With marijuana slowly but surely
becoming more mainstream around the world, there are many more people who are
looking to try it out and to see what all the fuss is about. For many it is a
relief that weed can now be carried and consumed without a threat of
prosecution. For others, who have never tried it because they wanted to stay on
the right side of the law, it is an opportunity to sample something new. But
what does it all mean? What changes will the slow but steady legalization of
weed bring about? Here are a few things that are likely to change as society
adapts to the new laws.
One of the most obvious changes will be
in the retail space. Where once weed was purchased through illicit deals on
street corners or in dingy alleys, once legal there will no longer be a need
for cloak and dagger stuff. Instead you will probably that your old dealer is
now the owner of the bong shop down at the local
mall. There will undoubtedly be changes, and while the conservatives might not
like the new laws, it won’t take long before it is accepted. Remember the
prohibition? It’s a great example of how attitudes change. In the USA alcohol
consumption and sales were banned from 1920 till 1933. Hard to believe that
now!
Taxation
One of the biggest benefits of bringing
weed into the formal economy is that the income derived from it can now be
taxed. Previously illicit sales were used to fund corruption and bribery, it
was used to fund mafia style organizations and it had an overall negative
effect. Now the money spent – and globally there is a lot of it if you consider
that in Colorado alone the industry is worth close to six billion dollars since
legalization – can be harnessed for good.
Road
safety
We have all had conversations about
drinking and driving. We all know the effects and the dangers. But what about
getting high and driving? As much as the legislation has changed in many places
to allow for the legal consumption of cannabis, not much has been done to
legislate towards road safety and testing for consumption. Does smoking impair
your judgement or slow reactions? What are the effects is it is taken with
alcohol? How do the police test for driving while high? These are all questions
that need to be considered and which will cause issues if not addressed.
Legal
implications
There was once a time when smoking
cigarettes was considered cool. Then it became clear that tobacco caused cancer
and there were all sorts of limits placed on its advertising and sales. But
what is the situation with marijuana? At present it is very much at the
forefront of people’s minds given its newfound legal status. But what next? What
are the health risks? Does it need to come
with warnings? Do these only apply when weed is smoked? Will it still need to
be prescribed for medical use or can it now be bought over the counter. Lots to
consider, and probably a lot of scenarios that will take a while to come to
light.