Pot Paranoia In Los Angeles
From reason.tv:
These are not gang members getting pot at these dispensaries. It's lawyers, professors, and accountants and very sick people who are no longer getting it from gang members.
Enough with the prohibition, already.
In other prohibition silliness, New Yorkers still can't buy a bottle of wine in the grocery store. Per Gothamist, they sure want to:
By a 58-39 percent majority, voters across the political spectrum support allowing grocery stores to sell wine, according to a Siena Research poll. [pdf] Governor Paterson proposed the change as part of his budget proposal, estimating it could bring in $250 million in taxes, but wine store owners and distributors fear losing business.
And not being able to charge up the butt for wine, which they do, without competition.
I can't buy beer at the supermarket on Sundays until 12. The liquor stores only recently began opening on Sundays and only for limited hours. Too bad I'm not a pot smoker because I know where I could get that 24/7. With rehabs at full capacity, obviously people are getting their junk so who are these laws protecting again?
Kristen at February 25, 2010 4:31 AM
"up the butt" Ha! Nice oenology pull there Amy.
BlogDog at February 25, 2010 5:50 AM
I really don't care if pot is harmful. The problems to our society caused by the War on Drugs is far worse, and it is time for the government to get out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do. I don't drink or use any of the various substances, but I am tired of being stopped when driving across country by lying cops who make up reasons to stop people when they did nothing wrong, in hopes of stealing their cars. It happened to me in MS in 2007 and it happened in KY this last October.
By far our worst drug problem is alcohol, yet we can buy all we want of that.
irlandes at February 25, 2010 7:40 AM
We (in New York) can buy beer in the grocery store. That hasn't brought the price down: the grocery stores charge the same prices that the standalone beer & soda stores do, and the latter have better service and selection. So I do usually buy there, and not at the A&P.
I have similar expectations with wine. I'd like to see sales opened to grocery stores, but I have no illusion that we'll have much selection there, nor particularly low prices. And Marco, down the street from me, will continue to give me good advice, while all the A&P folks will tell me is "Aisle 4."
Barry Leiba at February 25, 2010 10:55 AM
It looks to me like the pot dispensary system in California is well on its way to being de facto legalization. I'd be curious to know whether or not it's having an impact on gang activity there (in terms of taking away a source of organized crime funding).
Cousin Dave at February 25, 2010 12:06 PM
When I moved to PA several years ago, I wrote letters to my elected reps complaining about the antiquated State Store system - and they agreed, but one very practically and realistically advised me that nothing would change in my lifetime (other pressing political issues, unionized clerks at ths stores, etc.). While PA a couple of years ago started to experiment with selling wine (and spirits, I recall) in a few select grocery stores, the vast majority of the scheme is this: You have to go to a "State Store" for wine & spirits; wholesale distributor for a case of beer; and bar or specialty shops for a 6-pack. Ridiculous. Fortunately, anyone who lives within driving distance of DE (liquor supermarkets!) or MD (liquor warehouses!) simply takes their $$ across the state line. Ah, those quaint Quakers...
Mr. Teflon at February 25, 2010 2:01 PM
Teflon, that's interesting. Alabama has, very gradually over about 20 years, nearly eliminated its state store system. There's only one state store remaining in the city I live in, and I believe it's slated to be shut down at the end of next year. The state stores lost their monopoly over been and wine a long time ago; nowdays they only sell liquor.
Grocery stores, convenience stores, and private liquor stores all sell beer and wine. The main remaining restrictions are on distribution. The private liquor stores all have to buy their goods, at retail prices, from the state warehouse. That of course means that liquor is always more expensive at the private stores than at the state stores. Beer and wine are distributed by private wholesalers, but the state still restricts the number of wholesalers who can operate in a given area. Everyone is expecting that the liquor situation will change after the last of the state stores is shut down, and the beer/wine distributorship restrictions have been eased some over the past few years.
The upshot is that beer and wine are in pretty much any store you go into, and prices are on par with neighboring states. And as of about three years ago, the last of the Sunday sales restrictions was lifted in this county, and beer and wine sales are legal at all hours now. Liquor is still high, especially by comparison with Florida, but availability has improved considerably.
Cousin Dave at February 25, 2010 2:56 PM
Beer and wine are cheaper in the grocery stores here in Texas. A good $2 or so less per 6-pack. I actually can't figure out how HEB stays in business, they practically give away the store. Even so, we can't buy till noon on sunday. Which means, if you're trying to offload 80 boxes of girl scout cookies, you want a booth at a convenience store at noon on the dot on sunday. There is quite a steady stream of drinkers to sell to.
momof4 at February 25, 2010 5:02 PM
All right, here is my take,
Firstly,
Amy Dear,
Stop mixing your allegiance to the god of wine with someone's addiction to pot. I am not one of those people who has a glass of wine to celebrate every holiday on earth and Mars; besides, when you combine the two ...
... I am assuming no one likes the "crunchy" form of wine.
Treat pot for pain like any other blood pressure medicine.
Tell all the little LA pot boutiquers to get a real job.
Ken at February 25, 2010 8:46 PM
"Enough with the prohibition, already."
Agreed, but I don't want to be paying for social programs that enable doobie smokers without health problems who will inevitably find a way to screw up their lives and live on my dime.
Get rid of the nanny state crap laws first before letting the kids run loose.
(PS. Do you know how freaking perfect your book is to read while on an airplane? I felt like I had someone to commiserate with my entire commute.)
Feebie at February 25, 2010 11:48 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/02/25/pot_paranoia_in.html#comment-1697956">comment from FeebieI don't want to be paying for social programs that enable doobie smokers without health problems who will inevitably find a way to screw up their lives and live on my dime.
I'm with you there -- same with cigarette smokers. The thing is, if pot is legalized, we can recommend that people use vaporizers instead of smoking it, so they won't damage their lungs and health.
And thanks so much, re: my book! I get a little thrill every time I hear something like that!
Amy Alkon at February 26, 2010 12:17 AM
"Agreed, but I don't want to be paying for social programs that enable doobie smokers without health problems who will inevitably find a way to screw up their lives and live on my dime."
Feebie, I get where you're coming from, but... my observation has always been that those people will find a way to screw up their lives anyway, legalization or no. If pot is illegal, they'll buy it illegally. If law enforcement dries up the supply, they'll find hash or coke. If they can't get that, they'll get pills or heroin. If they can't get that, they'll snort hair mousse until they look like a dog with rabies.
If everything were legalized, I really don't think the percentage of the population who uses would change much. In fact, among the teenage set, it might go down a bit without the anti-establishment cache of being illegal.
Cousin Dave at February 26, 2010 7:19 AM
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