UPDATE: On Nov. 2, 2010, Proposition 19 was narrowly defeated, mainly because of: (1) internal issues (drafting and infighting); and (2) 2010 was a mid-term election year, which means lower voter turnout, especially among younger voters and first-time voters. Those voters will be out in force in 2012. See "Why Prop 19 Didn't Pass (And Why We'll Win Next Time)."
The MJ Express is leaving the station and you will either be on board or you will be left behind, yes, in a cloud of smoke. Here's our top-10 list (California focused):
The MJ Express is leaving the station and you will either be on board or you will be left behind, yes, in a cloud of smoke. Here's our top-10 list (California focused):
- "If California were a country, it would rank among the ten largest economies in the world, with a GDP similar to that of Italy. It would be the 35th most populous country" (Wikipedia).
- LA alone has more marijuana dispensaries than it does Starbucks (NPR). That's changing (TheWeedBlog), which means there will be winners and losers, new risks and opportunities, and a 1-time chance to become #1 brand in the space. Get in touch if you are a leading player in this space and want to explore. Our founder is a former venture finance guy who has been through one IPO already and has multiple brands and concepts and a vision for how and where things fit together, in what order, why, how, etc. Ok, sorry for that interruption, but as some of you already know, we are a bootstrapped team and need to connect with prospective teammates, partners, investors, etc. It's not a Facebook-sized opportunity, but it's real, young, and growing (see "WeedMaps Tops $400,000 a Month in Revenues, Public Listing Imminent").
- Time Magazine: "Could marijuana be the answer to the economic misery facing California? Legalize pot and allow the state to regulate and tax its sale — a move that could mean billions of dollars for the cash-strapped state. Pot is, after all, California's biggest cash crop, responsible for $14 billion a year in sales, dwarfing the state's second largest agricultural commodity — milk and cream" (Time).
- America is #2 (Canada #1) on the list of "Adult lifetime cannabis use by country," with 42.4% of the population (Wikipedia). Where California goes, other states will follow. Same as always.
- America love affair with weed is evidenced by the sustained success of blockbuster TV shows, such as Weeds, in it's 6th season, and Entourage, in it's 8th season. On Wikipedia, there is a Stoner film page, a Stony Awards page,
and a budding Stoner TV page(we need someone to republish that, correctly, as we did it wrong and got slapped down by the Wikipedia police). - Even the ragingly conservative Jesusland platform, CNBC, is on the bandwagon: See their website and feature length documentary, Marijuana, Inc.
- There are plenty of other dedicated information pages around the web, such as this dedicated New York Times topic page: Marijuana and Medical Marijuana.
- Mexico is getting in on the action: Former Mexican President Vicente Fox and other politicians are considering legalizing marijuana. On August 8th, "Fox wrote on his website that 'radical prohibition strategies have never worked' and legalizing the production and sale of [marijuana] would curb violence, thereby bringing in more tourists and attracting investment." (Bloomberg).
- More on Mexico: Tourists and investment are nice, but they will be small potatoes compared to the revenue the Mexican government will generate from taxing marijuana exports to the #1 marijuana consumer in the world, its stoner friend and next door neighbor, the good old USA. Overnight, the Mexican government will have a massive and profitable new industry that will provide massive amounts of tax revenue. It's inevitible that this will happen.
- The bottom line is that, contrary to popular belief and conventional thinking, marijuana is booming in the US and a gold rush about to begin in California, where so many other good things, trends, and starups begin. All aboard the MJ Express.
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