No Harsh Buzzes for the Rich

Like peanut butter and chocolate, few combinations work so well together as drug references and the pyramid lead. From today?s Baltimore Sun:

In Howard County, Maryland's richest locality, residents have money to burn.

So it is no surprise that when it comes to marijuana, residents prefer "kind bud" over "skunkweed."

"We live in a society that wants the best things," said Lt. Keith Lessner, who heads the Howard County Police Department's vice and narcotics division.

Comments

[Anonymous]

'"Everyone uses it," said Thomas Cargiulo, Howard's director of substance abuse services.'

But only a slim minority abuse it.

That about sums up the failures of US drug policies.

[scottyo]

God Bless America.

[quaker120]

This is the squarest article I've ever read. It could have been written in 1955.

Also note the tabloidesque trick math: the so-called "kind bud" (the Sun's quotes, hilarious), we are told, "can cost $400 an ounce."

Later Mr. Song informs us that "Hydroponic marijuana...is more powerful than 'kind bud' and can sell for $7,000 a pound."

OH MY GOD--$7,000!!

Um, BTW, $7,000 / 16 = $437 an ounce.

[arjay]

'And when people go to drug dealers, they begin relationships with "illegal sources, which make it easier to get other drugs," Cargiulo said.'

Perhaps if drugs weren't illegal there wouldn't be a "problem". But then the Cargiulos of the world would have to make an honest living.

[c. bronfman]

"Police investigated the ring for nearly four months, eventually tracking its supply from Canada..."

Where we pay around US$150 for an oz of hydro. Pounds go for US$1800-2000. These margins are great, long live the war on drugs!

[rufus]

lol.

In fairness, bulk discounts apply in the black market drug world just as they do anywhere else.
Pot that actually sold for 400$ an ounce would cost much less than 7K a pound.

But yeah, that is an awfully square article. I love this line:

"When police raided the suspects' homes, they found an electronic scale and plastic baggies, which police said could be used to distribute marijuana and other drugs"

Luckily, the police had the expertise to foresee the possibilities. Who'd have thought you could, ya know, use bags to put stuff in? Less qualified observers might have suspected a sandwhich ring.

[Anonymous]

c. bronfman:
150 * 16 = 2400.
If you're buying at $1500, after transport, labor and risk, you're doing *OK*. If it's 2k, well...

[c. bronfman]

anon:

I see your point. THC and exchange rates have obviously messed me up. I pay 200-225 CDN to buy an ounce. quarters usually abt 700 CDN for the quarter, on the rare occasion, 2000-2200 CDN the pound. you do the conversion. still seems like a tasty mark-up. merely impairs my ability to multiply and divide.

[B. O'Reilly]

Just another example of the pro-drug moral decay supported by Reason. Can't you guys talk about something else?

[Warren]

We'll stop when they repeal prohibition, or you know, restore free trade, since drugs were made illegal without the required constitutional amendment.

[Kevin Carson]

Quaker:

Oh, come on! It's pretty far down on the square scale. At least it didn't contain the term "marijuana cigarette," a sure sign we're in Joe Friday country.

BTW, for anyone who recognizes the reference, my phone is listed under "Ralph Wiley."

[john clark]

We live in a society that wants lots of "scare quotes."