works for a local establishment and DW said recently she couldn’t imagine why anyone would smoke anymore when they could just suck on a THC lozenge.

There's still a bit of a cost differential per dosage, legal edibles are more expensive than smokable cannabis. But for infrequent users the edibles (and e-cigarettes) are a great improvement over smoking. The variety of edibles and drinkables has expanded greatly since legalization.

 

[Nemo2]

Like gas.....buy it on the rez.

 

[jimandthom]

I suspect the same arguments/statements, pro and con, were bandied about during prohibition times.

Personal thought, is that if its OK with booze etc, it might as well be with pot or we should take it to the extreme and no more booze. Lets be realistic, we have decades of info on its negative societal effects.

The medical shop we go to is in a great place, if Michigans effort passes. Across from a nice large state park, in the middle of Michigans recreational heartland. The area also boasts a very large military training facility.

The young man and his wife are probably going to be grinning from ear to ear in a few months if he also sets up for recreational.

 

[Koogie]

I can assure you that a lot of the reasons behind legalization here are nothing more than cynical political machinations.

As with most other government decisions....

 

[MRG]

There's still a bit of a cost differential per dosage, legal edibles are more expensive than smokable cannabis. But for infrequent users the edibles (and e-cigarettes) are a great improvement over smoking. The variety of edibles and drinkables has expanded greatly since legalization.

People like edibles but the store bought ones are priced at a big premium.

For $150 you can buy a magic butter machine and make your own cannabutter or cannaoil, if you don't want to understand and learn how to process it yourself. If you do , a cookie sheet, cheesecloth, and Mason jar is about all you need.

Once you have infused butter or oil your imagination and cooking skills are the limit to what you can do.

I reuse the vaped cannabis I've already enjoyed once, extract remaining THC/CBD and use it for cooking or in my coffee, bulletproof style. Last batch of free cannaoil seems like about 1% THC. Starting with 14 grams of AVP, I reclaimed about 100 grams of 1% oil, that's ~1000mg of THC. At retail prices a couple hundred bucks.

 

[harley]

This whole conversation is like a wonderful dream for me. After a lifetime of persecution and ridicule, it just amazes me that legalization is happening, and happening so fast. It's like a cascade. I don't care why, I'm just glad it's happening. I've seen a significant number of lives ruined by the WoD. Not the drugs, just the war. I can't wait until it comes to a neighborhood near me. Right now I'm still standing around my traveling friends, looking wistful. Maybe I will take a trip to Canada, or Colorado. Hmmm...I'll have to check the concert schedule at Red Rocks for this summer.

 

[MikeD]

I think smoking dope make one stupid and lazy. But I think a person should be able to make mistakes. I believe that one should have freedom and that includes the freedom to make mistakes.

I personally don't drink or smoke MJ but I do think drugs should be completely unregulated.

Mike D.

 

[Major Tom]

I think smoking dope make one stupid and lazy. But I think a person should be able to make mistakes.

I don't think many would argue that regular heavy use has a detrimental effect but, like many things, it is a sliding scale. Few would think that taking a few puffs on a joint or consuming one edible is going to send you straight to hell. Somewhere in between the 2 extremes is where I suspect the majority of users lie - just as with alcohol.

just grab a bag of chips and don't worry about it

Or chocolate chip cookie dough......

 

[Breedlove]

Kind of funny , no professional good person would ever smoke weed . …… Good friend a retired VP for a very big megacorp . and his wife both smoke . We go to Amsterdam every year for 21 years . For 20 years we did not smoke because I could be tested . Last year we went to a coffee shop ….All Americans . Even a MMA fighter . Legalize it and control it right. We have friends a realtor who had back surgery and still has pain . They do go to Co. to get edibles she is allergic to smoke . In my county here in Texas the police are not interested in weed , they are all over the meth.

 

[harley]

I think smoking dope make one stupid and lazy.

Yep, stupid and lazy is what enabled DW and me to retire at age 50.

 

[MRG]

Yep, stupid and lazy is what enabled DW and me to retire at age 50.

+1
One of my favorite activities after a few puffs is going to the gym to jog and lift weights. The very few times I ever tried to study I was using cannibis. I can still recite that information verbatim 40 years later.

 

[Freedom56]

I used to smoke weed, hash, Thai sticks, in high school through university. I even smoked with some of my professors at University. I stopped at about age 24 when they implemented mandatory drug testing and haven't done it since. Plus I was too focused with my work. I personally don't believe they should legalize it. It's bad enough with drunk drivers and serial texters on the road, so the last thing we need is someone high on weed dreaming about a bag of Cheetos driving on the freeway. They should perhaps decriminalize it for usage at home.

 

[Big_Hitter]

As someone who lives in the Socialist Paradise of the City & County of Denver, all I can say is: what was the question again?

 

[kgtest]

+1
One of my favorite activities after a few puffs is going to the gym to jog and lift weights. The very few times I ever tried to study I was using cannibis. I can still recite that information verbatim 40 years later.

Amen brotha! Ran a 15k just fine, have more money saved than my peers and my watch is set 20 after. But $400 an oz yikes, that must be the price in those 'legal' states...black market is much cheaper.

 

[kgtest]

As for tourism, this isn't like the advent of the steam engine or anything. It's more like taking a trip and instead of hitting up your favorite Ruth Chris steak house, you are hitting up your favorite smoke shop.



So no net new in terms of clientele, but with the tax collection to the tax man...its definitely a net new.

 

[MRG]

Amen brotha! Ran a 15k just fine, have more money saved than my peers and my watch is set 20 after. But $400 an oz yikes, that must be the price in those 'legal' states...black market is much cheaper.

Actually I'm medical, in an expensive place, SW CO. There's only one med dispensary in the county, I pay $220 for top shelf, you can catch mids for $99-120. I see the recreational side has $250 out the door specials, perhaps just for the holiday. Competition does help with price.