Quote Originally Posted by BanginJimmy
Alcohol and marijuana are 2 very different things. A bootlegger isnt going to be able to get bud light cans to package his illegal alcohol, but someone making their money off illegal weed would be able to package it as if it is a legal substance and sell it at a far lower price. For example, pack of marlboro's over in japan cost about about $1.25 when I was there, they were costing over $3.00 on base. As a result, the PX didnt sell many cigs, as the smokers would walk off base to get their cigs at less than half the price.
Sure, the average joe couldn't bootleg cans, but bottles certainly aren't hard (coming from someone who's dabbled in home brewing), and kegs wouldn't be either. And yet, I don't see any of that going on in the US. I also don't see bootleg tobacco in the US for that matter, and it's taxed out the ass.

I'm sure there still would be some black market contingency if pot was legalized, but the fact of the matter is that it would be a lot less. The majority of people wouldn't run the the added risk of buying something illegally when they can get a product they can trust for a few dollars more. To reference Amsterdam again, no one was selling weed on the street. They wouldn't make any money because you could buy quality stuff in any coffee shop.

PS I appreciate the intelligent debate