Legal Pot in the US Is Crippling Mexican Cartels

[mrjarrell]

Their profits are down and the farmers aren't planting it anymore. Also, the DEA is unhappy that cartel profits are down. Makes it seem as if we don't really need them. Aww...it breaks your heart.

https://news.vice.com/article/legal-pot-in-the-us-is-crippling-mexican-cartels

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Legalization in two states is "crippling" Mexican drug cartels? Just how much dope do the hipsters in WA and CO smoke?

Hmmm, I don't know about this.

 

[mrjarrell]

Legalization in two states is "crippling" Mexican drug cartels? Just how much dope do the hipsters in WA and CO smoke?

Hmmm, I don't know about this.

It's not just the two states with legal recreational pot. It's also the states that have medical marijuana. They're growing their own and don't need Mexican ditchweed, anymore.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Ok, fair enough, CA has near-legalization and it's 11% of the population.

 

[pute62]

Is there even anyone left to grow for them since we invited everyone to come North?

 

[JS1911]

I hope we eventually reach a point where the gov. starts treating us like adults, and we see the mexican cartels go the way of the do-do.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Cartels actually grow a lot of it up in northern Kalifornia. Millions of plants.

 

[ModernGunner]

Oh sure, this story is 'credible'...

 

[OZZY.40]

I hope we eventually reach a point where the gov. starts treating us like adults, and we see the mexican cartels go the way of the do-do.

I doubt that will happen since pot is a gateway drug. Cartels will focus on other drugs because allowing easy access to marijuana will create a larger customer base for stronger drugs such as cocaine, heroin, etc... The cartels wouldnt allow "their government officials" to just destroy their business model unless there is a plan. Get more people doing legal drugs will lead to more people doing illegal drugs. So the cartels are here to stay and have just grown their customer base.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Does anyone have any particular difficulty getting whatever they want as things stand? There are some people that use these drugs, and some that just don't. Legalizing them won't change that, and we could have the benefits of quality control and taxation, rather than wasting huge money pointlessly fighting the cartels that the enforcement itself has created.

 

[DanSwanky]

I doubt that will happen since pot is a gateway drug. Cartels will focus on other drugs because allowing easy access to marijuana will create a larger customer base for stronger drugs such as cocaine, heroin, etc... The cartels wouldnt allow "their government officials" to just destroy their business model unless there is a plan. Get more people doing legal drugs will lead to more people doing illegal drugs. So the cartels are here to stay and have just grown their customer base.

Haha, yes everyone who ever smoked the wacky has the potential to go all Michael Irviny.

 

[KellyinAvon]

I doubt that will happen since pot is a gateway drug. Cartels will focus on other drugs because allowing easy access to marijuana will create a larger customer base for stronger drugs such as cocaine, heroin, etc... The cartels wouldnt allow "their government officials" to just destroy their business model unless there is a plan. Get more people doing legal drugs will lead to more people doing illegal drugs. So the cartels are here to stay and have just grown their customer base.

Ozzy beat me to "business models". The pot division is down? We'll transfer it to our "appears to be legal" division that operates out in the open. Assets (transportation, muscle, communications, sales network) from the pot division will transfer to heroin and cocaine. What about meth? Prescription drugs?

When the states started lotteries did the Mafia (who called it running numbers) pack up and go home? NO! They found new and exciting ways to make money illegally.

 

[OakRiver]

I was under the impression that the cartels got most of their revenue from cocaine

 

[Drail]

Pot is a gateway drug? Oh please......

 

[KellyinAvon]

I was under the impression that the cartels got most of their revenue from cocaine

We'll need to see their financial statements and balance sheets.

 

[OakRiver]

We'll need to see their financial statements and balance sheets.

My work may object to me Googling that on their system

 

[hoosierdoc]

It's not just the two states with legal recreational pot. It's also the states that have medical marijuana. They're growing their own and don't need Mexican ditchweed, anymore.

So... You're saying the medical marijuana customers used to buy cartel weed? If grandma's glaucoma script is crushing the cartels then this proves med marijuana is the biggest farce the 'pharmaceutical' industry has ever seen. Just proves pot smokers just want to smoke pot. Just now they find some garbage medical reason to do so, en masse.

(Cue single pediatric seizure article post...)

 

[KittySlayer]

Keep in mind that under Federal law pot is still illegal. Just another law that the administration chooses not to enforce.

 

[zippy23]

Not yet, but if the entire u.s. legalized it recreationally, then yeah the cartels would be screwed, and .gov would find themselves with a lot of people that arent "needed" and prisons would be half empty....another bad thing for liberals and gov't.

 

[mrjarrell]

Keep in mind that under Federal law pot is still illegal. Just another law that the administration chooses not to enforce.

Of statistical interest is the fact that Obama's DEA and FBI went after state legal medical marijuana businesses much more than his predecessor did. He has let up on it over the last couple of years, but he was gung ho to take them out in his first term. More than a few people are still sitting in jail due to Obama's raids. The previous president wasn't so officious where they were concerned.