[The Economy of Medical Marijuana]

[BreannaBlueDream]

Caught this the other day. http://www.kushsmoke.com/2012/05/infogr ... marijuana/

Just some neat information regarding the economy of Medical Marijuana. It's a breakdown of the medicalmarijuana industry that shows various state specific facts.

Like the the US spends $1.7 billion in medical cannabis. This is heaps of money that our economy would certainly be stimulated by. Also, did you know that the U.S government provides medicinal cannabis to only 4 citizens?

2012-?
-Where will the Medical Marijuana industry be heading?

[WeedGuru_Flow]

Since The Netherlands are banning weed sales to foreigners it is very possible weak economies like Spain/Portugal change towards a cannabis economy allowing people to buy & sell it.

Which would be awesome, but would suck for me cause ... well the netherlands are a tad bit closer :p

[leprechaun]

It's been so long since I've posted here that i don't know how to properly post youtube url's but, I studied an economics module last semester and one of the guys I looked up tonnes was this American guy called Milton Friedman.
The points he makes in this video are basically common sense, in fact all his videos seem common sense, but that's just the way he tells them.
Really worth a watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLsCC0LZxkY

The problem i always find with people looking for legalisation is that we all try to go for the whole medicinal reasons.
Let's face it, the majority of us just like to get stoned, and the medicinal propaganda, is, well its just insane. That link, at the beginning of this thread, if given a quick glance over would appear to suggest that weed can cure aids. I think the future for legalisation is not for medicine's sake, but for the sake of money and the free market. Money in a nutshell. Dare I say it, but weed has much more economical qualities than it does medicinal purposes. When America catches on to this, and sneezes, I can not wait to catch their economic cold.

[SToNeR ChRiS]

It's been so long since I've posted here that i don't know how to properly post youtube url's but, I studied an economics module last semester and one of the guys I looked up tonnes was this American guy called Milton Friedman.
The points he makes in this video are basically common sense, in fact all his videos seem common sense, but that's just the way he tells them.
Really worth a watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLsCC0LZxkY

The problem i always find with people looking for legalisation is that we all try to go for the whole medicinal reasons.
Let's face it, the majority of us just like to get stoned, and the medicinal propaganda, is, well its just insane. That link, if given a quick glance over would appear to suggest that weed can cure aids. I think the future for legalisation is not for medicine's sake, but for the sake of money and the free market. Money in a nutshell. Dare I say it, but weed has much more economical qualities than it does medicinal purposes. When America catches on to this, and sneezes, I can not wait to catch their economic cold.

My other thread would disagree with you.

http://www.weedguru.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31043

I agree with much of what you said but the "medical propaganda, is well its just insane" tidbit is off base. What I will agree with is that not everyone who claims to use weed medicinally actually does. With that being said, being medicated is an extremely relative thing. My friend's mother has bipolar disorder and smokes weed to help her be productive in her every day activities. While I have always learned that marijuana can actually worsen symptoms of mental disorders, if it works for her, then it simply works for her. If marijuana can help someone, who otherwise would not be able to enjoy an optimal day, then I dare go as far as to say marijuana truly is a medicine in this context. A medicine can help someone out both mentally and physically and I truly believe that in a weird way, even those who just "enjoy to get high" are being "medicated" every time they puff. Some people use marijuana to study for a test, some people use it to relax after a very tough day. Indeed, there are prescription medications which help people do both these things. If I had a choice between a prescribed medication in pill form and marijuana to help me out with a specific ailment, then I don't think I need to say which one I'd prefer. I'm not saying everyone out there uses it as a medicine, but I will say that it can be said that a lot do, even indirectly... and this doesn't even get into the people, like myself, who whether it be on occasion, or daily, use to actually relieve a specific symptom. If marijuana is to be at all legalized, then at least let it be for those people who actually need it.

I'm not here to put my finger as to why, but the movement from marijuana being illegal to decriminalized to legalized is a tough one. In order to get politicians and the general public to change their minds on the topic, baby steps need to take place. The first step in my mind, at least in America, is to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. Despite its economic benefit, the masses still don't want society to "turn to pot" and be high. Once these same people see the benefits marijuana can have for people medicinally however, they may change their perspective. In addition, despite what you may think of the economic benefit of marijuana sales, according to the numbers pointed out by the thread starter, the expenses seem to be quite high as well. This is an important point but it can also be said that our current war on drugs, much of which is focused on marijuana, is hurting the economy as well.

[leprechaun]

The propaganda insanity i was referring to is the idea that weed can cure aids, yes i know it doesn't explicitly say that, and it probably refers to curing them of pain and taking away the thoughts of the idea of the fact that it will inevitably kill them, but, it can come across as over the top sometimes. Totally agree, and can simply not disagree that the war on drugs is damaging the economy. Simply the cost of policing it is the most obvious example.

I do understand that weed does have its medicinal purposes and can not deny that fact especially as the one in your example explains (that is, the bi-polar one, and indeed the case you make in your own thread). But, and I'm sorta torn between thoughts here. But for me, the idea of a hard days work and coming home to 'medicate' by getting stoned is beyond me. To me, this sounds like how some people go home and 'medicate' with a few beers, and that's never gonna get prescribed. I say I'm torn between thoughts because It's sort of like i'm trying to say it's not a real medicine because it only makes you feel good, yet at the same time, I myself was prescribed 12 weeks free gym membership... Now surely that isn't a medicine.
However, I, like all of us probably, want to see complete legalisation, and simply can not grasp the idea of it being fully available simply on the basis of medication. I believe that it should also be legal for recreation as well. Then again, as you say, if it takes small steps, and because of people's sensitivity to even hearing the word 'drug'... then i guess we will have to start walking somewhere.

[SToNeR ChRiS]

Nice post. I definitely agree that not everyone who smokes on their leisurely time does so because they consider weed a medicine. With that being said, although I do sometimes laugh at the thought that people go into dispensaries with reasons that are pretty phony, there's no one on this planet that can really tell them that marijuana doesn't help them in a positive manner. There is certainly a huge difference between someone who is suffering from cancer and uses marijuana to treat their nausea and an individual who needs to clear their head out after a long day. But if medical marijuana allows both people to obtain it legally, then I don't think anyone should judge the reasons behind their purchase. For instance, in this example it is entirely possible that the person who smokes a joint after work has had a history of getting so stressed out that they have panic attacks. While marijuana doesn't necessarily cure the person of panic attacks, it could prevent them from even transpiring in the first place. In this sense, while completely different than someone who smokes weed to directly remove pain, marijuana is still a medicine in my eyes. I guess what I am trying to say is that marijuana can be considered medicinal in a variety of ways. Your example of someone who drinks beer for the exact same reason is a good one however. This is just some food for thought.

As for the propaganda aspect of displaying marijuana as a cure for aids, I couldn't agree with you any more than I do. I do not defend bias in any form here, but I do think as well that it had to do more with dealing with the trauma as opposed to actually being a cure. There are many, many medications that do the same. The pain or illness is still there, the drugs, whether over the counter or not just help the "patient" cope with it.

[omnific.dc]

Ok here we go. Yes lately marijuana is bought for fun and partying, not using marijuana coz you need to be healed. I have a disability that's forever and marijuana calms me down.

[vapornation]

The people running this country are both clueless and ignorant.

[omnific.dc]

Hope wins?

[Weedguru_Fire_Inside]

Milton Friedman is a very good example to bring up. He is viewed as a God among modern economists.... The good ones, not the corrupt ones.

[omnific.dc]

I see people liking marijuana everyday, in 20 years it should be legal. For it to be legal though it must be chronic. Period.