How Marijuana's Natural Positioning Between Tobacco And Alcohol Hinders Legalization

Within the past week or so I posted about the four `marketing categories' of all people concerning cannabis http://realheavypolitics.blogspot.com/2009/06/cannabis-like-all-products-has-four.html, and, in that post, I noted how the vast majority of all people fall into the Trier-Rejector category, and, the Aware Non-Triers category. I also noted how the media `markets' `pot issues' to each of the categories - including users of marijuana (for users, they use the scare tactic such as `this is your brain on drugs').

So, now, turn your attention to the products of alcohol and tobacco - the `legal' recreational `drugs' that are marketed to society (with controls by the government for disclosure of danger on tobacco, and alcohol, and age and tax controls on both).

As you know, in recent years, the government has `come down' further on many areas on tobacco, and doesn't allow its use in closed public places in many states. Some have even suggested extending that prohibition on public usage to include ones personal car. All of these anti-smoking laws have been done in the past 15 years, seemingly out of nowhere, on upwards of 20-25% of the United States adult public who smoke tobacco (up to 1/3 of adults in some countries use tobacco, 1.1 BILLION adults worldwide) - by a few goodie twoshoes. And, nearly all of it done without a peep of protest.


Indeed, I don't remember even ONE protest march in favor of restricting adult usage of tobacco in places such as restaurants and bars - not one. EVER. This just goes to show how politicians can do the bidding of insurance companies and more.

(I'm reminded of the saying involving `them coming for you' -- and how society doesn't react until it's THEM who is being `come for'. In this instance, the tobacco smokers didn't react when the pot prohibition was passed decades ago and continued to ignore the pot smokers targeting by the governments.)

But, even as a known product that kills (the WHO says 4.5 million die worldwide each year from long term tobacco use) - commercial marketed tobacco has been able to starve off the final level of government control - that of making it illegal. (I say `commercial marketed tobacco' (CMT) because CMT is altered in many ways from `straight - unaltered' tobacco -- so, in many ways - we really don't know if TOBACCO is really extra dangerous or is it the additives that keep it burning.) It remains as the approved recreational `smoking product' - even if nicotine is addictive and creates a temporary minor buzz.


And, as you know, you can still find tobacco brands advertised in magazines. And, finally, tobacco has been a big supporter of lawyers in recent years attempting to fight back the multi-hundred billion dollar lawsuit it is living under. Indeed, these are the `terms':



Financial Provisions
States were to receive over $206 billion over 25 years:
Up-front payments - $12.742 billion.
Annual Payments, beginning April 15, 2000 - $183.177 billion through 2025.
Strategic Contribution Fund, 2008-2017 - $8.61 billion.
National Foundation ($250 million over 10 years).
Public Education Fund (at least $1.45 billion 2000-2003).
State Enforcement Fund ($50 million, one-time payment).
National Association of Attorneys General ($1.5 billion over next 10 years).

Then, on the other hand of legal recreational drug use in America, we have alcohol - a proven killer of innocent people on our nations highways due to misuse - and, a drug implicated in domestic violence and as having long term health effects. Additionally, as a HARD drug, many people die yearly from an extreme intoxication level of just one consumption setting. (I define hard drugs as drugs that can be used in one day to overdose to a death level. Obviously, with this standard, pot and tobacco, are NOT hard drugs.)

But, regardless of all of the known negatives listed above - alcohol remains legal in most places for adults over 21. Indeed, alcohol is even permitted to advertise on TV - with some restrictions - and of course on radio, print, and billboards. And, obviously, alcohol is legal for one main reason - people like to be able to alter their own consciousness - ie: to get high(er). People like to use things that alter their reactions and perceptions. And, of course, alcohol is legal because PROHIBITION didn't work. Oh, BTW, the alcohol industry is one of the biggest supporters of our political candidates and parties.

So, we have one heavily taxed product that is the allowed recreational smoke (tobacco - over 350 billion cigarettes smoked a year) - and one heavily taxed product the allowed recreational high (alcohol). Both of which are `heavily taxed' (indeed, up to 400+ communities have a local tax per pack on tobacco - up to 2.68 per pack in Chicago-Cook County) and both of which would be in competition with a product that could be grown for almost free in any home.

And, then, we have pot. A free natural medicinal plant used - never marketed - that does or satisfies what BOTH of the currently legal recreational drugs do. Compared to tobacco - it provides a flavored smoke that gives a small buzz (low THC would obviously be marketed.) And, compared to alcohol, - it provides `the high' desired by many drinkers. Indeed, the `high' is so controlled compared to the alcohol high - that many NON-users of illegal cannabis - may indeed prefer this method of seeking a recreational high - if it were legal. Consequently, you cannot tell me that both of these marketed products don't feel threatened. Let alone pain killers or sleep aids marketed round the clock on TV.

Indeed, I think the media inherently KNOWS - that it's media dollars are threatened by real legalization (as it is unlikely that legalization would include promoting via advertising)- likewise, both legal recreational drugs know it would affect their market too. And, everyday, we see the skew in the coverage of every pot issue by the media - to every human issue raised by the war on drugs. The position of the media and the politicians now and for the last 3 plus decades has been "we don't need another legal recreational drug."

In fact, the ultimate reason for the media and government NEVER covering pot usage as a personal `right' - may have to do with the fact that IF a third recreational drug was `legalized' like pot --- would someone `push' for a fourth recreational drug and so on. Also, with legalization, the government and media would have to admit to being `wrong' on one aspect of the war on drugs - which would open questions about being `wrong' about `other drugs -or the whole thing'. And, as we know, the prison industry is one of the few job growth areas in America - and fits in with the bloated government control politicians love.

The purpose of this post has been to highlight the obvious connection to how pot would affect legal recreational drugs, the taxes collected on them, and politicians and media who are compromised by their connection to the legal recreational drugs.

Links used for this post and more:

http://thewhitedsepulchre.blogspot.com/2009/06/guess-who-helped-write-new-tobacco-bill.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5819a2.htm Federal and State Cigarette Excise Taxes --- United States, 1995--2009

"It's true. Starting in July, Dutch folks will not be allowed to smoke cigarettes in bars, restaurants and cafes, including in the coffee shops famous for selling soft drugs. But, and this is a big "but," smoking marijuana or hashish will still be legal!" http://www.legaljuice.com/2008/06/pot_yes_tobacco_no_1.html

Tobacco, Liquor Firms Keep Party Donations Flowing - http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-650096.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percentage_of_americans_smoke_cigarettes

Is Idaho Ready for Medical Marijuana? - http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009/06/10/is-idaho-ready-for-medical-marijuana/

Future NY Times Headline - National Marijuana Tax Revenue Far Short Of Expectations

As we head into the holiday weekend - lets take a moment to relax our minds - and travel into the future to Dec. 2014; two years after a re-elected President Obama legalized marijuana. Indeed, to refresh your memory - in early December 2012, with the increased diversion of the `end of the world on Dec. 21st crowds' dominating the news - the President decided that he would `free every marijuana prisoner' in the nation and legalize and nationally tax the herb.

As you remember, by 2012, largely because of the Great Recession (as the downturn from the bank crisis of 2008 came to be called) 6 states had already legalized the plant and started to depend on the generated revenues and even on some increase in tourist trade (increases to the conventions in states with legal pot took off in comparison to `strict' states -as they - the non legal states - became to be known as). Indeed, the states that adopted the progressive `smoking bar' rules (letting over 21 age smoker establishments exist - like alcohol bars) - as opposed to the states which only allowed legal consumption in the home - did especially well in the revenue department. The `bar' states were also states that allowed advertising on billboards and most sold the herb in local shops and shut down the medical marijuana facilities. In these local shops, the product was sold at the price the market would bear and taxed at a higher rate than other goods and services - about 40%.

But, all states were not the same. By 2012, in 23 states, one could get a prescription for pot via ones personal doctor - but - still 28 states (The District Of Columbia became a state in 2011) were routinely arresting those in possession of pot. Interestingly, all of these arrest states had especially strong bar associations that had ties with local politicians.

But, the farce of readily available pot in one state and arrest in another - often - of course - within miles due to state lines - was becoming a little too much for even the worthless media and politicians to stand up in support of anymore. America was beginning to look like a place with no standard or morals when it came to justice -or marijuana policy. And, eventually, as you know, when the 4th budget with a trillion dollar deficit was announced - there was an outroar of protest to start ending the prosecution of all drug users - of `housing' millions at taxpayers expense.

The politicians in Washington knew they had to act and knew they had to compromise - so they passed on Dec. 4th 2012 - the National Marijuana Act (NMA). The NMA immediately declared marijuana a legal plant - and immediately set up a national chain of state run marijuana sellers stores - who would sell cannabis grown by the major tobacco companies (by this time the alcohol companies had bought the remaining tobacco firms) - in nearly every town with a population over 10,000.

The politicians were also pleased that as part of the negotiations over the NMA, they were able to still keep the prisons full (only a small % of those with longer sentences were pot users/sellers) and the lawyers busy with no change to the cocaine laws or sentences. Indeed, the prison industry said nary a word.

But, the best news - as it was sold to the non-marijuana smoking public - was that the price would be set at 50 dollars to 100 dollars an ounce and 85% was a TAX collected and split between the state and the national government (The stores were to run on the 15% of revenue as the rents were free - all were commercial properties that had been acquired by the banks the government owned since the Great Recession.) The other provision, of course, was the release of EVERY pot prisoner - no matter the charge - as long as the sentence was based solely on pot. Indeed, the joy of the 10's of thousands that December day two years ago was truly a proud moment in America. Real justice and just in time for Christmas. Indeed, the whole `legal pot thing' would quickly be swallowed up in the typical brainless media holiday spin. It was also expected that the new `low' price would keep home growing to a minimum. (Homeowners with children under 21 could only grow in a locked room was part of the NMA too.)

And, for a few months of 2013 - the added revenues were fairly significant. But, the politicians didn't figure on one thing - when they made possession of plants legal, totally legal, - a significant % of smokers started to grow their own needs - and found that it was very easy to do as most smokers needed less than a pound for a whole year - - even those that wanted more had no problem meeting their needs -as there was no limit on growing. (Outside growing on your own property was legal too.) And, by fall 2013 - with the first homegrown domestic crop - the sales in the stores began to dry up - as did the `revenue' the government wanted to make off the smokers backs. The same smokers they had ravaged the rights of for decades.

Because, those with lots of pot would give it to friends now - not even charge for it.

Oh, I forgot to say - when the NMA was passed - to satisfy the democrats concerns for `our children' and in deference to the republicans `religious right' - the law shut down all the smoker bars nationwide. Pot would NOT become an entertainment industry - this was not the first step down the slippery slope, the politicians promised - we would NOT be putting more druggies onto our nations roads. It would also guarantee the government as the sole legal source - I forgot to say that private selling was still illegal punishable with fine and `probation' (probation meant a monthly fee and contact with authorities for up to five years). Yes, the politics of the whole affair was complicated, but, done as only politicians can - wrongly.

Regardless, the free market price - rapidly returned to `the good old days' of the 70's -- regular smoke 15 an ounce, excellent smoke 35 an ounce. And, grown by a person one knew. And still sold in the friend network that worked so well for decades.

So, what was evident a year ago - winter 2013 - is now much worse. Virtually none of the oldtime smokers wanted to deal with the government in any way - even in a shop with killer 100 dollar an ounce pot. Indeed, almost 90% were now home growers and totally out of the market and tax scheme fostered by those who didn't know how smokers would react. Who didn't understand the remaining latent anger felt by them.

Indeed, about the only industries that directly benefited were the companies that made light systems and growing systems - because within a years time - the National Sales Stores were beginning to close. And, the anti-smoking forces had come out in force to discourage new pot smokers - who quickly dried up too. It seemed as if the laws really didn't discourage many from lighting up after all - despite decades of oppression and beyond stupid laws. If one wanted to smoke in 2011 before national legalization - one did.

And, then, I vaguely remembered an article I read on the internet. It had to be at least five years ago - perhaps in 2009. I swear, it had the same headline as I read here today December 14th 2014 - "National Marijuana Tax Revenue Far Short Of Expectations".

And, I chuckled to myself.

Zogby Poll Find Majority Support Legal Taxed Pot

Hello, welcome to Real Heavy Politics - thanks for hitting the link today - and, since this is a new blog - if you like what you read today - please bookmark.

As I described in my first post a few days ago - this blog, while it reflects my viewpoints - is really targeted at men (and political women) aged 50-62 or so - who KNOW that the given political forces of the last 3 decades certainly don't reflect US. And, the `issues' surrounding `marijuana' is dead on as one of those issues NEVER addressed by our worthless politicians. Except to get the whole thing 100% wrong. But, that is not even remotely surprising - right?

To show just how ABSURD the whole `marijuana' issue is and has been - as a 57 year old - my first exposure to `marijuana' was in 1967 - when my now 76 year old mother told me that she and my step-father at the time had smoked some. Yes, now 76.

I include this sidetale for the `young' out there who think that `they have been waiting forever' for a possible change in the official government position. You haven't. Some have waited nearly forever.

But, not nearly as long as the `waiting' of all those held in jail cells for the `crime' for the last 50 years since the Beatniks of the 50's (yes we all loved Maynard G. Krebs of Dobie Gillis). All those `criminals' who chose to use `marijuana' instead of the `legal harder drug' of Alcohol. THOSE Beatniks, THOSE Hippies, THOSE New Wavers and Thrasers, THOSE New Agers and Ravers, THOSE New Hippies - as the whole cycle started again.

Just imagine - 10's of millions of prosecutions. (If government had made tobacco illegal and put 10's of millions in jail for it - do you think that 19% would be tobacco smokers today?) And, those 10's of millions of prosecutions resulting in untold billions to Lawyers (the main supporters of politicians) and untold billions of hours behind bars. All paid for with YOUR tax dollars. All based on the premise that the `government' is the one to decide what YOU can put into your body as an adult.

But, first, let's all remember - this `legalization' - if it happened - would be a RE-legalization. We don't have the space here - nor the interest - in the sordid racist review of how the current `marijuana' laws came into being in the early 1900's - nor - how it was exploited by the `articulate' President Reagan on the now famous `War on Drugs' --- the now famous saying for the war to break the `black family' in America and to isolate the `marijuana adults' into some sort of `criminal class' - supporting the drug cartels.

Yeah, right.

That made alot of sense to F'ing NOBODY - except a few hard core in the religious `right' of politics. The `this is your brain on drugs' political hack crew -- the kind that Zogby and other `researchers' have made a living off of. The kind of worthless politicians that have NEVER for decades gave a rats ass about the `marijuana' smokers. All this reported by a big media that licks the politicians leftovers from their corrupt plates. (And with a significant number of smokers-hypocrites on their liberal staffs.) All this in a country with a media that has been unable to represent the smokers point of view in all this for DECADES.

And now, after all this as a backdrop - they want smokers TAX MONEY?

Tell you what --- what about giving the smokers COMPENSATION FOR LOST TIME, AND LEGAL FEES? Perhaps out of some lawyers fund of sorts.

But, all of this doesn't even begin to touch the real anger - the real issues - involved in the decades long ban and harassment of smokers. All this doesn't even address the `results' of legalizing and taxing `marijuana'. What I mean by this is that the legalization of the natural plant will have far reaching effects that `other businesses' aren't interested in having - and - that the media - as usual - is far far behind on informing the public about.

For example, `the adult beverage' industry (unless they get a piece of this NEW pie). You really don't think that the Beer manufacturers look at this as a BOON do you? Certainly, Beer manufacturers would see some of its users switch to a less dangerous product, right? Come to think of it - beer companies are also one of the biggest categories of supports of politicians - like lawyers - something is starting to make sense - right?

Or, how about the `clothing manufacturers'? You know the big time users of cotton and wool? Would they feel the pressure that a hemp product would bring? Once again, the clothing manufacturers - you guessed it - big supporters of our politicians.

Or, how about the medical uses of `marijuana' - the ones NOT talked about. Seems that they have found that smokers use this product for MUCH more than `getting high' - indeed, are these politicians - now so egar to have smokers TAX money - going to position this as a tax on `highness' or `wellness'.

After all, since many folks use this drug to mediate their moods (in dealing with an inept political system of democraps and republinuts) - some use it to mediate pain or cramps (women) - and others - use the drug to make it easier to go to sleep. I can just hear the drug manufacturers now protesting all of this. Oh, and, guess what - legal drug manufacturers are one of the biggest supporters of the `two' political parties.

Do I need to go on? Does the media REALLY think that tens of MILLIONS haven't seen thru the complete and utter BS? (Perhaps they should consider why they are so low in the reputation indexes.)

Do I really need to go on?

Why not. How about the fact that EVERY advance on the `marijuana' issue has come from the citizens - NOT the worthless politicians or the worthless not outraged media. The citizens. Let me let that sink in. The thousands of citizens who protested in `marijuana' protests over the decades on July 4th - that were ignored by the media. Or, how about the outrage of the 100's and 100's of `plants' of contraband by less then scrupulous police onto a suspect - or - the power of a few corrupt cops throwing the fear of arrest over a young female stopped at night.

Naw, we don't want to talk of those kind of failures of our politicians - they think they are `protecting us adults' - evidently. And, it's the politicians of today and the NON-OUTRAGED media that lets THOUSANDS be arrested everyday to sit in a jail cell while in California - a judge orders the police to return 12 pounds of `marijuana' to a smoker - based on doctors orders.

You mean we should expect a media to be outraged or be giving editorials daily on such non-sense? You mean we should expect ONE worthless politician to step up to the plate and say Enough is Enough? By political parties represented by a bloated Elephant and a Jackass? The same political parties that in election years are the biggest advertisers on the big media that covers them? You expect THAT MEDIA to have any outrage?

Yeah, I guess I have a different take than our muckrakers in the `press'. (Oh, by the way, in this post I put `marijuana' in quotes -- it's as if the media thinks this is the safe word for Pot. I liked the old days when the newspapers talked about `maryjane'.)

Anyways, here's that stupidly worded question that Zogby posed and the strange sample weighting to the results (instead of by demo or region or party ect.).

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/may062009/mj_zogby_5-6-09.php


If you read this far - please bookmark my blog and please help to spread the word by sending my post to someone you know. Thanks. More `marijuana' links tomorrow so return.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maynard_G._Krebs