The " Cannabis " question ?

The National Drug Research Institute has been holding a confidential survey to gain insight into the illegal Marijuana crops being grown in the homes of ordinary Australians.  In the vast majority of cases this is entirely for personal use and in many cases the people growing it claim it gives medical relief.  It is interesting to note that 45% of home grown Cannabis is planted in the back garden of homes, 26% is grown inside a cupboard within the house, and 19% is located in a garage or garden shed.   Obviously, in the great majority of cases, this is out of sight of the police.

The media reports numerous drug raids where giant Marijuana crops are located in bushland or hidden away in drug houses converted with stolen electrical by-passes to grow commercial quantities for the illegal drug trade.   This is the province of the underworld that is making multi-million dollar profits from the drug trade.
In some parts of the world, the criminal gangs involved are in open rebellion against their police forces and this has devolved into gun battles in the streets and the wholesale murder of big groups of people.  Ominously, here in Australia we are seeing the tip of this iceberg with gun play between rival motorcycle gangs who control part of the drug trade.

Referendum held together with the recent American presidential election resulted in two US states voting to make Marijuana for personal use legal.   Colorado and Washington state will defy a Federal law and allow their citizens to do legally what Australian users seem to be doing in their sheds and garages for personal use.
This will be done openly, and this new legal product will attract the usual tax regime which will add to the coffers of state treasuries.   It is anticipated that tax rates for Cannabis will be at similar levels to alcohol and tobacco.

A lot will depend on how the two states use this referendum question.  If it's interpretation allows the commercial growing of Marijuana as an open slather for export to other American states and overseas markets it will probably draw a massive Federal response to ensure that Federal laws apply.   On the plus side, it would virtually shut down the drug barons serving the American market with Cannabis from Mexico, but it would throw open an unstoppable use of this drug across the entire United States if two states were able to legitimately sell and use Cannabis.

No doubt both Federal and state authorities here have toyed with the option of legalising " soft " drugs and separating them from opiates.   The resulting tax bonanza would solve many of their money problems, but they fear the backlash from the anti-drug people and so far it has not been put to a referendum.

Statistics reveal that the police are not seriously going after those mums and dads growing a plant for personal use in their backyards.   Convictions are few, and when that does occur it is usually because someone got greedy and started to sell a little surplus - and came under notice as a "pusher ".

The eyes of the world will be on Colorado and Washington state.   What develops there from that referendum will most likely chart the course of legal Marijuana on a world wide basis.   After all, democracy is said to be the paramount will of the majority of the people.   When they speak, governments would be wise to listen !