Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

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Thegipper
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

Post by Thegipper »

Chuck wrote:I'm fine with it. This is really about a bigger philosophical issue regarding how much of a nanny state you want. People are going to do what they are going to do for the most part. Once again, I suggest legalization and regulation is a better way to control age related usage than black market. I doubt street dealers do age checks.

Less and less people are smoking now, despite that fact that it is legal. So people can learn to avoid what's bad for them. The way I see it, marijuana is in widespread use already, and I don't really think legalizing it will result in that much of an increase in usage. The tax revenue is a plus, not to mention all the savings on legal enforcement that could probably be spent better elsewhere.
Would you be in favour of getting rid of all the nanny state actions in respect to tobacco. I am not. At the very least I would want a major public advertising campaign making people aware of the major dangers pot has for young people. A basic summary of such a campaign would involve the following: 1. From the age 12 to 25 the brain is going through major development. The high strength pot that is used today seriously impairs the development of the brain in that group. 2. if teens start using there is a 20% chance of becoming a drug addict. Think East Vancouver. 3. If people in your family have psychosis or other serious mental challenges there is a good chance that usage by a teen will trigger that disorder. 4. Regular usage by a teen will seriously impair their ability to assess risk. These statements are backed by much solid research . I know there is no silver bullet. We can surely do a better job then the recommendations of this Liberal panel.
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kcowan
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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  1. From the age 12 to 25 the brain is going through major development. The high strength pot that is used today seriously impairs the development of the brain in that group.
  2. if teens start using there is a 20% chance of becoming a drug addict. Think East Vancouver.
  3. If people in your family have psychosis or other serious mental challenges there is a good chance that usage by a teen will trigger that disorder.
  4. Regular usage by a teen will seriously impair their ability to assess risk.
Thanks Thegipper for a good summary. Sometimes I think the government wants us to be numb.
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ghariton
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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kcowan wrote: Sometimes I think the government wants us to be numb.
They just want to lower the voting age to 16 and appeal to the new voters.

I agree that the government should conduct much more research, including replicating research already done, to see whether it stands up. Risks should be clearly publicized. While I would not go as far as the present cigarette packages, something along those lines might be appropriate.

Maybe make the legal age 25 instead of 21. But then that should be done for tobacco and alcohol too. At a minimum, ban these things from university campuses. You are there to develop your intellect and skills not to get high.

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Shakespeare
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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At a minimum, ban these things from university campuses.
Did it work when you went? :rofl: :wink:
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ghariton
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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Shakespeare wrote:
At a minimum, ban these things from university campuses.
Did it work when you went? :rofl: :wink:
Sure, there was drinking in my time. But it seems to me that it was nowhere as much as these days. My evidence is anecdotal, but there are lots of stories of students too wasted to come to class, of other students partying much harder (and longer) than they used to, of alcohol-related sexual harassment and sexual assault on campus, and so on.

While prohibiting alcohol on campus did not eliminate it, it made it harder to obtain, and in smaller quantities when obtained (beer kegs were scarce in dorms in those days).

Finally, there was a code of conduct, even if frequently breached, which did give some guidance as to what was acceptable and what was not. Nowadays everything goes (except speech deemed offensive by some minority).

Maybe the last few posts should be moved to Watercooler.

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Shakespeare
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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My evidence is anecdotal [sic], but there are lots of stories of students too wasted to come to class, of other students partying much harder (and longer) than they used to, of alcohol-related sexual harassment and sexual assault on campus, and so on.
Perhaps some things are more reported nowadays.
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ghariton
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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Shakespeare wrote:Perhaps some things are more reported nowadays.
True. But some of it is based on personal experience. I take a course now and then at Carleton University, when work is slow. Two years ago, I took a fourth year Spanish course, along with twenty or so fourth-year students. One young woman was so busy partying that she had to drop two of the four courses she was taking that semester (normal full course load is five). She figured she would have to put in a fifth year anyway to get her degree, so why not?

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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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Spidey wrote:I'm generally kind of neutral on the marijuana issue but I'm kind of surprised that in this age when we're imposing all types of restrictions on tobacco that we are hearing almost nothing regarding negative health consequences of introducing another product to smoke.
If you believe the folks advocating for it, cannabis has far fewer negative health implications than tobacco.
Thegipper wrote:Pot is an extremely dangerous drug for teens.
How so? Is there actual research to support such a claim, or is it merely outdated "Reefer madness" propaganda?
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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ghariton wrote:Coincidently I would raise the legal age for all three -- tobacco, marijuana and especially alcohol -- to 21. Anecdotally, alcohol is a terrible scourge on our campuses.
What about the driving/flying age? Would you leave it at 16? What about voting, would you leave it at 18?

Isn't it rather silly to say that someone is responsible enough to operate an airplane at 16, or choose our country's leader at 18, but can't be trusted with a rolled-up, dried-out plant for 3 more years?
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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ghariton wrote:At a minimum, ban these things [alcohol, tobacco] from university campuses. You are there to develop your intellect and skills not to get high.
Call me crazy, but shouldn't the ones paying for it get to decide why they're there?
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

Post by izzy »

kombat wrote:
Thegipper wrote:Pot is an extremely dangerous drug for teens.
How so? Is there actual research to support such a claim, or is it merely outdated "Reefer madness" propaganda?
Here is just one study-at least enough evidence to arouse suspicion that there might be a danger to the brain(subject to further research of course)
http://www.j-alz.com/content/new-study- ... flow-brain
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ghariton
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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kombat wrote:Isn't it rather silly to say that someone is responsible enough to operate an airplane at 16, or choose our country's leader at 18, but can't be trusted with a rolled-up, dried-out plant for 3 more years?
I agree. The age should be 21 for all such activities. I might consider exceptions if a younger person could demonstrate knowledge/competence/responsibility to a degree that warranted the exception. But that would be too difficult administratively. Make it 21 across the board.
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ghariton
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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kombat wrote:
ghariton wrote:At a minimum, ban these things [alcohol, tobacco] from university campuses. You are there to develop your intellect and skills not to get high.
Call me crazy, but shouldn't the ones paying for it get to decide why they're there?
By and large, in Canada that would be the government, and through our taxes, you and me.

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deaddog
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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ghariton wrote: I agree. The age should be 21 for all such activities. I might consider exceptions if a younger person could demonstrate knowledge/competence/responsibility to a degree that warranted the exception. But that would be too difficult administratively. Make it 21 across the board.
At what age did you start drinking? Smoking?
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by Peculiar_Investor »

found wrote:A little shocked to see no discussion on the legalization of recreational marijuana. There's plenty of investment opportunity as I understand it, a whole new industry.

Is no one here following weed stocks? CGC, APH, etc.
The OP was asking about the investment opportunities and the topic has drifted significantly away from investment discussion. There is a Watercooler topic, Marijuana legalization? that might be more appropriate to continue the non-investment discussions.

Turning back to the OP's question, investment opportunities in "a whole new industry" tend to favour the founders and their original backers, rather than the retail do-it-yourself investor. As well, legalization hasn't happened so no-one knows what implications can be drawn if/when it is legalized. How can an investor value the company without knowing this?

I don't follow the sector or the names mentioned, but I'd be cautious with any new industry until such time as they have a track record of well-established financials since going public, I'd personally want to see at least five years worth of financials. Could this be a repeat of the tech boom circa the late 1990's? We all know how well that ended.

Added: Looking through CGC Timeline | Wikipedia doesn't inspire much confidence in their management and corporate governance.
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kcowan
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

Post by kcowan »

deaddog wrote:At what age did you start drinking? Smoking?
14
It had little to do with what was legal.
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by Just a Guy »

Interesting discussion...

So far, everyone is either for, or against government control of a substance...but what about the parents in all this?

I was raised in a household with very little restrictions on alcohol. My family drank wine, beer and hard alcohol. When they did, they offered me some to try if I wanted. I did, and didn't really like it. My family never talked down about drugs or alcohol, but made me aware of the consequences of abuse.

As a teen, my many of my friends drank a lot, and did drugs. For a while I drank with them to be "social", but soon discovered I didn't like the taste, never really had, nor the effects it had on my friends. So I gave it up, drinking was relatively expensive anyway, especially to not get enjoyment out of. They, for the most part, had been raised with the drug and alcohol family prohibition so, it seemed like rebellion, a coming of age thing, or whatever...and they tended to overdo it, many making serious mistakes that they can never undo because of it.

As a parent, I raised my kids the same way. While I don't drink personally, I do have alcohol in the house for guests, cooking and my wife likes the occasional baileys. I've always encouraged them to try some when it's out if they wanted to (nothing like a little dark rum as your first taste to dissuade you from drinking).

Some of my kids are in very high risk groups (my son plays most of the sports, likes some of the trades options, etc.), but they are also very smart. They see and have access to drugs and alcohol all the time (heck the football team lights up on the team bus, and the kids do drugs in the welding vent hoods during class) yet, like me, they have chosen not to indulge in that activity. Ironically, they have very strong opinions on people who use drugs and alcohol.

I've seen this same behaviour with sugar and unhealthy foods. We've always had them around, no big deal, yet my kids all want real food and know how to cook (as opposed to reheat). My sister in laws kids are the exact opposite, and she restricted access to these types of foods...whenever her kids see them, they pounce on the food and eat it like there's no tomorrow.

At what point should parents start teaching their kids and taking responsibility for them? The reason we need legislation is because people are abdicating their own responsibilities. They want someone else to be the bad guy, educator, whatever...
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by Gwenstacy »

Having an opinion about such a topic makes you feel scandalised. I would still prefer it being legalised, rather than having a forbidden fruit image for it.
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Re: Marijuana Legalization

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kombat wrote:
Spidey wrote:I'm generally kind of neutral on the marijuana issue but I'm kind of surprised that in this age when we're imposing all types of restrictions on tobacco that we are hearing almost nothing regarding negative health consequences of introducing another product to smoke.
If you believe the folks advocating for it, cannabis has far fewer negative health implications than tobacco.
Thegipper wrote:Pot is an extremely dangerous drug for teens.
How so? Is there actual research to support such a claim, or is it merely outdated "Reefer madness" propaganda?
Do a simple Google search. The Globe and Mail did a story on this in October of 2014 and it was restricted to Canadian studies. It pretty well confirms the points I made. USA and British research is even stronger. The U of Minnesota has done a lot of research on the topic. Last but not least talk to the people who operate teen drug addiction recovery programs.
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by nisser »

Can you guys stick to the actual topic (i.e. it as an investment opportunity). I have zero interest in this field and it feels a bit bubbly to me.
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by Vaper »

WEED is probably the best way to play this sector HMMJ is an ETF which contains weed,alphria plus others.
I own WEED in a small %,my target is $25,like any other sector investment,be prepared for volatility.
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by Shurville »

Closed at $24.18 today .Should hit your target tomorrow. I own this and plan to hold in spite of Jeff Sessions move that may slow down US states like California.
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

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Shurville wrote: 08 Jan 2018 19:48 Closed at $24.18 today .Should hit your target tomorrow. I own this and plan to hold in spite of Jeff Sessions move that may slow down US states like California.
Actually WEED closed just under $40 today on the TSX
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by Hammerer »

Definitely a boon for the TSX too. These stocks are often the most heavily traded, in part because they're definitely NOT going to be trading on US exchanges.

One company's quarterly revenue has been ~$6m, ie: $2m in sales per month. That's just revenue.

Meanwhile, their capital value is $3b.

I know the value of the recreational market isn't factored into current revenue... but assuming Health Canada keeps pumping out production licenses, can a producer's revenue grow to sustain this?

At least for the medical side, the companies can charge whatever they please. But with each province wanting their cut of the recreational market, won't they squeeze the producers?

I imagine in the beginning that each producer will have supply problems, but once those are sorted out...

Unless they can brand themselves, where's the supplier surplus?
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Re: Marijuana Legalization [Investment opportunities]

Post by biker »

optionable68 wrote: 08 Jan 2018 21:12
Shurville wrote: 08 Jan 2018 19:48 Closed at $24.18 today .Should hit your target tomorrow. I own this and plan to hold in spite of Jeff Sessions move that may slow down US states like California.
Actually WEED closed just under $40 today on the TSX
OOPs I meant HMMJ closed close to $25.
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