Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jul 2012
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2012 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Ian Duncan, Tribune Washington bureau

EXPERTS WARN ON IMPACT OF LEGAL POT

WASHINGTON  Legalizing marijuana in even a single state could drive 
down prices dramatically across the country, encouraging more people 
to smoke the drug, a panel of experts said at a briefing Tuesday.

Last week, Oregon became the third state that will vote this November 
on a ballot measure to legalize marijuana, joining Colorado and Washington.

"Legalization is unprecedented - not even the Netherlands has done it 
- - it is entirely possible it will happen this year," said Jonathan 
Caulkins, co-author of "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know."

"The effects will be enormous," said Caulkins, a professor at 
Carnegie Mellon, during an event at the American Enterprise Institute.

The Obama administration opposes legalizing marijuana and has taken 
action to shut down some medical-marijuana dispensaries in California 
and Colorado.

Caulkins said one of the main reasons for outlawing the drug is to 
make it riskier to produce and sell, driving up prices and curbing 
use. A price collapse after legalization in some states could 
undermine marijuana laws nationally.

Caulkins said Colorado's proposition would allow residents to obtain 
a grower's license fairly easily, making the state a good home for 
exporters of marijuana.

"They would be able to provide marijuana to New York state markets at 
one quarter of the current price," he said, predicting similar price 
declines in other states.

Mark Kleiman, a professor of public policy at the University of 
California, Los Angeles, said his advice to federal officials would 
be "to sit down with the governor of the state and say, 'Look, we can 
make your life completely miserable - and we will - unless you figure 
out a way to avoid the exports."

One option would be to impose strict limits on how much of the drug 
retailers could sell to each customer.

Washington's proposal would present authorities with a different 
problem. The state is proposing to create a strong system of 
regulations with the aim of propping up prices. Caulkins said the 
federal government could strike down the regulations but would leave 
a free for-all behind.

"The federal government will face some really difficult choices where 
actions are like double-edged swords," Caulkins said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom