Support NeoGAF

[noshten]

The latest data from the U.S. Border Patrol shows that last year, marijuana seizures along the southwest border tumbled to their lowest level in at least a decade. Agents snagged roughly 1.5 million pounds of marijuana at the border, down from a peak of nearly 4 million pounds in 2009.

The data supports the many stories about the difficulties marijuana growers in Mexico face in light of increased competition from the north. As domestic marijuana production has ramped up in places such as California, Colorado and Washington, marijuana prices have fallen, especially at the bulk level.

"Two or three years ago, a kilogram [2.2 pounds] of marijuana was worth $60 to $90," a Mexican marijuana grower told NPR news in December 2014. "But now they're paying us $30 to $40 a kilo. It's a big difference. If the U.S. continues to legalize pot, they'll run us into the ground."

And it's not just price — Mexican growers are facing pressure on quality, too. "The quality of marijuana produced in Mexico and the Caribbean is thought to be inferior to the marijuana produced domestically in the United States or in Canada," the DEA wrote last year in its 2015 National Drug Threat Assessment. "Law enforcement reporting indicates that Mexican cartels are attempting to produce higher-quality marijuana to keep up with U.S. demand."

If the decline in border seizures is any indication, however, it appears that Mexican growers are having difficulty competing with domestic production. Some federal authorities are beginning to believe this is the case. Noting the decline in border seizures, Michael Botticelli, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, told a Senate committee last year that "given the increase in marijuana use among the American population, this suggests that people using marijuana in the United States may be increasingly obtaining marijuana from domestic sources."

Still, there's no question that drug production south of the border is changing. The DEA has even found evidence that the flow of illegal marijuana is starting to reverse, with some cases of U.S. marijuana being smuggled into Mexico.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...a-is-finally-doing-what-the-drug-war-couldnt/

Lock if not legal

 

[siddhu33]

Bootleggers and Baptists...

 

[Frodo]

Still, there's no question that drug production south of the border is changing. The DEA has even found evidence that the flow of illegal marijuana is starting to reverse, with some cases of U.S. marijuana being smuggled into Mexico.

That was, for some reason, so satisfying to read. Who would have thought that offering legal ways to buy it would reduce traffic, tho? Unthinkable!


I'm not into pot, but it should be legal everywhere. No reason not to.

 

[BlueTsunami]

USA, dank weed for for these dank memes

 

[Zero Hero]

Why haven't weed prices gone down?

Asking for a friend.

 

[HStallion]

I figured something like this was going to happen. The days of having a "dealer" are going to be going the way of the dinosaur in the next decade or two, especially once the more uptight states pull the stick out of their asses when everyone else around them is rolling in that legal marijuana money. I don't doubt a federal change will come as well, hell maybe Obama will try and drop pot down from a Class 1 drug before he leaves office.

I'm glad this is hurting the cartels, anything to lessen those blood thirsty monsters profits and power is a good thing.

 

[Guevara]

It's crazy all the impact legalization has had, considering it isn't even recreationally legal in most places and there's still lot of uncertainty.

When it's as easy to buy as, say, alcohol it's going to be really different.

 

[silvermember]

People always whine about government waste and yet they ignore the giant waste that is the. We could save a lot of money and reduce the destruction of communities by legalizing drugs and controlling it like we do alcohol.

 

[Dennis]

But what about public morality. You can't put a price on that.

 

[Bedameister]

time to legalize it globally

 

[MetatronM]

This is so obvious it should probably have the SHOCKING NEWS label on it.

 

[Adaren]

Border patrol is seizing less marijuana because they're all high af.

 

[wenis]

Now as this progress occurs let's watch after the mom and pop growers who are still being pushed out of business by the DEA and state law loopholes that give the private corporations the leg up and growing exclusivity in their states. Everyone deserves to profit in this boon, not just the already mega rich looking to continue turning profits and shutting the door behind them when they got theirs.

 

[Futureman]

Why haven't weed prices gone down?

Asking for a friend.

where do you live? It's possible you were never purchasing stuff that came from Mexico anyways. If you are buying from a dispensary, I'm guessing since the stuff is taxed the price won't change that much.

it's sooo damn cheap anyways $100 worth lasts me like 2.5 months.

 

[TheMan]

I feel like the narcos aren't going to just let their empires shrink. MJ is just one of many American vices that they cater to. They will find a way to make their money, and I hope that doesn't mean increased violence in Mexico.

 

[noshten]

Can't wait till more start to legalize it and states start to tackle the drug epidemic both legal and illegal in a way more similar to Portugal rather than continuing policies which are closer to authoritarian & theocratic regimes.

 

[AJLma]

I'd like to see the correlation between legalization and decreased street violence, if there is any.

 

[Htown]

But if they keep legalizing marijuana, how are they going to find more excuses to put people in jail so they can keep that prison economy going?

 

[Futureman]

I feel like the narcos aren't going to just let their empires shrink. MJ is just one of many American vices that they cater to. They will find a way to make their money, and I hope that doesn't mean increased violence in Mexico.

what can they do if it eventually becomes legal countrywide? Not like bootleg booze is flowing over the border anymore.

 

[HStallion]

I'd like to see the correlation between legalization and decreased street violence, if there is any.

I believe there was a short study already done in Denver where they said crime and such had seen a slight decline once pot was legalized but it was too soon tell if it was just the natural fluctuation in such things or an actual trend.

 

[AYF 001]

But if drugs become legal, what excuse will corrupt cops and politicians use to mass incarcerate black people?

 

[Omegasquash]

Now as this progress occurs let's watch after the mom and pop growers who are still being pushed out of business by the DEA and state law loopholes that give the private corporations the leg up and growing exclusivity in their states. Everyone deserves to profit in this boon, not just the already mega rich looking to continue turning profits and shutting the door behind them when they got theirs.

If you think that Philip Morris doesn't have a plan in place, complete with language, branding, packaging, lawyers and lobbyists in place, you'd probably be correct.

 

[God Dayumm]

I feel like the narcos aren't going to just let their empires shrink. MJ is just one of many American vices that they cater to. They will find a way to make their money, and I hope that doesn't mean increased violence in Mexico.

Unfortunately legalization is decades late and the cartels are too strong and diversified. But there are still benefits to reap from legalization

 

[Shuggananas]

But if drugs become legal, what excuse will corrupt cops and politicians use to mass incarcerate black people?

Oh there's plenty excuses don't worry

 

[HStallion]

But if drugs become legal, what excuse will corrupt cops and politicians use to mass incarcerate black people?

They were smoking pot in a suspicious manner and then blew smoke at the cops in an aggressive manner.

 

[DRock]

We don't need your dirt weed we got our fuckin' own.

 

[HK-47]

what can they do if it eventually becomes legal countrywide? Not like bootleg booze is flowing over the border anymore.

Push harder drugs. The South has a pretty huge problem with meth.

 

[JimJamJones]

But what about public morality. You can't put a price on that.

 

[dabig2]

People always whine about government waste and yet they ignore the giant waste that is the. We could save a lot of money and reduce the destruction of communities by legalizing drugs and controlling it like we do alcohol.

Americans love big government waste when it goes to subjugating the "other". Future generations will have entire curricula dedicated to researching how the Drug War and the Military Industrial Complex evolved side by side since the 70s.

 

[AYF 001]

Oh there's plenty excuses don't worry

Oh I know. I was debating about posting that for a few minutes since I know they'll find something else, and I didn't wanna derail the thread right away. But then again, conservatives like to go on about "Made in the USA", so maybe they'll like this?

 

[HazySaiyan]

This should have been fucking obvious to everybody.

 

[Ishida]

I feel like the narcos aren't going to just let their empires shrink. MJ is just one of many American vices that they cater to. They will find a way to make their money, and I hope that doesn't mean increased violence in Mexico.

That's exactly what's going to happen here in México. Take the drug profits away from the narcos, and they will just focus on other crimes like extortion and kidnapping of civilians.

We all win!

Legalizing drugs will do nothing in the long run.

 

[Extollere]

I fuckin love it! I'm not the world's biggest pot head or anything, but the weed here in WA is GOOD. Like the quality and range of options is mind blowing. It's not like you walk into a shady store and buy whatever bag of junk they're selling. It's like nice stores, with shelves full of options

 

[captive]

Why haven't weed prices gone down?

Asking for a friend.

this seems pretty obvious. If Weed is being grown here legally, that means its A) being taxed, B) it means your paying people to grow it, at least minimum wage, if not higher C) you have property and infrastructure costs whether you are renting or own, which means property taxes/rent, upkeep, electricity costs. And if you have more than x amount of employees you have to provide health insurance etc.

Even if its a one or two man operation you still have costs.

 

[RedStep]

what can they do if it eventually becomes legal countrywide? Not like bootleg booze is flowing over the border anymore.

Move on to new, exotic drugs, like they did from booze to marijuana. Next up: Krokodil is sweeping the nation!

 

[AYF 001]

That's exactly what's going to happen here in México. Take the drug profits away from the narcos, and they will just focus on other crimes like extortion and kidnapping of civilians.

We all win!

Legalizing drugs will do nothing in the long run.

I wouldn't be so sure. Cutting into their cash crops could help loosen their grip on police and politicians. And if that happens, I see a few possible outcomes. Either they try to "go legit", and establish their own businesses in the U.S. that funnel money back, or they turn violent and lash out against their new competition. If they turn violent, it'll be easier for the now under-bribed officials to denounce their actions and possibly do something effective in dealing with the cartels.

 

[TheMan]

I wouldn't be so sure. Cutting into their cash crops could help loosen their grip on police and politicians. And if that happens, I see a few possible outcomes. Either they try to "go legit", and establish their own businesses in the U.S. that funnel money back, or they turn violent and lash out against their new competition. If they turn violent, it'll be easier for the now under-bribed officials to denounce their actions and possibly do something effective in dealing with the cartels.

What will happen is that they will get desperate and continue to kill politicians and their families and anyone else who is in the wrong place in the wrong time. They will kill at an increased and in a more brutal, public fashion. I feel that hoping for Mexico to fix this by themselves is a fantasy.

 

[Barajas_201]

That's exactly what's going to happen here in México. Take the drug profits away from the narcos, and they will just focus on other crimes like extortion and kidnapping of civilians.

We all win!

Legalizing drugs will do nothing in the long run.

Yeah... no. So you propose continuing Calderon's stupid war that has caused countless massacres and "collateral damage" while not gaining anything in return? Legalize all drugs and that would severely cripple the cartels economics.

 

[Eusis]

But what about public morality. You can't put a price on that.

This will calm dissidents and make them lounge on sofas all day long. It's the perfect solution they never knew they had.

 

[atr0cious]

Mexican weed tastes like lawn clippings and rope so this is expected

 

[ThreePiMatt]

I don't think this is really something to get excited over. The Coast Guard last year seized a record amount of cocaine. Legalized marijuana could make cocaine more lucrative, or cocaine could just be more lucrative on its own to account for less marijuana shipments.

 

[DrFaustPhD]

Why haven't weed prices gone down?

Asking for a friend.

They sure have in Oregon.

I can buy a quality 1/8 at a store for under $30 and I can buy a decent 1/2 of outdoor for $60 from a less legitimate seller.

You know... according to a friend.

 

[RedSparc]

Sounds like its the next industry to be (re)outsourced to Mexico when it becomes more expansive,

 

[Ishida]

Yeah... no. So you propose continuing Calderon's stupid war that has caused countless massacres and "collateral damage" while not gaining anything in return? Legalize all drugs and that would severely cripple the cartels economics.

Yeah right. Talk about living in a fantasy world.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Mexican weed tastes like lawn clippings and rope so this is expected

LMAO!

 

[AyaisMUsikWhore]

So people who live where weed is legalized.... Are you able to just go to a store and buy it without a license or something? It still feels unreal to me lol

 

[Chris R]

So people who live where weed is legalized.... Are you able to just go to a store and buy it without a license or something? It still feels unreal to me lol

You need a legal form of id to prove you are above the minimum purchasing age and cash. That's it.

 

[dabig2]

I wouldn't be so sure. Cutting into their cash crops could help loosen their grip on police and politicians. And if that happens, I see a few possible outcomes. Either they try to "go legit", and establish their own businesses in the U.S. that funnel money back, or they turn violent and lash out against their new competition. If they turn violent, it'll be easier for the now under-bribed officials to denounce their actions and possibly do something effective in dealing with the cartels.

Aye. The US mafia went through a lot of growing pains after Prohibition and were never the same afterwards. I don't see why the cartels would fare differently. They're not beholden to religious tribalism nor even to territorial tribalism in that they want to establish a state of their own. It's all about money. Take that away and what do you have?

So without easy cash, it make it harder to fund their many ventures and harder to keep their men devoted to the cause. Thus it makes them easier targets for the police and military. When the risk greatly starts outweighing the reward for the vast majority of its members, the cartels will collapse in their current form.

Decriminalizing drugs should be the least countries do. Regulation and legislation will save a lot of lives.

 

[Barajas_201]

Yeah right. Talk about living in a fantasy world.

???

Fantasy legalizing all drugs or that doing so would reduce the cartels money, which one? If the former than you're obviously ignorant on how marijuana was legalized (or will be soon) in Mexico, its a right of the people to introduce any substance in their body even bad ones, same argument can and will most likely be made for every other drug. The latter is a logical conclusion to the first.

 

[Extollere]

So people who live where weed is legalized.... Are you able to just go to a store and buy it without a license or something? It still feels unreal to me lol

You need an ID to prove your age (21 or older). For places like California you also need a medical card (which is easy enough to obtain). In legal states, recreational stores are popping up left and right... You just show your ID at the door, or counter, then buy what you want.