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Foreclosures and Marijuana

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Mon May 07, 2012 at 09:54:00 AM EST
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A twofer for regular TL readers - some foreclosure and marijuana news all in one - NYTimes:

Organized marijuana growers are shifting to the suburbs from rural and commercial areas, helped by a housing crisis that created a glut of affordable, spacious houses and a stream of new residents to previously more stable communities. Houses that sold for $1 million before the crisis have been turned into grow houses, equipped with the high-intensity lights, water and air-filtering systems necessary to produce potent, high-quality marijuana.

The law of unintended consequences.

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    Foreclosures and Marijuana | 30 comments (30 topical)

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    I actually (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon May 07, 2012 at 08:43:53 AM EST
    saw a video the other day from Gary Johnson's running mate that said this whole war on drugs is nonsense and he gave six reasons why we need to get rid of it.

    Law of Unintended Consquences... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Mon May 07, 2012 at 09:22:13 AM EST
    as well as the law of every cloud has a silver lining;)

    I doubt Obama will tout this example of job creation on the campaign trail, though he should...Made in America baby!

    The cops love to look at electrical usage (none / 0) (#3)
    by Dadler on Mon May 07, 2012 at 09:41:03 AM EST
    That's most likely how they will bust people doing this.  If those folks were only "normal" Americans who liked to get drunk on the official national drug of the nation, they could make all the wine or beer they wanted and, hell, Obama would probably share a glass with you.

    Not True (none / 0) (#4)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 07, 2012 at 09:57:05 AM EST
    WIKI:
    most states permit homebrewing, allowing 100 gallons of beer per adult per year and up to a maximum of 200 gallons per household annually when there are two or more adults residing in the household.

    Owning or operating a distillation apparatus without filing the proper paperwork and paying the taxes carries federal criminal penalties.

    In both cases it's not the production the government is concerned with, it's the excise taxes they want.

    And many grow houses use generators and Mylar(which blocks the ability of infrared/heat detection).

    Parent

    We served some home brewed beer (5.00 / 2) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:27:19 PM EST
    At our daughter's wedding along with everything else.  The groom's father makes his own beer and it is very good.

    Parent
    Daughter Zorba (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by Zorba on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:51:14 PM EST
    has taken to brewing her own beer, and it's very good.  Mr. Zorba has made mead (honey wine).  We still have some 20-year-aged mead in the basement that we break out for special occasions, and it's superb.

    Parent
    Home beer and wine is something I have a (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:56:40 PM EST
    fair bit of knowledge about, there are many commercial-grade home brewers and vinters in the US. And many of our existing commercial micro-breweries and micro-wineries were established by homies.

    Parent
    my shooting buddy (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by CST on Mon May 07, 2012 at 05:33:14 PM EST
    also brews beer, and I had some the other day.  It was great.  I actually know a bunch of people who are trying it these days, seems to be a new "thing".

    But in new england we have so many good micro-brews around that there is limited incentive to make your own, unless you really love the process.  Vermont according to one random internet site has the most breweries per capita in the US.  And a lot of them are very solid.  I prefer to support the local professionals - at least the ones that are doing a good job.  I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a lot of them started in someone's house.

    Parent

    Thanks, I'll mention that (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Zorba on Mon May 07, 2012 at 05:33:54 PM EST
    to Daughter Zorba.  She's a molecular biologist, currently a post-doctoral fellow, and is worried about getting a job in science.  She has done more than a little work with yeast genetics- maybe she could parlay that into a job with a brewery, or into her own brewery some day.

    Parent
    Heh, and I had champagne and cake for (5.00 / 2) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 07, 2012 at 05:29:27 PM EST
    breakfast on Sunday morning cuz damn it I deserved that :)

    Parent
    Sounds like it was a great wedding, MT. (5.00 / 2) (#23)
    by caseyOR on Mon May 07, 2012 at 06:39:50 PM EST
    Congratulations to the newlyweds.

    Oh, and a hearty "well done!" to the mother-of-the-bride.

    Parent

    I would love to try mead someday (none / 0) (#19)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 07, 2012 at 05:26:25 PM EST
    The wedding beer was fabulous.  He claims he specializes in English recipes.  Most of the older set were all drinking his beer though I noticed.  The Sangria was hardly touched after everyone tried his beer, and half the champagne went untouched because of his beer.  The youngsters drank Coors Light (bleh) and those neon colored appletinis (bleh)

    I attempted to brew beer one summer when we were in Korea.  It flopped so badly I haven't tried it again.

    Parent

    I had mead for the first time (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by sj on Mon May 07, 2012 at 11:22:10 PM EST
    last fall.  A friend of mine makes it himself, and it was wonderful.  I thought I might find it too sweet, but nope.  It was wonderful.

    After that, I bought some at the local liquor store.  It was good.  Not wonderful, but good.

    But really, it sounds like you had a wonderful wedding there.

    Parent

    Was the wedding a success from your (none / 0) (#25)
    by oculus on Mon May 07, 2012 at 11:57:10 PM EST
    point of view?  

    Parent
    It was great (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 08, 2012 at 08:09:36 AM EST
    And my daughter is so happy right now, and oddly so is her dad.  They got a giant endorphin kick off of it or something.  Mostly I was tired until the next day.  We had a planner though that did the catering and cleaned up most of it too, so I really have no idea how tired I should have been.

    The bride and groom are so in love, and they have been together for some time now too and lived together, I think they have what it takes together.

    My daughter and I are always at such opposite ends of everything, I am currently loving how content she is with me right now.  I will relish it for as long as it holds out :)

    And the minister was hilarious.  He is one of those kind fellas who doesn't torture people, just marries them (HA! that's what I thought).  He doesn't have to know you to marry you though.  That was the longest ceremony any of us ever stood or sat in the full sun to ever.  We went back to the garden, and rib taking with no anesthesia.  The meaning of obedience was discussed, and my daughter said when he started that she so wanted to see my face but could not.  There were two separate stories about the meaning of the ring and circles...MY God...any God...you should have saved us.  We were all reduced to puddles of sweat, and the photos of the vows will always be wanting of a little less moisture present.

    When the cake arrived though, that was the worst point that we just partied through like mad hatters.  She ordered a white cake with black accents, swirls and curlies.  The second tier was completely off center.  When they brought it in my husband immediately noticed.  My daughter was coming out of her dressing area to see it and he told her to give him a second.  I was outside and he called me in and told me to go look at that cake.  I went over to inspect and slapped my hand over my mouth it was so obvious and horrible looking.  We had made a bulk order for roses though for the wedding, and the wedding planner grabbed a vase of them and quickly broke off about two dozen heads and we arranged them along the bottom of the second tier of what we made "the front".  There was supposed to be raspberry filling too that was missing.  And the groom's cake came without his monogram on it.  Complete FLOP.  I don't know if the bakery fired key people or what the heck happened, but it was $700 of wrong cake that I will be reimbursed for.

    Once the wedding is underway though, throw some roses on that thing and cut it up as soon as possible :)  And party on.....

    Parent

    Yeah (none / 0) (#5)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon May 07, 2012 at 10:13:59 AM EST
    but honestly who would want to home brew wines? My dad used to do it and you certainly do not save any money by doing it and a lot of the time yours is not as good as what you can buy. This is what I would imagine this would happen if marijuana was legalized.

    Parent
    Some would grow their own (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by kdog on Mon May 07, 2012 at 10:29:06 AM EST
    as a hobby, just as some homebrew wine and beer.

    But I agree, I, and I would think the vast majority of users, would buy it from the professional growers if legalized.

    Parent

    Agreed (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 07, 2012 at 10:34:47 AM EST
    My first attempt, when I was maybe 16, resulted in vinegar which of course me and my younger brother denied as we drank and got violently ill.  So weird, because we also brewed beer, which turned out pretty good, gritty and flat, but strong.  Our parents not only let us do it, they bought the equipment and ingredients.  Which now, as I think back, seems crazy.

    But it's a hobby, no one is doing to to save money, like fixing up an old car, never as good as the pros, way more time consuming, and usually more expensive, but fun as hell.  

    The difference is weed seeds can be tossed outside with little care.  I tried that many years ago as well, gutted out a fridge, and equipped it with a light, fan, Mylar, and hydro-circulatory system.  It's worked well, got seeds from Canada, and was self contained, but like you mentioned, when I figured the cost, it was astronomical.  And you want to talk about time going slow, grow weed in your closet.

    My paranoia only allowed two complete grow cycles.  It was fun except for the fact that my hobby could have landed me in jail.

    Parent

    The land of the free (none / 0) (#13)
    by lentinel on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:51:59 PM EST
    and the home of the chickenhearted.

    We live in a country where you can be jailed for smoking a flower.

    I know. We're not alone in that.

    And the Netherlands is in the process of taking a huge step backwards.

    It's just too bad that there is so much money in prohibition.

    Another side effect is that all smokers have participated in a criminal activity. That makes everybody keep a low profile. Just the way the government likes it.

    Parent

    I'm sure (none / 0) (#11)
    by lentinel on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:48:09 PM EST
    that people wouldn't bother growing it if one could go to a local weed shop and purchase some.

    But I just read Ben Gazzara's autobiography, "In The Moment. My Life as an Actor". In it he describes his father who brewed homemade wine. He said that it was really great and superior to what was commercially available. I believe him.

    Parent

    Yup. Some people simply enjoy growing stuff, (none / 0) (#14)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:52:43 PM EST
    I'm sure growing MJ would fit right into that paradigm.

    Parent
    My point remains, I think (none / 0) (#8)
    by Dadler on Mon May 07, 2012 at 10:49:14 AM EST
    You can make plenty of legal booze at home, it's fine and dandy, and it's inarguable they don't go after little rogue home brewers as they do growers. Do you really think people are paying taxes on, say, stuff like this? (link) If they are, then count me amazed.  Booze is just American, dammit, as much as apple pie and Target.

    And when it comes to weed, IMO, it's the liquor and pharma money the pols already GET that matters. Along with our very profound, and lingering, puritan history.  The pilgrims loved their suds, baby.

    Parent

    Puritanism (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by lentinel on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:43:59 PM EST
    may have something to do with the prohibition on grass, but racism is way up there also.

    Parent
    That's certainly why it originally (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by CST on Mon May 07, 2012 at 04:54:03 PM EST
    became illegal.

    Right now, I think it's still illegal because it's already illegal and our current president is too chicken to be the one to legalize it.  I think if it were already legal today no one would ban it either.

    Parent

    Not really (none / 0) (#17)
    by jbindc on Mon May 07, 2012 at 05:01:26 PM EST
    It was classified as a poison.  Some cite the influx of Mexicans during the Great Depression as a reason for outlawing mj - after the Depression, they were "taking jobs", but the reason is, there was also influx of eastern Europeans who were using hashish, and that too, was cited as a reason for outlawing it. (In fact, Mexico outlawed the use of MJ long before most US states).

    Parent
    huh? (none / 0) (#18)
    by CST on Mon May 07, 2012 at 05:24:50 PM EST
    Do you mean to suggest that no one in 1937 had a "racial" problem with eastern europeans?  Because I would strongly disagree with that statement.  Immigration policy at that time also strongly suggests otherwise.

    But frankly, I think the name of the act itself, which uses the spanish spelling of the word Marihuana - would suggest that that was their target.  Especially as the medical community referred to it as cannabis at the time.

    Parent

    I think (none / 0) (#29)
    by jbindc on Tue May 08, 2012 at 03:47:29 PM EST
    It may have had a little to do with racism, although since they were targeting so many "races" and ethnicities of people (because of course, there were NO "white" people using it), it would be hard to actually confirm that claim.  Especially with that whole "poison" position as well - which, by the way, isn't necessarily wrong.

    Parent
    Oh (none / 0) (#30)
    by jbindc on Tue May 08, 2012 at 03:54:49 PM EST
    And if you're referring to the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937" - well, that a)didn't actually criminalize marijuana, and b) was certainly not the first law passed to try and criminalize marijuana.  Laws prohibiting the use, possession, and sale date back to 1906, and it was some of our most modern liberal states (Massachusetts, New York, and California) that passed laws prior to the 1937 act that prohibited the sale of marijuana. About 10 other states also passed similar laws, long before the 1937 act.

    Parent
    modern liberal is not past liberal (none / 0) (#31)
    by CST on Tue May 08, 2012 at 04:36:31 PM EST
    or even present liberal when it comes to certain cultural issues like these - speaking from a blue state :)  And I don't mean politically blue.

    You are right it didn't actually criminalize it, just effectively since no one back then could afford the fine.

    Parent

    Oh certainly (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by Dadler on Tue May 08, 2012 at 01:03:42 PM EST
    It was the black man's wacky tabacky, I realize that, and probably should've touched on it.  But European/American puritanism, IMO, has always had its very acute racial streak.

    Parent
    Foreclosures and Marijuana | 30 comments (30 topical)

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