The path to legalization, not pretty but true...

[brownieMan]

--- This is how I believe cannibis will eventually become legal ----

As long as the main way to experience pot is smoking, it won't be widely accepted. There's a negative stigma in most upper-income America with smoking anything. And they are the ones who ultimately interpret/make laws. Yes, we can march, sign petitions, and argue for reducing prison populations, and these efforts spread the word. But ultimately pot has an image problem with most Americans. And if there's one thing marketing/advertising companies do well, it's create image campaigns to change the hearts and minds of Americans.

MAKING POT ACCEPTABLE
Alchohol and coffee consumption are very social events for most people. There are bars and coffee shops everywhere. These drinks are best experienced when taken slowly while reading or chatting with a friend. Also, they require tactile accessories like coffee mugs, cups, and bottles. It's more than just a drink, it's an experience.

So let's create a new, non-smoking way to consume THC that involves holding an object that's an accessory to consumption. The THC would probably need to be a weak dosage so you only get a small buzz in one sitting. Obviously, some people will hang out all day and "buzz" just like in coffee shops and bars.

There are plenty of food/drink recepies so it's not my point to suggest more. (FYI: THC is soluable in fat [milkfat, butterfat, oil, etc] and alchohol.) My point is about marketing THC as an acceptable, consumable, and safe "add-on". If this happens, I believe new retail outlets will open where people can sit and enjoy a "shot" of pot.
- Maybe a shot of THC for your morning coffee or tea.
- Let's dip our hemp bread in green (pot) olive oil with salt and pepper.
- Maybe our ice cream has "Mary Jane" drops as a topping.
- How about artichoke dip with hemp seeds and a dash of THC to go with crackers.

Something else to remember, we need a name for the product. THC is too medicinal and will push the FDA to require a prescription (see Marinal or Cesamet). It has to be marketed as a product of nature with connotations of wholesome-ness and use throughout the ages. So, mixing it with another product like chocolate and selling it as a luxary food item might be the way to go. Ganja, marijuana, and pot are all names created in the early century and used in negative terms by the government when they began the ban on pot.

So, let's find a name that connotates ancient, time-tested health, and exotic luxary... and let's come up with ways to serve pot that people will see and say, "Hmmm, maybe I'll try it". THEN, legalization will happen for small doses and production & distribution systems will form. And over time, the general public will accept that pot is no more dangerous than caffeine or alcohol and in fact, less so when taken responsibly. After some time, states will then legalize larger doses to be sold at liqour stores and other places where proof of age is required.

brownieMan Reviewed by brownieMan on 04-03-2007. The path to legalization, not pretty but true... --- This is how I believe cannibis will eventually become legal ---- As long as the main way to experience pot is smoking, it won't be widely accepted. There's a negative stigma in most upper-income America with smoking anything. And they are the ones who ultimately interpret/make laws. Yes, we can march, sign petitions, and argue for reducing prison populations, and these efforts spread the word. But ultimately pot has an image problem with most Americans. And if there's one thing Rating: 5

[brownieMan]

Sorry about the duplicate.