[Strainhunter]

An interesting article. Something that has been discussed left and right here on this board.

...California's medical marijuana growers see a new threat to their tenuous existence: the "Wal-Marting" of weed.

Read the whole story HERE.

[mean mr.mustard]

I can't believe anyone will be suprised when America goes "corporate" with cannabis.

Today will be a happy memory in a few years methinks.

[Lazyman]

This is Oakland trying to sell out to whoever will promise them the most money. Best city council money can buy.

"The ordinance is good for Oakland, and anyone who says otherwise is only protecting their own interests."

Oakland's four retail marijuana stores did $28 million in business last year, and if sales remain constant, the city would get $1.5 million this year from a dispensary business tax that voters adopted last summer.

Glad someone gets it.

[Oliver Pantsoff]

You hit the nail on the head lazyman. Oakland is broke, and they need money. Shit, even there police force has cut back>

OP

[Strainhunter]

It's all about money money MONEY and CONTROL.

A LOT of reverse psychology is being used by the supporters of the Oakland project.

The sad thing is money and power normally prevail...

The proposal's supporters, including entrepreneurs more disposed to neckties than tie-dye, counter that unregulated growers working in covert warehouses or houses are tax scofflaws more likely to wreak environmental havoc, be motivated purely by profit and produce inferior products.

[Lazyman]

It's a condensation of sorts, taking away the ability of small growers (and their typically modest incomes) and putting it into the hands of just a few people.

Put another way, if ONE of these companies will grow 6000 pounds a year (!) and the average Oakland grower does say, 60 pounds a year, that's 100 small growers out of business and most likely needing public assistance.

Multiply that times 4, and we have 400 small growers out of business. If each one received a meager $10K annually in public assistance (welfare, food stamps, etc) that's $4 MILLION dollars a year to support them.

But Oakland gets 2 million dollars in taxes, plus the annual $211K permit fees. So that's solid math right? Let the rest of the state pay the difference, Oakland is getting theirs!

[Yes4Prop215]

^well said lazyman

i was on the fence about TC2010, because many people said that it would not override 215 and that they dont care about big business making money.

but that latest article has be voting NO for sure. its an obvious power grab by the corporations, with ridiculous overhead fees pretty much garunteeing mom and pop goes out of business.

if TC2010 passes, and those warehouses are up and running, i already have a team in place to sabotage the fuck out of their warehouses, with pollen dumps right into their air vent systems...

peoples main argument for TC2010 is that "people wont go to jail anymore".....well wake up folks, because people can ALREADY avoid jailtime simply by getting their medical script.

[vta]

This is going to spread. Oakland isn't going to be the only city doing this, just the 1st. Long Beach is right behind them. When the dust settles, it will be interesting to see how this played out. I bet it will resemble the wine market. As far as choices go. You got your cheap Gallo[Lee's weed] then you got your smaller labels[individual growers] that cost more but will be bought by the connoisseurs. Then you got all your buddies growing and sharing...that's what I'm looking forward to....

No matter what happens to the commercial side...remember that there are going to be 'millions' of new backyard growers. And that is too cool!

[MoldyFrogToe]

This feeling was inevitable and should be, but unfortunately it is unnecessarily and unreasonably exaggerated by misguided and overly paranoid attitudes that have always plagued MJ user demographics