The lawmakers have talked about controlling the number of legal marijuana retail outlets. This is easy to do, and also the honest way of going about it. The county could legally set regulations like the ABC does. They could force each shop to offer $20-a-pound marijuana buds, on hand, during all business hours. This ensures that those needing the marijuana for true health concerns and relief have an affordable product.
What is happening now, is the outlets are pushing the hybrid marijuana products with their catchy names, at a huge cost to the medical customers and huge profit to the outlets. Marijuana is a weed, easy to grow and should not have a retail cost more than lobster per pound.
The tax-hungry local and state governments want higher retail prices that will bring them in more taxes. Well, put a higher tax on the hybrids and not on the medical quality. By doing the above, taking away the higher profits, this will lessen the number of outlets on its own, plus, take away the profits of the illegally-grown product.
The only way to reduce the illegal growing of the product is to take away the profits from growing and selling it. For me, our government is using the tactics of the crooks, is just not the American way. Let”s get it right and get on with more important issues facing this country.
Jim Hall
Clearlake Oaks
