What will be the effect on the Mexican drug cartels if the other States follow Colorado's lead and legalize recreational marijuana?

Based upon the extremely high prices that Colorado retailers are selling for, I’d say the Cartels will do better than ever with their product remaining underground.

I have a close photographer journalist friend with “connection” to a grower in Colorado. He claims he’ll remain underground because he won’t be able to stand the pay cut by going legal. He’ll continue to make way more cash staying underground, and retain his ability to market product nation wide rather than just Colorado. The startup costs for selling legal are extortionist.

And let’s suppose legal prices come down over time. Well, I think the Cartels will just push more designer exotic drugs other than MJ. They’ll do fine, as I’m sure they’ve been strategizing for this day for a long while.

Cartels won’t be affected until all drugs are cheap and legal everywhere.

Another point, now that it’s legal, local law enforcement will divert their attention away from illegal imports, and concentrate more on fining the legal sellers who don’t dot every “i” and cross every “t” to perfection.

I haven’t sold weed since around 1998. But I was curious and found this.

“an eighth of an ounce of marijuana, which would have normally sold for as low as $25”

Not here. A 1/8th was 50 in 1998 and even the last one I bought last week was still 50. Inflation is ignored by weed. Sure, you can get a 1/8 of shake for 25 but not real tight hairy bud.

Legality will drive the price down and the quality up. It will attack the cartels right in the wallet. Yes, they will consolidate into cocaine and meth, but that might flood the street and rive prices down too.

And it might free up some wilderness up in Humboldt and Mendocino counties.

Today, Dave Ross on CBS Radio did a little report on marijuana legalization in Colorado, quoted one guy who said “I am more than happy to pay the taxes.”

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies I think the convenience of it will still draw more people into legal dispensaries rather than going through your “weed guy”, or whatever. I used to buy weed in Pennsylvania before I moved to Colorado, and it was MUCH more expensive and REALLY shitty, compared to this. That might seem obvious….but for a lot of people just being able to know a place to get it any day of the week LEGALLY also without having to worry about it, is worth paying a little extra in tax.

Anyhow I don’t think most cartels center around marijuana? The harder drugs are still the ones that cause more problems, or thats how it seems to me anywho.

Also, the quality and huge variety are enticing to many people. Not to mention all the different TYPES….hash oil, caviar, etc. Now easily accessible. With a drug dealer, not so much. A lot bigger pain in the ass to get exactly what you want at the drop of a hat.

Actually realeyes brought up some good points above. Tokers are already protesting the taxes in Colorado. I don’t hear as much about what’s going on Washington (state) though.

Also, don’t forget that cannabis is still classified as a schedule I controlled substance by the federal government, so if a new presidential administration decides to look tough on crime and support traditional values, even sellers and growers in states where weed is legalized would not be entirely safe. Even under Holder the DEA continues to conduct raids on medical marijuana shops, despite proclaiming that his office would respect the wishes of states where weed is legalized.

To be honest, what is happening now, and will continue to increase with frequency in the near future, is that more people are simply growing their own, whether this is done in states where cannabis is legal or not. It’s extremely easy to purchase seeds online, buy them from seed banks using cash or simply germinating seeds left over from purchased weed. It’s very easy to acquire the necessary hydroponic equipment to grow killer bud easily too.

In my opinion indoor growers will take the cartels out of business, but maybe put more law enforcement back into business again. The DEA needs jobs you know, and the private prison industry needs to make a profit for its shareholders.