We have been asking the wrong questions. What if we ask: "When are you going to stop beating us? Will you take this $100 billion a year as protection money and stop beating us? What if we went someplace where you wouldn't see us, hear us or smell us? If you don't see it, hear it or smell it...how can it possibly be your concern? If you dont go looking you won't find it. But if you do come looking, you will be welcome. Could probably even find you a non-smoke area. How about it? We will pay you and in return you wont arrest us. Wouldn't that be better than what we have now?"

  In the above empassioned plea, beating is not meant literally, but rather that the arrest for possession may carry lifelong implications. In some cases a beating would be preferred, a beating usually wears off. I do not want to imply that there is the use of excessive force in dealing with pot smokers. If excessive force is used, I am confident without checking that it would be isolated incidents. Cannabis users are quite docile when confronted with authority, so I would expect voluntary compliance with any law enforcement demand. The current annual rate of arrests for cannabis crimes is about 850,000. Thats a lot of paper work, man hours for the arrest, a deposition, a court appearance. Thats just the law enforcement officer, there are corrections people and jail capacity to pay for, prosecutors, public defenders, judges, the cost of the court house and all its personnel, the probation and penal institutions and there costs. All of that, and thirty minutes after a street corner dealer is arrested, a replacement is in business across the street, and the entire process starts all over again. It is a lot of money and resources...justify it. We have to borrow the money to continue...justify it. When a valid alternative exists...justify it.  

   If you turn over the marijuana trade to us, we will process, inspect, distribute and consume cannabis in accordance with rules that recognize the non-users right to avoid contact. In so doing, we propose that the responsability of inspection would be best performed by federal employees.These federal officers would serve an additional function as facilitators in the distribution chain, the auctions would be conducted by the inspectors, and the money is collected by the inspectors, which include a $2 per gram excise tax. This is the logical choke point to get the tax, what happens from there is governed by two rules; it may be smoked at a store where it can be purchased or private property. If you do not go to the store or someone's home you couldn't see it or smell it. What more do you want? Is a hundred billion enough extra? How about two and a half million permanant jobs? You have to say yes soon because I am running out of rabbits. More? Cross cultural community building and urban renewal. We will create villages within cities that provide for this lifestyle. As much as $56 billion in real estate investment just for production facilities. Billions more for retail outlets. All of the business that would serve production and retail needs. The line item expenses that would flow out as ancillary functions would be in the tens of billions every year. Every year that is except for the year America stops smoking weed. Unless that happens the cash flow is guaranteed. The facilities would need to be built up gradually while actual demand is measured thus providing construction jobs for years. Justify withholding this from the people.

  There is collateral damage from an arrest for cannabis. Insurance, job, credit, access to education: are all victims of arrest. In many cases a cannabis conviction will disqualify you for opportunities that violent felons are not denied. Justify that.  

  While we get them trying to justify that which cannot be justified we must solidify on what we want. What I propose will require hundreds of thousands of licensed growers.This is done not just to spread the wealth but because these people are the best choice. If you don't understand the difference between an organic hippie chick earth mother type vs. Dick Cheney then there is no hope for you. You want the responsibility for the product to be the grower and the inspector not some corporation with a deny everything staff of lawyers. The hippie chick that cares or Dick and a wall of lawyers?