Growing tobacco versus marijuana

[Rain Man]

The first retail marijuana places will open up on January 1st here in Denver. I think they're mostly moving into old Blockbuster and Kenny Rogers Roasters locations.

Anyway, the latest debate is production. They've got big warehouses now that are growing the stuff commercially, but apparently people can also grow their own, and the debate now is the limit (now set at 6 per person and 12 per household as of last night): http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_24...lants-no-front

It got me wondering, though. What's the advantage in growing it yourself? Is it just cheaper? And if it's cheaper, why don't people grow their own tobacco for cigarettes? You never hear about people growing their own tobacco.

[L.A. Chieffan]

What are the new laws about growing marijuana? I assume you need a special permit or something?

[Katipan]

I wouldn't do anything while I have minor children. I'd set up a weed and lemonade stand if I could thereafter.

[BlackHelicopters]

D Bowe loves this thread

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by L.A. Chieffan

What are the new laws about growing marijuana? I assume you need a special permit or something?

As far as I can tell at the moment, there's just a number limit. I think it may have to be grown indoors, too, but I'm not sure about that.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Much cheaper, and it's a hobby/obsession for a lot of people.

This. Growing your own allows much more control over conditions and quality. It's also somewhat a labor of love.

[Radar Chief]

The difference in quality from what the average person will grow to what is available in the medicinal shops is huge. I would assume the retail shops will have quality equal to that of the medicinal shops.

[Discuss Thrower]

Legalization doesn't have any affect on me because you can still be fired for use by high paying employers.

[Rain Man]

Wow, this is interesting. So I'm hearing that tobacco is a bigger plant that's harder to grow and harvest, takes longer to mature, is less productive at harvest, and requires a lot more processing than marijuana. And apparently there's more experience with marijuana since it's been illegal. Is that a good summary?

So if marijuana is easy to grow, will everyone who wants marijuana just grow their own? I see one argument that the price is going to become cheap enough that it's not worth growing, but I see other arguments that it's very easy to grow. So is there going to be a retail market in the long run, or will they all eventually go under because they're paying rent and taxes and stuff?

Is six plants enough to supply an average person for a year?

I guess when I think about it, the fake medical marijuana places seemed to be doing okay the last couple of years. But that could be artificial since it was still illegal to grow it. Demand may have been propped up by people who were afraid to grow their own.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Legalization doesn't have any affect on me because you can still be fired for use by high paying employers.

That is correct.

[Katipan]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Wow, this is interesting. So I'm hearing that tobacco is a bigger plant that's harder to grow and harvest, takes longer to mature, is less productive at harvest, and requires a lot more processing than marijuana. And apparently there's more experience with marijuana since it's been illegal. Is that a good summary?

So if marijuana is easy to grow, will everyone who wants marijuana just grow their own? I see one argument that the price is going to become cheap enough that it's not worth growing, but I see other arguments that it's very easy to grow. So is there going to be a retail market in the long run, or will they all eventually go under because they're paying rent and taxes and stuff?

It'll be like the crafty dudes and dudettes brewing beer and wine in basements. I appreciate their hobby but I've got other ones.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Legalization doesn't have any affect on me because you can still be fired for use by high paying employers.

Further separation of the classes

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Wow, this is interesting. So I'm hearing that tobacco is a bigger plant that's harder to grow and harvest, takes longer to mature, is less productive at harvest, and requires a lot more processing than marijuana. And apparently there's more experience with marijuana since it's been illegal. Is that a good summary?

So if marijuana is easy to grow, will everyone who wants marijuana just grow their own? I see one argument that the price is going to become cheap enough that it's not worth growing, but I see other arguments that it's very easy to grow. So is there going to be a retail market in the long run, or will they all eventually go under because they're paying rent and taxes and stuff?

I guess when I think about it, the fake medical marijuana places seemed to be doing okay the last couple of years. But that could be artificial since it was still illegal to grow it. Demand may have been propped up by people who were afraid to grow their own.

Legal shops will definitely be popular, because not everyone has the time, space in their house, or inclination to grow. Nor does everyone want 4-6 oz of pot.

But I think the ability to grow will exert market pressure on retail prices, not the other way around.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Wow, this is interesting. So I'm hearing that tobacco is a bigger plant that's harder to grow and harvest, takes longer to mature, is less productive at harvest, and requires a lot more processing than marijuana. And apparently there's more experience with marijuana since it's been illegal. Is that a good summary?

So if marijuana is easy to grow, will everyone who wants marijuana just grow their own? I see one argument that the price is going to become cheap enough that it's not worth growing, but I see other arguments that it's very easy to grow. So is there going to be a retail market in the long run, or will they all eventually go under because they're paying rent and taxes and stuff?

Is six plants enough to supply an average person for a year?

I guess when I think about it, the fake medical marijuana places seemed to be doing okay the last couple of years. But that could be artificial since it was still illegal to grow it. Demand may have been propped up by people who were afraid to grow their own.

One thing:

Several of the people that grew their own before the deregulated market and now becoming private growers for the shops. It can be pretty lucrative even in small batches.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Katipan

It'll be like the crafty dudes and dudettes brewing beer and wine in basements. I appreciate their hobby but I've got other ones.

You've never had a good Schraderbrau then...

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Katipan

It'll be like the crafty dudes and dudettes brewing beer and wine in basements. I appreciate their hobby but I've got other ones.

Ah. Interesting take.

I'm going to be curious to see how this whole thing plays out. It seems like we're going to have three sources of supply: the local legal mass producers and retail chain, the homegrown stuff for personal consumption and likely gray market sales, and the black market illegal stuff that's being imported. We'll see who wins when they're all duking it out.