legalization and reduction of criminal penalties for marijuana-related offenses was entirely based on ethics and morals. On the contrary, I think it was a beautifully and masterfully orchestrated front, though needed, to masks the monetary intentions of a country where cash is king.
Let’s look at the numbers: The analysis, conducted by the University of California Agricultural Issues Center at UC-Davis, estimated that recreational marijuana sales will command about 60 percent of the state’s pot market — accounting for about $5 billion in annual sales.
Medical marijuana sales brought in about $2 billion in California last year. Researchers estimated that the illegal pot market in California accounted for another $5.7 billion, or about three-quarters of all marijuana sales in the state.
These estimates are staggering. It’s pretty clear that state does not want to miss out on any more of the party, especially when that party has 75% of all the cannabis and a state full of stoners who happily enjoy right under their nose (well, they can probably smell it, but you get my drift).
I was even more curious about the profits of the tobacco industry. I want to say I was surprised, but when you understand the business of government, drugs, and addiction, the numbers are more disheartening than shocking.
In 2010, the combined profits of the six leading tobacco companies in the U.S. was $35.1 billion, equal to the combined profits of Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and McDonald’s in the same year. If Big Tobacco were a country, it would have a gross domestic product (GDP) of countries like Poland, Saudi Arabia, Sweden , nd Venezuela.
In 2011, according to The Tobacco Atlas, tobacco use killed almost 6 million people, with nearly 80% of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. When considering 2010 deaths with tobacco industry revenue, the tobacco industry realizes almost $6,000 in profit for each death caused by tobacco. –I think its safe to say cash rules everything around me (big shout-outs to Wu-Tang).
What about everyone in jail, prison or with a criminal records for marijuana-related offenses? The residual impact of the 80s and 90s “War on Drugs” is understated. The mass incarceration and disproportionate representation