Thursday, October 22, 2009

Medical Marijuana and Cartel Profits

The drug Cartels must be applauding the new guidelines listed for prosecution of Medical Marijuana users and dispensaries.  With 14 states out there who have in one form or another legalized Medical Marijuana, who do you think is supplying them?  Has our new administration just made way for the Cartels to become even more powerful.  Granted it does specifically state in the memo that "The prosecution of significant traffickers of illegal drugs, including marijuana, and the disruption of illegal drug manufacturing and trafficking networks continues to be a core priority in the Department’s efforts against narcotics and dangerous drugs, and the Department’s investigative and prosecutorial resources should be directed towards these objectives. "  but it also is being interpreted that users and dispensaries will not be touched as long as they comply with State laws.

Colorado alone has had dispensaries popping up everywhere.  According to the Denver Post "Demand for medical marijuana in Colorado has grown so fast in the past few months that it has outstripped the production of legal "grow" operations and is now probably being supplied by international drug cartels, say some local sheriffs and agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration".  This is very disturbing in deed, we have now fuzzied the line further regarding the legality of marijuana and how to prosecute the criminals involved, such as the Cartels.

An article in the Examiner explains that a “bi-national task force” on “rethinking the US-Mexican Border” has completed a study, which in part, names the USA’s respect for the Second Amendment as a prime culprit for the violence on the US-Mexican border.

So with our growing demand for marijuana and the relaxation of policy regarding prosecuting individuals and dispensaries have we just opened pandora's box?

3 comments:

  1. Medical marijuana laws have created an influx of domestically produced marijuana that directly undercuts cartel profits. The Washington Post reported on this recently and numerous Colorado papers have noted how co-ops have sprung up across the state to supply patients.

    You can say what you want about medical marijuana, but it's just a fact that it takes money away from organized crime. Letting patients grow their own inevitably hurts dealers. To argue otherwise is absurd.

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  2. Drug prohibition creates the black markets that attract the worst sorts to them. Even with the clubs in California, the prices remain artificially high due to prohibition. Remove the prohibition and the cost will plunge to free market levels. This will reduce the criminal element, as it will no longer be as profitable as it presently is. In essence this will close 'Pandora's Box'...which was opened by drug prohibitionists.

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  3. It is just a carnival of ignorance in here isn't it?

    You really haven't studied this at all have you? You're not aware of the large, domestic greenhouses and hydroponic shops currently producing Marijuana and selling it out of Medical Dispensaries?

    You honestly believe that a Medical Marijuana Dispensary is buying from Tyrone on the street corner and then selling it at an additional markup?

    Christ, this is really getting pathetic.

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