Pubdate: Sun, 13 Jul 2014
Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/5NyOACet
Website: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531
Author: Pat Bulmer

WEED MADE RESPECTABLE?

Washington state's legal marijuana rollout is showing the world how 
pot legalization can be done.

If and when legal marijuana comes to this side of the border, B.C. 
can learn from Washington's experience.

Not that the first week of legal weed has gone entirely smoothly in 
the Evergreen State. After one day, shortages have already been reported.

The Washington system takes almost all the back-alley and criminal 
nature out of the marijuana growing and selling business. It was 
striking watching how above-board and respectable the business became 
overnight.

Marijuana is now a fully regulated industry from grower to seller to user.

Growers who supply the retail stores must be licensed by the state - 
somewhat like Ottawa is demanding for the medicinal marijuana 
industry. Marijuana stores are also heavily regulated. You have to be 
drinking age to buy.

Pot buyers are showing preference for buying their product legally 
and from reputable sources. Illegal growers and sellers could be put 
out of business in short order.

One older woman at a Seattle pot store told the local newspaper her 
old dealer called her after seeing her on a local TV newscast. He now 
knew why she wasn't calling anymore.

Like the medicinal industry in Canada, small-time and illegal growers 
will soon be overrun by large companies, whose reputations and 
practices are clean enough to earn a government licence.

As the end of alcohol prohibition put Al Capone and his type out of 
business, so legalized marijuana will likely clean up that industry.

And the farmers, sellers and users in Washington are all paying taxes.

- - City Editor Pat Bulmer
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom