Legal marijuana

This is an interesting New York Times article about medical marijuana in Colorado. It's a very interesting exploration of what happens when a heretofore illegal drug is made legal. New business models arise, new regulations, new opportunities, new difficulties. It's an interesting real-world precedent for some of my ideas about legalizing coca, cocaine, and coca farms here in Colombia.

I woefully note that it seems farmers will not share in the legal marijuana bonanza in Colorado, at least not for now. Much of the money to be made will go to legal marijuana dispensaries, which seem to be their own major suppliers (though the article details the difficulties they face in making a profit). And the easiest money to be made in Colorado right now, according to the article, is for the doctors that write out prescriptions for medical marijuana. Aside from my questions as to the Hippocratic soundness of the doctor's office described in the article, I can't help but remark that it is those in charge of paperwork and bureaucracy (in this case the doctors with the legal authority to write marijuana prescriptions) that can capture the lion's share of profit, at least in the early days of any newly-opened market opportunity.