Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Don't Get Too Excited

CNN has the story on the legalization of Marijuana possession, but as you would expect the actual bill falls far short of having any teeth:

If HR 5843 were passed by the House, marijuana smokers could possess up to 100 grams -- about 3½ ounces -- of cannabis without being arrested. It would also permit the "nonprofit transfer" of up to an ounce of marijuana.

The resolution would not affect laws forbidding growing, importing or exporting marijuana, or selling it for profit. The resolution also would not affect any state laws regarding marijuana use.
As a non-toker, I have no idea how much 3.5 ounces of MJ is, but if you cannot grow it, import it, or buy it for a price above cost....where will it come from? Who is legally responsibe if the price is above cost? The buyer? The seller? Do time and alternative opportunities count as costs?

My best hope is that stores will be able to engage in product tying, in which they can sell a high profit margin product that comes with "free" marijuana. Hopefully that would satisfy the laws on non-profit transfer, but I have no idea where the supply will come from if it cannot be grown or imported.

Still, I take it as a small win for Libertarianism.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Baby steps! Decriminalizing possession to that degree would really be a monumental step forward, unfortunately these things can never resolve themselves all at once. The amount of arrests and convictions based on a fraction of that amount in their possession is unreal.
And just a note for those who aren't familiar with MJ, I would say a once-a-day pot smoker might smoke an ounce a month, give or take (so 3.5 is a hefty chunk of change).