For the second consecutive year, the United States Border Patrol reported definitely diminished cannabis seizures along the Mexican border—and even the standard media can’t help making the association with the developing pattern toward legalization and decriminalization in the United States. In reporting the discoveries, the Washington Post used the feature, “Legal marijuana is finally doing what the drug war couldn’t.” A year ago, border operators secured about 1.5 million pounds—down from a crest of about 4 million in 2009. Expanded household farming in California, Colorado and Washington have driven costs down, particularly at the mass level.
“Two or three years ago, a kilogram [2.2 pounds] of marijuana was worth $60 to $90,” a Mexican marijuana cultivator recently said to NPR. “But now they’re paying us $30 to $40 a kilo. It’s a big difference. If the United States continues to legalize pot, they’ll run us into the ground.”
Medical cannabis laws have also had their part to a lifting of pressure that has sent prices dropping down.
“Those trying to understand what has happened with U.S. cannabis consumption and imports over the past decade need to pay close attention to licensed, and unlicensed production in medical states, especially California,” Beau Kilmer, from RAND Corporation said to the Post.
Yet there might be another bad thing here too besides harm to farmers in Mexico. The Post states: “The cartels, of course, are adapting to the new reality. Seizure data appears to indicate that with marijuana profits tumbling, they’re switching over to heroin and meth.”
As was highlighted in comparative data during 2015, it is vital in upholding legalization not to depict it as a panacea. There isn’t any enchantment wand we can wave to make the cartels leave. In any case, we can take measures that start to debilitate them.
MAPH Enterprises, LLC | (305) 414-0128 | 1501 Venera Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | new@marijuanastocks.com
