Grand Closing: America’s Pot Farmers Are Putting Mexican Cartels Out of Business

Makes perfect sense to me. People have been saying this for decades.

Their money was in the scarcity and the risk. Eliminate that and it eliminates their business.

the problem i see is that the cartels can afford to buy more land for farming so at some point will be able to set up a monopoly and push small farming operations out of business. in the end the cartels will benefit with huge profits by creating monopolies and through protection fees to help fund their other operations and to help them establish positions of power within government's and business.
you say this is putting cartels out of business? yeah right they are too established for that to happen so easily, if anything i bet a decent portion of these farmers have "protection" agreements with cartels where they exchange cash for "peace".

i say great job making cartels more dangerous and powerful with naive laws that don't consider how cartels operate or how far they will go to make money, even if they have to hide themselves within official entities they will do it to continue operating.

Meanwhile, up here in Canada...
Our Dictator in Chief, The Dis-honorable Stephen Harper is following the tried and disproven American DEA method, despite warnings from Americans the harm and expense and corruption it has caused.

Steve is building us more prisons, whoop-de-friggin'-do.

Now we have mandatory 6 month jail sentences for growing 6 or more plants.
(yay)

Hopefully soon we can vote him out of office.

originally posted by: Toadmund
Meanwhile, up here in Canada...
Our Dictator in Chief, The Dis-honorable Stephen Harper is following the tried and disproven American DEA method, despite warnings from Americans the harm and expense and corruption it has caused.

Steve is building us more prisons, whoop-de-friggin'-do.

Now we have mandatory 6 month jail sentences for growing 6 or more plants.
(yay)

Hopefully soon we can vote him out of office.

Should start a Campaign of sending him copies of this song.

One of the things I despise most about the governments of both USA and Canada is how they have made laws which tell a person what they can and cannot have or use with regards to alcohol and marijuana but pass a blind eye to even more dangerous pharmaceutical drugs. Lobbyists have far too much representation in todays governments. Good on Colorado!

originally posted by: namehere
the problem i see is that the cartels can afford to buy more land for farming so at some point will be able to set up a monopoly and push small farming operations out of business. in the end the cartels will benefit with huge profits by creating monopolies and through protection fees to help fund their other operations and to help them establish positions of power within government's and business.
you say this is putting cartels out of business? yeah right they are too established for that to happen so easily, if anything i bet a decent portion of these farmers have "protection" agreements with cartels where they exchange cash for "peace".

i say great job making cartels more dangerous and powerful with naive laws that don't consider how cartels operate or how far they will go to make money, even if they have to hide themselves within official entities they will do it to continue operating.

I think maybe you missed the point of the OP. The cartel's product is no longer needed in the US, and is no longer wanted, so to speak.

Americans seem to now require a higher standard when it comes to this product and are having no issue in obtaining said product due to the number of states who have changed their draconian legislation.

Trying to keep on OP subject... I think legalizing it would be great because like most of "us" have been saying for years, "If it's legal then there won't be near as many criminals." in some form or another. We were thinking of US citizens being caught with it, and loosing their drivers license, huge fines, name in paper, all over a naturally grown plant, that is IMO less harmful than alcohol.

Prohibition caused so many people to be hurt and killed. Also arrested, or violent because they were trying to not be arrested. When gangs were really gangs, that started because of the alcohol ban. Now gangs are just thugs, but back then it was because of alcohol bans.

It's good to see the cartels are loosing out, and this is from only 2 states, plus a few others who have loosened up the laws a bit.

a reply to: benrl

The number of people who want to legalize only marijuana and not '___' is a major disappointment. Its a bit hypocritical to want a hard drug to be legal (alcohol) but not softer drugs including '___' and MDMA. The FDA has proven to do nothing but hurt people's health in its history. All it does is give people a false sense of security.

There is a thread on this topic, that I long to write.

One day, perhaps I will have the freedom to express my story here.

Unfortunately right now I can not.

Legalize it....and stay the # out the peoples private lives.....government has no authority to social engineer the people....

a reply to: benrl

Off topic. Does it seem suspicious to anyone that George Soros is involved in the legalization of cannabis? I was lead to believe that George Soros is not to be trusted.

On topic. I personally believe that the government should not regulate cannabis. This plant should be used as we wish without any control. I do not have a problem with companies growing and selling, as we would like the product to be clean. People will decide if the product they get is good or not and they will vote with there wallets.

To me the biggest problem with the illegal status of cannabis is that it creates an environment that is unsafe for users. Users will buy it, regardless of legality. But to go to some dodgy place and buy from a dodgy dude is not safe. making it legal will help users by letting them grow their own. Like apples or carrots or even grass. Friends will share with friends( its a hippy thing) . Legalization will reduce crime as the money criminals make from selling illegal drugs are used to fund other illegal activities.

I am and advocate for legalizing cannabis and is actively promoting it in my own country, South Africa. Strangely enough, where the Unites States made cannabis illegal to control Mexicans, they made it illegal in SA to control Indians.

Fantastic proof that legislation will reduce criminal activity, now that is positive for both the US and mexico , taking power away from the cartels is magical

but the CIA wont like it , where will they get their funds for their black projects ?
is we legislate on all drugs this would have a worldwide impact on organised crime and terror cells, as well as human trafficking most of their money comes from drugs

Glad you posted this. I almost did yesterday, but didn't out of fear the mods would take it down. S&F

a reply to: benrl

We should legalize it nationally, then take the money saved from not having to incarcerate thousands of people for pot, and seal off our borders for REAL.

a reply to: benrl

I agree with everything you said. I wish our lawmakers were required to pass ONE course in economics before they start telling everyone what to do. I do not smoke weed. But when medical marijuana comes up for a vote, it's a big YEA. Let's end the war on weed, stop clogging our courts, and collect taxes on it, to fund something useful.

a reply to: benrl
Just curious, re: your other thread, is it weed yes, psychiatry no?

originally posted by: Parthin
a reply to: benrl
Just curious, re: your other thread, is it weed yes, psychiatry no?

I can't respond to this with out risking TOS sorry. And feel the response is an attempt to get that to happen.

a reply to: benrl

Criminals LOVE prohibition.

Don't they just.

Happened with booze, happened with drugs...and will probaby happen with freedom (semi-tongue in cheek..but only just).

It's a terrible shame so many lives and families have been ruined needlessly while tptb have been waging such a wasteful, damaging and fruitless war.

a reply to: benrl

Yes, 60 minutes had a segment on it..A couple interesting notes...

Legalization is already estimated to be costing the cartels over 3 B last year...

Many ex-cops and DEA are starting security firms to service the Legal Pot farmers and Sellers.

Since banks still don't know what the Fed policy is, they don't take pot money, even if it is legal locally for fear of getting their assets seized by the gov.

So it's still an all cash business, which means bags of money and ex DEA and Cops are running security firms to buy and deliver pot in the distribution chain. Protect the cash heavy stores, farms etc.

a reply to: benrl

Also - The cartels are not stupid. You have seen a dramatic uptick in Heroine for a reason. They are trying to build and expand the heroine addict market. It's why white-bred, well to do, suburban kids are suddenly ODing on a regular basis.