Why Going Recreational First Makes Sense

Kansas is considering legalizing marijuana, and there is a debate about whether to start with medical or recreational use. Some argue that starting with recreational use would be easier because it can be regulated using the existing Alcoholic Beverage Control system. Legalization could bring in significant tax revenue and create jobs. However, there are concerns about public safety and the potential dangers of driving high. Others argue that legalization is about righting social injustices and making the system fairer. Utah is seen as a role model for implementing medical marijuana successfully. Governor Kelly supports medical marijuana, while Senate President Masterson is concerned about increased drug use. A poll shows that 68% of Kansans support medical marijuana. The people's opinion may influence politicians' decisions. Okay, so Kansas and marijuana legalization, right? But get this, we're not just talking about easing in with medical marijuana. This time, it's like full cannonball into the deep end recreational use first. Yeah, that's definitely making a statement, especially for a state that's, well, dragging its feet a bit on this whole legalization thing. Dragging feet. I might be putting it mildly. I like this little island of no way surrounded by states cashing in. Colorado's been like the poster child for years, and now Missouri's in on the action. You'd think Kansas would be a little more curious about that kind of green. Well, there's curious, and then there's efficient, right? And that's where Debbie Beavers enters the picture. She's running the Kansas Alcoholics Beverage Control, and she kind of threw everybody for a loop. That going recreational first might actually be easier. Okay, I got to be honest, the first time I heard that, I thought maybe I put something extra in my coffee. I was selling something for fun, simpler than if it's for medical reasons. It's all about the red tape, my friend. Think of it like this, right? Medical marijuana. That needs a whole separate system. You got patient lists, doctor's got to sign off, and you got to make sure people actually qualify. Medically, it's a lot, but recreational, you just tweak what's already there. So it's like, we already know how to do alcohol, we just, what, adjust those rules a bit? Bingo. Kansas already has the Alcoholic Beverage Control, the ABC. Beavers is saying, why not use that? They got the experience, the people. It makes more sense than starting from scratch. Kind of like using your grandma's famous cookie recipe, why mess with what works, right? Exactly. Plus, think about it this way. If they go recreational first, the state can really focus. They're not splitting their attention, splitting their budget between two different programs, one system, get it right, boom. That's distribution figured out, everybody's following the rules from day one, and of course. The state gets to collect all those taxes, and let's be real, that's probably looking pretty good to certain folks right now. It's hard to ignore that pile of money, especially when you look at Colorado. Over $2 billion in tax revenue since 2014, that's huge. But here's the thing, this isn't just a Kansas problem to solve. This whole recreational first idea, that's a big debate everywhere. Like Kansas is suddenly the guinea pig for how to legalize. In a way, yeah. Some states, they want to take it slow, right? Start with medical marijuana, and then maybe down the line, think about recreational. They say it's about control, taking care of patients first, one step at a time. Look before you leap, that kind of thing. Exactly. But then there's the other side. They're like, we're already behind, why wait around? They say recreational first, you get the market going faster, the money comes in sooner, and it's just ripping off the Band-Aid. Better get it over with. And I bet seeing your neighbors make bank while you're stuck waiting doesn't help, does it? Yeah, it's hard to watch from the sidelines, especially with those Colorado dispensers. It's like they're selling legal weed like it's going out of style, and the money's rolling in. Meanwhile, Kansas is over here, still trying to decide if we should preheat the oven. And it's not a chump change either, right? We're talking $30 billion in 2022 nationwide, just from legal sales. That's got to make you think. Plus, the jobs, did you see that? Almost 100,000 people working in the legal cannabis industry. Oh, it's exploding. And not just the obvious jobs. We're talking growers, sure, but also accountants, marketers, the whole shebang. And that's not even counting. Well, the ACLU says the Fed spends something like $3.6 billion every year just trying to enforce the whole no marijuana thing. It's wild. It's trying to stop a flood with a bucket. Right. All that money, and for what? Yeah. A lot of people are saying, hey, if it was legal, regulated, not only do we get taxes, we get jobs, but maybe the cops can actually focus on, well, you know, actual crime. Yeah, exactly. I think what Kansas could do with a few extra bucks floating around, schools, roads, maybe even finally fix that pothole that's been on I-70 since, like, forever. Yeah, that would be putting the money where the mouth is, for sure. Right. But look, we got to be real. It's not all going to be sunshine and roses. There are some real worries about what happens if things go wrong, you know, public safety and all that. Yeah, you can't just ignore those voices, especially law enforcement. They've been pretty vocal about the downsides. Right. Sheriff John Doe, for example, he's really concerned about people driving high. And his point is, look, they're already stretched thin as is. More impaired drivers, that's just making a tough job even tougher. Could make the roads more dangerous for everybody. It's a tough one. And then you've got people saying, no, a regulated system, that's actually safer. The point is, right now it's the Wild West. Nobody knows what's in this stuff they're getting on the black market. And that's a big part of the argument for legalization, isn't it? Get it out in the open, then the state can control it. They can make sure it's safe. Put labels on it saying how strong it is, all that. In theory, it's better for everyone. So then it becomes, what kind of risk are we willing to take? Because sticking with what we're doing now, that's got its own problems. But jumping into the unknown, well, that's scary too. And that's where it gets real, right? I mean, we can talk about money and rules and all that. But at the end of the day, this is about people's lives. Real people. And we can't forget that, can we? Like Jane Smith, she shared her story, how medical marijuana, it's been huge for her. And for her, it's not just about symptoms or whatever. It's about having a life, a good life that she thought she'd never have. It's not just some abstract debate for her, right? This is about being able to get the treatment she needs to live her life. And then of course, there's the whole social justice angle. A lot of people are saying, this is about fixing a system that's been unfair for way too long. Yeah. The ACLU of Kansas has been really clear on that. The thing, legalization, it's not just about weed. It's about righting some wrongs. It's about making things fairer for everybody. And you can't talk about that without talking about race, can you? I mean, black people, they're way more likely to get arrested for marijuana, even though white people use it just as much. It's a reminder that even if the law doesn't say it's picking on one group, that doesn't mean it's fair. No, exactly. And it's not just about what people here think, is it? Other states, they've already gone through this. Take Utah, for example, they've got medical marijuana now, and a lot of people think they're doing it right. Yeah. Utah, they're always, well, let's just say they take things slow and steady. That's one way to put it. But their program, it seems to be working. Senator Jane Doe over there, she was a big part of making it happen. She says it's about being open and honest, having rules that make sense, and putting people's health first, but still making sure patients can get what they need. So they're like a role model for Kansas. Here's how to do it without messing everything up. That's the idea. Yeah. Whether it worked the exact same way here, well, that's a different question. Especially with all that money we talked about, right? Hard to resist that temptation when you see other states raking it in. And those business folks, the ones with their calculators, they're definitely feeling optimistic. Remember that study from last year, the one that said legalization in Kansas? That could mean 15,000 new jobs, 50 million bucks in taxes every year by 2025. They're practically drooling. Yeah. They're basically saying, look, we can debate all day about whether this is the right thing to do, but the bottom line is the bottom line. Right. And it's hard to argue with more jobs, a better economy, especially in Kansas. I mean, we're always looking for ways to shake things up a bit. So yeah, you put it all together, it does seem like legalizing, it makes sense. But of course, this is politics we're talking about, so never that simple, right? So what's the mood like over in Topeka? Where do our fearless leaders stand on all this? Well, just like you'd expect, it's a mixed bag. You've got Governor Kelly, she's been pretty upfront. She's for medical marijuana. She seems to be coming at this from a caring place. How can we help people who are suffering? And hey, if it's good for the economy too, bonus points. Right. But then you've got Senate President Ty Masterson, he's on the other side of the fence, worried about more people using drugs, especially young people. And then there's the classic slippery slope argument. Right. If we let people have medical marijuana, next thing you know, they'll be giving it out in Happy Meals. Exactly. And that's a worry for a lot of people, even the ones who think, okay, maybe medical marijuana, fine. But for me, it's a worry, it's a gateway to, you know, the whole world going apart, literally. It's interesting how this comes down to like, what do you believe? How do you see the world? For sure. And it's not just personal beliefs either. It's about what we want for Kansas, right? What kind of future are we building? But here's the kicker. While the politicians are arguing, the people, they seem to be making up their minds. That poll last year, 68% of Kansans, they're pro-medical marijuana now. That's not just a whisper. It's a pretty clear message. It is. And politicians, they got to listen to that, don't they? Especially with the election coming up, it's going to be interesting to see if this becomes a big issue. Yeah. Will those no votes come back to bite them? Stay tuned, I guess. Right. But we can't forget about the big guy either, right? The federal government, what they do, it changes everything. Oh, yeah. Totally. As long as marijuana is illegal at the federal level, it's like this big anchor for states that want to do their own thing. So what's the latest from Washington? Any movement? Well, the DEA, they're thinking about moving cannabis to a different category. Right now, it's Schedule 1, the same as like heroin, but they might bump it down to Schedule 3. Okay. And what does that even mean? Schedule 3, they're going to start handing out grades for weed now? Not quite, but it means they're saying, okay, maybe this stuff does have some medical use and it's probably not as dangerous as we thought, which is a big deal because then banks, businesses, they might actually be willing to work with the cannabis industry. Right now, it's a nightmare for them because of federal law. So it's like reschedule it and suddenly everyone's cool with it. More investment, more research, maybe even what your grandma's buying edibles at the grocery store. Well, maybe not that fast, but it would definitely open things up. And it puts pressure on Congress too, right? Like, hey, maybe it's time to actually talk about making this legal everywhere. It's like we're all just waiting to see what happens next. You know, big change is coming. That's a good way to put it. We don't know exactly what the future holds, but one thing's for sure, this next year, it's going to be huge for cannabis in Kansas. And not just Kansas, the whole country's watching. Absolutely. We've covered a lot of ground here today. We talked about money, about fairness, about real people's lives. But at the end of the day, this is about you. What do you think? Exactly. This isn't just some theoretical debate. This is about our communities, our state, the kind of future we're building here in Kansas. So you're probably thinking, where do we go from here? We've talked about Kansas hitting the jackpot, about making things right, about folks like Jane Smith just trying to live their lives. But what does it all mean for you, the person listening right now? It's about making it real, you know? This isn't just stuff you skim over in the news. This is, if Kansas legalizes medical, recreational, whatever, it's going to touch your life. Think about it. What if you needed medical cannabis or somebody you love? Yeah, suddenly it's not just some political football anymore. Right. And even beyond that, those 15,000 jobs we talked about, that could be in your town. That's your neighbor working. Maybe your property taxes go down a bit. Who knows? More jobs, more money going around. That's the kind of change you actually feel. Exactly. And remember that $3.6 billion, the Fed's spending all that just to fight marijuana. Imagine if even a little bit of that went to our schools here, or fixing up the roads instead. Now that's what I call putting your money where your mouth is. Makes you wonder, why not legalize? But like we've been saying, it's not that simple, is it? There's more to think about. It comes down to what we believe in, doesn't it? What kind of Kansas do we want? The kind that jumps into the future, or the kind that takes it slow and careful. We got to have those tough conversations, weigh the good and the bad, and decide what feels right. And that's where you come in. This isn't a TV show, folks. You get a say in this. Your vote, speaking up, it all matters. But here's a thought. While we're waiting for the politicians to make up their minds, while we're waiting to see what the DEA does, what if there was another way? We keep talking about medical first, or recreational first, but what about something in between? Okay, now you've got me interested. What are you thinking? Decriminalization. It's like dipping your toes in the water before you do a cannonball. A lot of states are trying that. Basically it means having a little bit of weed. It's not a big crime anymore. It's more like a parking ticket. Interesting. Yeah, that makes sense. You get to see what happens, get some real-world data before you change everything. Right. Kansas can try it out, see if the sky falls, see how it goes, then we can decide about all the big changes later. Like a trial run for the whole state. Exactly. And hey, maybe you'll give those politicians in Topeka time to figure out what they want to do. Speaking of figuring things out, that's about all the time we have for today's deep dive. That's right, folks. We've gone from coast to coast on this one, but at the end of the day, you're the ones in the driver's seat. Stay informed, stay engaged, and let's make Kansas the best it can be. Until next time, this is the Deep Dive, signing off.