DEBATE: Cannabis v. Capitalism

Monday, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board director and board chair held a podcast sponsored by The Spokesman-Review.

Two issues were deemed major problems needing board attention: 1. How to keep pot out of the hands of children, and 2. “…assisting growers facing falling revenues due to a glut of product.”

1. Packaging cookies, candies and other sweets so a child will know they are laced with THC was addressed. A child may show an ability to identify a dangerous cookie from a safe cookie, but probably not before age 7. Danger from the presence of unattended aspirin, cigarettes, alcohol or guns is well-known. Packaging to protect children will increase the overhead. Apparently, the pot industry has been granted another year to solve the problem, the child’s safety not withstanding.

2. The glut of product due to overproduction is causing prices to fall, made worse by the rising cost of regulations. These regulations range from air pollution control to other costly regulations as identified by an industry analysis group called Cannabis Benchmarks based in Connecticut.

Licensing boards should not be involved with helping an industry improve their bottom line. Regulatory boards are in place to make sure their industry legally addresses regulatory demands with a blind eye to their economic health.

The pot industry wants legitimacy. Let them deal with market forces like everyone else. To do otherwise, invites corruption.

Also, “a glut of product?” Sell it to Mexico. Mmmmm.

DICK SHELDON

Coeur d’Alene