DEA Says Cannabis Legalization Decreases Black Market Demand
In a report contained within the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 2021 budget, they state that providing consumers with legal access to weed reduces the demand for cannabis products sourced from illegal suppliers. A post on Marijuana Moment says that the report, which makes predictions about the future trends surrounding cannabis, details some concrete numbers to back up their findings.
Federal data from other related reports show that the legalization of cannabis at the state level seems to reduce demand for weed on the black market. And, according to the article, the head of the U.S. Border Patrol agents labor union says that cartel activity is in fact being disrupted in states that have legalized cannabis.
Furthermore, the DEA report says that the newly agree-upon cap Florida has placed on THC (just 10% for smokable product) is not likely to have a major effect on the black market but postulates that if that cap is lifted, it will curtail illicit cannabis sales.
I thought the point of legalization was to eliminate the illegal market and generate revenue for the states. THC needs to be regulated obviously; however, THC levels should push the boundary a little to ween users away from illegal sources. We shouldn’t want to obliterate our ability to function but the point of recreational marijuana is to get a desired effect. If what you smoke is too strong put it down and use the rest later.