XPost: ny.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, talk.politics.guns   
   XPost: sac.politics, alt.society.liberalism   
   From: yourdime@outlook.com   
      
   For fresh proof that New York has completely botched its pot policies,   
   look no further than the 11,000 pounds — you read that right — of weed and   
   weed products seized from illegal shops in 2023, with a value of $54   
   million.   
      
   This is a direct result of the fact that weed has been legalized in the   
   city and state, creating a massive open market for it — and driving a huge   
   demand for illegal shops to cater to it.   
      
   Especially since the process for opening a legal one is complicated and   
   molasses-slow, with competing bureaucratic fiefdoms and massive red tape.   
      
   With more delays because the state ignored its own law in awarding the   
   first licenses.   
      
   Contrary to the law’s explicit instructions, Gov. Hochul’s Office of   
   Cannabis Management handed the first licenses exclusively to the “justice   
   involved” (i.e. ex-cons), prompting litigation that blocked all other   
   applications for most of a year.   
      
   The result? 27 legal weed stores statewide, only 12 in the city.   
      
   That’s against an estimated 1,500 illegal shops in Gotham, a greater than   
   100-to-1 ratio.   
      
   Gee, who could have seen this total disaster coming?   
      
   Only every rational human being. The proliferation of illegal weed was   
   predicted by opponents of the 2021 law legalizing the stuff.   
      
   Look, people buying pot don’t care if the guy selling it has the right   
   paperwork.   
      
   Remember, for years these ganja goofs bought their wacky tobaccy from   
   doormen, dormmates and failed actors working for sketchy bike-delivery   
   services.   
      
   So the idea — bruited by Office of Cannabis Management honcho Chris   
   Alexander — that the “the number one remedy for the problem of these   
   illicit shops is getting more legal businesses open” is beyond moronic.   
      
   Especially given how much of a “clusterf–ck” the rollout’s been so far, in   
   the memorable words of a city Community Board member charged with   
   processing applications.   
      
   And the much-touted economic benefits to the Empire State from weed sales   
   haven’t materialized either: A recent Independent Budget Office projection   
   pegs the total tax take at $38 million a year after 2030 if current trends   
   continue.   
      
   This is, thanks again, to the fact that illegal shops are going like   
   gangbusters while legal ones are just barely getting started.   
      
   And the illegal trade is so profitable that having $54 million in product   
   seized didn’t slow it.   
      
   Don’t forget the fact that these weed shops, which do huge cash business,   
   have also become targets for gun-toting thugs — with pot-shop workers   
   among the victims.   
      
   Make no mistake: 2023’s huge pot bust proves that New York’s overall pot   
   law is a huge bust.   
      
   Brian Dolan   
   1 day ago   
      
   The great economist Adam Smith's father was the customs inspector for the   
   busiest commercial harbor in Scotland. He said what he learned from him   
   was that if the government imposes unpopular and unfair taxes and   
   regulations, people will always find a way around them. Average people   
   will always prove more clever than government bureaucrats.   
      
   https://nypost.com/2023/12/09/opinion/new-yorks-54-million-pot-haul-shows-   
   legal-weed-off-rails/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)