OT: So, what's it like when they legalized weed...

[RWL2222]

I'm curious to know.

Here in Virginia it's coming. I am wondering how it changes things. As a father of two, I don't love the whole CBD marketing hooey that is the lead-up to full legalization. I don't love the head shops all around, and hard core dope industry people moving to town and claiming to be local. I don't love the whole argument of compensating black dealers with the license to sell it legally. I have to say I have no love either for the idea of a purely cash-based industry that is not part of the banking system and for which there's no real barrier to entry. How have things changed in your town since weed was legalized?

[Likes2ridefar]

In arizona other than some billboards it’s like nothing changed. Been legal for a few years now.

[rallizes]

Originally Posted by RWL2222

I'm curious to know.

Here in Virginia it's coming. I am wondering how it changes things. As a father of two, I don't love the whole CBD marketing hooey that is the lead-up to full legalization. I don't love the head shops all around, and hard core dope industry people moving to town and claiming to be local. I don't love the whole argument of compensating black dealers with the license to sell it legally. I have to say I have no love either for the idea of a purely cash-based industry that is not part of the banking system and for which there's no real barrier to entry. How have things changed in your town since weed was legalized?

How do you feel about liquor stores?

[Mark McM]

It's been legal for few years in Massachusetts, although the law allows individual cities/towns to decide if they want to allow dispensaries. Obviously, these products had been in use long before the law went into affect, and about the only thing I've noticed in my neck of the woods (suburbs west of Boston) is that a few people are less careful about hiding it.

[benb]

It's nothing here in MA. We have some billboards, that's it. I don't even see those really unless I take a road trip. Western MA where it's rural and conservative got on the legal weed train far more than Eastern MA AFAICT. Legalizing it was likely driven by the Eastern half of the state but the sales and businesses are dominated by the western half.

I think I see/smell less people smoking weed in public or in their car than I did before it was legal. People are doing it at home now not trying to hide it. I have a good nose for it when out biking and I definitely think I smell it less now. It might have gone up a teeny bit when it first got legalized but it's settled.

In my extended family it's the boomers that are the users. None of my siblings or cousins use it at all, my second cousin does but he's in his 50s, but we have a big holiday gathering or reunion and there will be about 1/3 of the Boomers get high and another 1/3 won't shut up about CBD even when their are kids running around. It's less obnoxious than in the past though when they'd get drunk and start a fight. Potheads don't start fights like drunks. This is literally the only time I run into it. I can go back to a college reunion and no one will be smoking pot. 20 years ago that same event would have been drenched in it.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by rallizes

How do you feel about liquor stores?

A valid and serious question. Why are certain substances like weed demonized when other substances with much more profound impacts (like booze) given a pass?

Have you ever witnessed a bar fight where the participants were stoned off their asses?

Edit: Always the same answer. $$$

FWIW, I live in the city of the original Oaksterdam U. I always smell weed at the local farmer’s market. MUCH more pleasing smell than nicotine, which is a lethal (and legal) drug. Once again: $$$

[Alistair]

Other than the occasional whiff of weed, nothing really changes.

Since VA decriminalized, and medical dispensaries have opened up more broadly, that's the only change I've noticed. Same for downtown DC.

[azrider]

Medicinal weed was legalized in AZ back in 2010. It became legal for the public in 2020. I have two kids 8, and 5.

With that said. Most of the dispensaries that were selling 'medical' weed gained most of the market share for legal weed once it was legalized so it's not as if dispensaries will just start popping up everywhere. PLUS, zoning will play huge factor in where they do pop up. I believe they have to be certain distance away from schools, if i recall correctly.

But what's changed for us (and my wife and I were just talking about this) is you start to smell it a lot more and are aware of people smoking it in and around public places. IT's not as if they're walking down the street with a spliff, but you do smell it and know it's around.

On my ride yesterday I was waiting at an intersection and saw a huge puff of smoke and immediately smelled it. Bums me out thinking folks are driving around and toking up.

But we also have a neighbor two doors down who is 80 years old and likies to light one up every now and again.

It doesn't bother me all that much, but it sends my wife into stratosphere

[benb]

For some reason the billboards ARE more annoying.

Maybe just cause there are so many. You will see occasional liquor billboards but not many.

The cannabis billboards have largely crowded out almost everything else in a lot of parts of Massachusetts.

I drove down to DC last month. Connecticut was always famous for ridiculous strip club billboards.. those are almost all gone in CT now, all replaced with Cannabis billboards.

The stores are so few and far between I've only ever driven by one since 2017. They are hardly more annoying than liquor stores. Early on they would have huge lines and traffic and that annoyed some people, but their town voted to allow the businesses! I think that is gone as there are enough stores for demand now.

[deluz]

I am in California.
It really is not very noticeable.
They only allow a limited number of stores and they are located mostly in industrial areas of town. I went to one once to get something to help with sleep. It didn't have any THC in it and did not help at all.
I don't think you have anything to worry about, certainly no worse than street dealers that preceded legalization and less likely to result in crime.

[RWL2222]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

A valid and serious question. Why are certain substances like weed demonized when other substances with much more profound impacts (like booze) given a pass?

Have you ever witnessed a bar fight where the participants were stoned off their asses?

Edit: Always the same answer. $$$

Regardless, two wrongs don't make a right.

But, no, I don't love people driving drunk or becoming alcoholics or abusive or whatever. I don't get the state having a monopoly on liquor sales. So there's that. But Virginia has had--much like every other part of the world--a long, fascinating history with alcohol. It's been a part of the culture (and banking system) since whenever. But high potency weed is new. I'm asking what I might be looking forward to?

Did you see more teenagers smoking weed than when you were in school? People drinking less? Employees with edibles? Tax revenues go up? Property values? Crime go down? Anything?

[Ozz]

Weed has been legal in WA for awhile now, and it has impacted me (personally) not one bit.

I had a friend going thru chemo for prostate cancer, and another friend who has an investment in a cannabis operation got him some "stuff" to help him out....not a big deal, and no need to worry about doing something illegal.

I buy CBD treats for my dog cuz she gets freaked out by fireworks on July 4 and New Year....again...not a big deal...they sell them at the pet store.

The biggest issue is that marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, so this essentially forces it to be a cash business due to exclusion from the banking system. As a result, cannabis shop robberies are a problem in the Seattle area. A clerk at a shop was killed a few weeks ago...

Is weed more readily available to minors as a result? I have no idea...it was pretty readily available when I was growing up...I would guess not much has changed.

I think a lot of the fear of legalized weed is rooted in the "Reefer Madness" mentality....rather than reality.

[EB]

Originally Posted by RWL2222

But high potency weed is new

Indeed, it was just invented.

[bigbill]

My ex smoked a lot of weed, sometimes 2-3 times a day. She had friends in Seattle that would send it in packages of coffee beans to where we lived in Texas. I think the potency is the biggest issue. Until it is federally legalized and regulated, suppliers will try to outdo each other in potency. In the 60s and 70s, potency was 2-4% THC. Now it can be in the 20% range. Increased potency has led to addiction which I got to see first-hand.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6312155/

[fried bake]

Meh. In Colorado it was nice to see storefronts with a variety of legal items but it didn’t change much. I tried a couple different items and found it’s not my deal, but then I don’t drink either. I am glad to see the progress however.


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