Hold up! The DEA is now admitting that legal cannabis reduces black market demand?
You know it’s the end of the world when the DEA says something positive about weed. That’s right – the D.E.A or better known as “the kids you don’t invite to the cool parties” – recently submitted a performance budget submission to Congress for the Fiscal year of 2021 as reported by Marijuana Moment.
Within this performance budget – the DEA provided an overview of potential future scenarios as well as their enforcement metrics. It was within this document that the DEA slipped up – and a stoner by the name of Kyle picked up on it.
“After the 2017 legalization of medical marijuana in Florida resulted in retail distribution centers throughout the [area of responsibility], the legalization of low-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (10%) smokeable medical marijuana in March 2019 is anticipated to lead to a growing market for Florida-sourced low-THC marijuana.”
“Yet, until high potency marijuana becomes legalized in Florida, we believe the impact will be minimal on the demand for high-THC marijuana from California and other states,” it continued. “Until then, the potential for abusing current law remains a possibility due to the difficulty in detecting THC potency by law enforcement.” – DEA via Marijuana Moment
Within these two paragraphs is an admission that cannabis legalization is MORE EFFECTIVE than prohibition.
What the DEA actually said…
The first notable thing we have to look at is that the DEA admitted that “low potency weed” in Florida – that 10% and under – did directly compete with similar cannabis on the marketplace.
They also said that the “high potency weed” will continue to be a black market activity “until high potency marijuana becomes legalized in Florida”. Do they know something we don’t?
Well – not really.
I think the DEA is connecting the dots and noticing the trends. Virtually every place that gets medical marijuana eventually migrates to recreational cannabis.
For the folks at SAM – I give them that. They have been claiming for years that medical cannabis is only a “smokescreen” for recreational cannabis – however, I would argue that ALL CANNABIS is medicinal. So check mate!
Nonetheless – the folks at SAM won’t be happy about the DEA admitting that legalizing cannabis has a direct impact on drug cartels and after all, isn’t that what people are MOST AFRAID of? Black Market Activity?
Dispensaries are chill – for the most part!
As with any business that sells mind-altering substances [I’m looking at you booze!] there is some inherent risk. We can never inoculate ourselves from the random chaos that governs our lives.
Nonetheless – if we were to compare the impact of dispensaries in a neighborhood – there is either a decrease in crime rate or no change at all according to a 2019 Study.
What this means is that there is no inherent danger in advocating legal cannabis for adults. In fact, society would obtain more benefits if we made cannabis more accessible in terms of location and price. At least – THAT’S WHAT THE DEA THINKS!
An Admission of Defeat?
I personally believe that the folks at the DEA have seen cannabis legalization coming for a long time now. They know it’s nearly impossible to sustain a lie – and they have been successfully attempting to do so for 50-years and it seems that they are finally starting to realize that people have called their bluff.
However – while this report might admit that cannabis legalization is good in the fight against drug cartels – I highly doubt that they have the intention of advocating legalization either. After all – the longer it remains illegal the longer they have the power to legally steal, bug, and utilize your tax dollars to promote their war on drugs.
What does this mean for us?
I still believe that the United States will see some major cannabis move on a federal level in 2021. I think the DEA, at least hinted towards the same. They know that the people in the United States are growing to accept the fact that cannabis will be [and should be] legal in the United States.
The same sentiments are echoed by the global community – meaning that we might be FINALLY at the beginning of the beginning of the end in relation to the War on Drugs. It will take cannabis to be completely removed from the idiotic Controlled Substance Act [and international treaties] and then hopefully after a few years of “running the great cannabis experiment” – world leaders will realize that legalizing all drugs has always been the ideal approach. In other words, a “HEALTH FIRST” approach as opposed to “LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRST” approach.
Nonetheless – on a very Meta Level we’re seeing attitudes shift within rigid organizations that have been profiteering from a system for many decades – which is a good thing...we hope! Who knows how things will shape out over the next few years – but if the DEA acknowledging that cannabis legalization helps find drug cartels – I take that as a win for cannabis!
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