This thread is relevant to my interests.
I live in the states, and actually in a state with medical marijuana and decriminalized recreational use (is illegal to sell or grow, but possession is a simple fine). I am also actually a Medical Marijuana Patient, and although it is "medical" there is, in relity, nothing that stops anyone from getting a license, as permissible ailments include anxiety, depression, naseau, and insomnia, so pretty much anything.
It was a slow process, with decriminalization happening in the mid 90's, and then a slow adjustment by the establishment to this which set the stage for Medical Marijuana Legalization which happened in 2008. There has been backlash, and stops and starts in the program, but things run well now, and I predict that in 10-15 more years we will be passing a bill legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana.
Anyways, the medical program. There are 16 states with mmj, so it is perhaps the best case study for what might happen with legalization, and what should happen. Regulation ranges from state-run growing and distribution to total free-market policies with minimal oversight and lrge black markets. In practice, it appears that lax regulations actually help the black market thrive. If we are concerned with harm reduction, we need the right people to be accessing cannabis, whether it is a function of age or medications, mental health, whatever, these regulations are important. At the same time, too much regulation is ineffective, in which case even people with licenses continue to buy on the black market. In my opinion, my state got it just right.
At first, the laws were more lax, there is a plant limit per patient of 5. So that is 5 plants you cn grow, or 5 you can assign to a "caregiver" which is usually a dispensary, so the state always knows a max amount of marijuana that can be legally produced, and the product is accounted for from growing to manufacture and distribution. This is more lax than regulations with say, pharmaceuticals in this country ( probably because the dea is not involved), but slightly tougher than with alcohol or tobacco, which is where I think it should be.
Anyone is free to go into business as a grower, dispensary, or distributor, but you have to obtain permits and account for all the product you handle. This is pretty much identical to alcohol and tobacco law designed to eliminate the grey-market imports and dealing common in these industries.
Drugged driving is the same penalty as drinking and driving. Reselling marijuana bought by a patient would be similar to being caught sneaking alcohol to a minor.
The system works well here. The people that should not have it weed themselves out through stupidity or choice. The relatively unrestricted access actually seems to make people more responsible as they realize the nanny state is not there to take care of them.
