Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Black market continues

Black market boom lays bare a social divide in Colorado’s marijuana market | World news | Guardian Weekly

Yeah, yeah, it's early days yet, but this article about the black market reaction to legalisation of marijuana is interesting.   (One odd thing I have noticed in other articles too - the amount of medical marijuana sold in that state seems astronomical.) 

I would add one other observation - the issues with what happens to a black market for this particular drug is probably very, very different to the experience with alcohol and prohibition for the simple reason that making your own, good tasting and consistent quality alcoholic beverage is not as simple a matter as growing a dozen plants in your backyard.  The ease with which the black market can produce a "quality" product probably helps ensure it does not go away when the legalised, highly taxed, version becomes available. 

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