Is Weed Prohibition Over?

[RSD1]

Ever since the very tall guy was shown the door, and after Tony and Annie sung karaoke together for a weekend up at Annie's ranch, I haven't heard another peep about threatening any new laws or changes in legislation, classification or usage types that would result in shutting down all the herb shops and making recreational cannabis illegal again.
 

So is that it? Done and dusted? Good riddance and all that? Thus, a stoner is what a stoner does in Thailand and everything is back on track with the "don't worry be happy" program?

 

Edited 20 hours ago by RSD1

[Wuvu2]

The cake is only half-baked.  Some regulations are needed for the industry to mature. The biggest players are still on the sideline waiting for the long-term regulatory issues to be settled. Eventually, 7-11 will be the go-to place for processed packaged weed and all the little guys will be out-priced and out-regulated. We're in the days-between. Just enjoy it 😉

[RSD1]

Just now, Wuvu2 said:

The cake is only half-baked.  Some regulations are needed for the industry to mature. The biggest players are still on the sideline waiting for the long-term regulatory issues to be settled. Eventually, 7-11 will be the go-to place for processed packaged weed and all the little guys will be out-priced and out-regulated. We're in the days-between. Just enjoy it 😉

It seems more like that perhaps they have bigger fish to fry at this point. The local economy is going pear shaped, tourism still isn't back as strong as it once was, and personal debt is through the roof.
 

I don't think they have the luxury at this point of just flushing $1+ billion industry down the toilet. Even though the government isn't making any money in tax from it, nor are the big players capitalizing on it, but it's keeping money moving around in the economy, which is something that they really need right now. 

[BritManToo]

22 minutes ago, Wuvu2 said:

The cake is only half-baked.  Some regulations are needed for the industry to mature. The biggest players are still on the sideline waiting for the long-term regulatory issues to be settled. Eventually, 7-11 will be the go-to place for processed packaged weed and all the little guys will be out-priced and out-regulated. We're in the days-between. Just enjoy it 😉

Enjoying my 5bh/g weed, all the talk of new laws just lowered the price.

[RSD1]

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Enjoying my 5bh/g weed, all the talk of new laws just lowered the price.

I don't see how the two are connected. Lower prices normally occur either from oversupply, too much competition, or not enough demand. It's possibly a combination of those 3 at this point. 

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

I don't see how the two are connected. Lower prices normally occur either from oversupply, too much competition, or not enough demand. It's possibly a combination of those 3 at this point. 

I assumed they're dumping their stock in case it becomes worthless on Jan 1st.

 

Fear of new laws is endemic at the moment,

I didn't buy a new car this year because they might have taxed me on the transfer of money. And the Thai car industry is crashing (so other expats must be also fearing the law).

 

And wanting my UK bank details, I'll be in the Philippines before I agree to that,

Which'll be another Thai bank house foreclosure, a single mom and a fatherless kid.

 

The Thai government seem hell bent on economic suicide at the moment.

Edited 16 hours ago by BritManToo

[RSD1]

Just now, BritManToo said:

I assumed they're dumping their stock in case it becomes worthless on Jan 1st.

It would probably go the other way. It would all go underground and become more expensive again. Black market is always more expensive than free market. 

[Wuvu2]

9 minutes ago, RSD1 said:

Black market is always more expensive than free market. 

 

Not with heavily taxed and regulated products. Black market weed in California is 1/4 the price of store-bought weed which is subject to massive regulation and tax. I do agree that a glut of unregulated producers and oversupply is what's driving the price down.

[RSD1]

14 hours ago, Wuvu2 said:

 

Not with heavily taxed and regulated products. Black market weed in California is 1/4 the price of store-bought weed which is subject to massive regulation and tax. I do agree that a glut of unregulated producers and oversupply is what's driving the price down.

It’s true. Taxes and regulations can make legal stuff more expensive. But it’s hard to predict how that would play out in Thailand. Especially if there no longer is any legal recreational stuff at all.