Cannabis Shops in America: A Novelty Emblematic of ‘Cool Capitalism’

[unhappycamper]

http://watchingamerica.com/News/230018/cannabis-shops-in-america-a-novelty-emblematic-of-cool-capitalism/



The social aspiration of those who wanted the legalization of cannabis has overlapped with the desire to fight against criminality and to find a new source of revenue.

Cannabis Shops in America: A Novelty Emblematic of ‘Cool Capitalism’
Le Nouvel Observateur, France
By Pierre Guerlain
Translated By Jessica Loizou
2 January 2014
Edited by Gillian Palmer

The opening of the first cannabis shops in Colorado does not signify that the United States is suddenly reviving the libertarianism of the 1960s. There isn’t anything within it that is “against the system” or that is subversive; on the contrary, there is a certain amount of pragmatism.

The financial aspect played a very important role in the authorization, at the end of 2012, of recreational cannabis in two American states (Colorado and Washington), the precondition to the present opening of the cannabis shops. The billions that this will bring in for these states’ tax authorities are already being added up.

For the neoliberals of the corporate world, who could appear to be forward-thinking regarding societal problems, the impact of the legalization of cannabis isn’t that important, as it doesn’t affect the structures of power. In contrast, it represents a new source of revenue. Here, we can draw a comparison with the authorization of gay marriage: It is a societal evolution that formalizes an existing fact in having the advantage of opening new markets (wedding shows, target advertising, etc.).

The United States, where the reactionaries are powerful, doesn’t really have “conservatives” in the European sense of the term, inherited from Burke — that is, people who would like society to match the image of that which it was before the French revolution. Even the corporate world isn’t in favor of inertia of the system.

[tridim]

1. It's capitalism only if you ignore everything up until the sale.

Breeding is science, growing and curing is an art, and smoking is beautiful.

Leave it to American journalism to completely miss the point. Legalization is about freedom, not freaking revenue.

[Bennyboy]

2. When it comes legalisation, it is all about the revenue

All it is about. The profiteers see their opportunity now and are moving in. Thank God the growers do not seem to be going along with it.

[tridim]

3. The growers and breeders deserve so much respect for what they do...

And what they have been doing for decades under the constant threat of prison.

There are many genius breeders out there, it would be nice if the media would give them some respect instead of drooling over the money (already) rich investors are raking in.

[Bennyboy]

4. Yes they do.....

of course, it all started in Jerry Garcia's back yard. MG was one of the pioneers in growing sinsemilla.

I love how everyone thinks it is easy to grow. It is not. Not high quality buds. I am a hobbyist and my stuff don't compare to the guys that are growing 100 plants or more. They know exactly how and when everything needs to happen. And they never use miracle grow, divert water, or anything. They are all organic, mostly growing in containers to insure organics and to keep pests out of the crop..They are like brewers to me, one guy has good stuff another good stuff too but different.

I see two markets really, one the walmart/liquor store market and the NAPA valley type of market, handmade, direct from the grower stuff.

The issue is so complex. Just edibles alone is so complex. Who makes em? How do you tax them when there are so many variables involved. Where do you sell them? At concerts? Sporting events? Advertising? Product safety, packaging, labeling, THC dosing standards?