Bayer Monsanto Merger Will Steal The Marijuana Industry

[nelson1100]

It won't take much for them to make seeds...You won't even know.Hell there could be modified seeds being crossed with GSC....

 

[Cartman]

Guymandude.....yep , believe me , I do get it.....

But count me in with those who have their heads in the sand , or as I like to refer to them , the Deplorables.

We can beat the evil banksters.

There are just way to many farmers in the world who have jars and jars of cannabis seeds......trillions and trillions of seeds. We have been saving seeds for several thousand years.

The sky has not fallen yet on the cannabis industry. It is in its infancy. Its way to early to write its obituary.

The Oligarchy of kleptomaniac plutocrats will fall.

The War Crimes Tribunal has just issued arrest warrants for Bush , Cheney , and Obama.



Great discussion!....

I'm with Big on this one... infancy bro..

As far as your last sentence... I think I'll take the online course to be a Bounty Hunter and hunt me down some X Presidents & their staff... :friday:

 

[Freakshow]

All the bud and I mean ALL the bud I've had from dispensaries in Oregon and Washington has been first class and at a good price, mostly locally sourced as well, WTF is Colorado doing wrong to end up with garbage all the time

To right Guyman, boycott the scum, whenever somebody says "Oh Amazon sell that now" I cringe and think well that's another grow shop going bust

well, another part of that is the greed of the shop owners. When you mark everything up a minimum of 100% and then whine that online prices are so much cheaper, you clearly are not a good business manager. My Dad was in the liquor business. He had much less mark up than anyone in town and made his money on the volume of business he did. One of the local shops here is starting to do just that. Lower mark up - better sales volume. Many folks will pay a little extra to the local shop to keep it open if they all know the shop is a good, helpful place, but i don't know anyone that will pay over 100% mark up on anything and everything. That's just pissing money in the wind

 

[nannymouse]

Tobacco industry comes to mind. Anybody can grow their own, but how many people do (or did) that? Then, when the more raw product became 'uncool', the industry went to 'the chewing gum and patches makers' to keep what tobacco farmers that were left an outlet. (grammer is crap, I know)

Most people wouldn't believe that a person can grow their own tabacky.

 

[GreenGrocer]

I wonder if this could be an opportunity. If big pharma started mass producing shit MJ and selling it for cheap, wouldnt that be the equivalent of big alcohol and cheap liquor? Or big tobacco and cheap smokes? Would that stop people from wanting high quality organically grown fine cannabis? Would it stop people from wanting the best scotch (and paying for it?) or the best cuban cigars... I enjoyh growing with worm tea. But that said Ihave never had a serious hydro grow nor have any idea how switching back to organic nutes would affect that. But I do think if we stayu positive that even if the drug industry tries to regulate us out of existance that might even be more reason for people to pay higher prices if the weed they currently get in dispensaries becomes the norm...boring.... I appreciate this article and this site . Thanks all - just my 2 cents. :fish:

 

[Freakshow]

there's a big bubble forming in big alcohol too though. IN the past 20 years, there have been so many high end very expensive bourbons and whiskey's come to market that it's hard to keep track of what is what. Most of those are made by huge companies that own and distill several different brands. George Dickle is one that owns many. Makers Mark was bought out by some Japanese company too. Rip Van Winkle makes a 23 year old bourbon that literally sells for a couple hundred per ounce. The restaurant i used to work in was allotted one bottle per year. Got it in January and it was gone (sold by the ounce, $245 per pour) by March. I'm think there's going to be a shake up of sorts. Big business always looks to cut costs and if some of these higher end products aren't selling, they will get the chop.

Maybe we'll see something similar in the cannabis market. People will get tired of the big corporate BS and go back to their local roots - I hope

 

[mre]

Grapes & Buds

I wonder if this could be an opportunity. If big pharma started mass producing shit MJ and selling it for cheap, wouldnt that be the equivalent of big alcohol and cheap liquor? Or big tobacco and cheap smokes? Would that stop people from wanting high quality organically grown fine cannabis? Would it stop people from wanting the best scotch (and paying for it?) or the best cuban cigars...

That's the gist of the general argument I hear for not worrying too much. I think you've nailed it with those industries as examples of where we may be heading.

Same with food - the vast majority buy processed supermarket crap, versus quality local with organic practices (certified or not). Pick anything cutlery and cooking knives, pots & pans - most go to Walmart versus buying quality.

BUT, the big difference is that those who can afford the high prices for wine / spirits / cigars - are they a demographic that will spend on cannabis? Generally, it's not a significant part of the "high society" (lol) culture today, cannabis generally plays more to a working class segment of the population (exceptions of course, but generally imo).

So, it's not apples to apples, but grapes to buds - and it's different.
I think of the coffee shops in the Dam back when visiting - are there elite, high-end coffee shops that have been successful? Perhaps, not sure, but they seemed more 'normal' environments with standard fixtures and accoutrements.

Ironic thing, is it's the elites who probably need a nice sativa-fueled perspective shift the most (wrt making a global impact on our cultural norms).

Some advances such as quality vape pens with pressed rosin extracts are helping to break into a segment that would never touch a joint to their lips (have a few examples observed here).

"High-end" type retail outlets may attract a type that would never step foot in a dispensary. Avoid the stigma of 'head shops' to win over new market segments as this open up.

 

[mre]

Cultural Appropriation

Here's example from literature:

http://www.sirc.org/publik/drinking6.html

Social and Cultural Aspects of Drinking

Social and cultural roles of alcohol
Given overwhelming evidence for the primacy of sociocultural factors in determining both drinking patterns and their consequences, it is clear that ethnographic research findings on the social and cultural roles of alcohol may have important implications for policy-makers - particularly in areas such as Europe where economic and political ‘convergence’ could have significant impact on drinking-cultures and their associated lifestyles.
In this context, it is essential for those concerned with policy and legislation on alcohol to have a clear understanding of the sociocultural functions and meanings of drinking. This section outlines the principal conclusions that can be drawn from the available cross-cultural material regarding the symbolic uses of alcoholic beverages, the social functions of drinking-places and the roles of alcohol in transitional and celebratory rituals.

Symbolic roles
From the ethnographic material available, it is clear that in all cultures where more than one type of alcoholic beverage is available, drinks are classified in terms of their social meaning, and the classification of drinks is used to define the social world. Few, if any, alcoholic beverages are ‘socially neutral’: every drink is loaded with symbolic meaning, every drink conveys a message. Alcohol is a symbolic vehicle for identifying, describing, constructing and manipulating cultural systems, values, interpersonal relationships, behavioural norms and expectations. Choice of beverage is rarely a matter of personal taste.

Situation definer
At the simplest level, drinks are used to define the nature of the occasion. In many Western cultures, for example, champagne is synonymous with celebration, such that if champagne is ordered or served at an otherwise ‘ordinary’ occasion, someone will invariably ask "What are we celebrating?".
In the Weiner Becken in Austria, sekt is drunk on formal occasions, while schnapps is reserved for more intimate, convivial gatherings - the type of drink served defining both the nature of the event and the social relationship between the drinkers. The choice of drink also dictates behaviour, to the extent that the appearance of a bottle of schnapps can prompt a switch from the ‘polite’ form of address, sie, to the highly intimate du (Thornton, 1987).

Even in societies less bound by long-standing traditions and customs, where one might expect to find a more individualistic, subjective approach to the choice of drinks, the social meanings of different beverages are clearly defined and clearly understood. A US survey (Klein, 1991) examined perceptions of the situational appropriateness of various types of alcoholic drink, finding that wine, but not spirits or beer, is considered an appropriate accompaniment to a meal; wine and spirits, but not beer, are appropriate drinks for celebratory events, while beer is the most appropriate drink for informal, relaxation-oriented occasions.
...

This reminds me of Rosso's 'concert prices' thread. Found that very interesting. Also not a lot of discussion about cost of Broadway tickets these days - showing an implicit cultural bias even here on the island.

Anyway, one strategy could be "Cultural Appropriation" of symbols from the elite, tying to forms of cannabis, consumption, and environments - redefining social acceptance.
- Show cannabis use in the back lounge, with the boys sitting with a cognac, bow-ties untied and hanging around the neck, with some form of replacement for the cigar (but not a blunt - that's gangsta).
- Show cannabis use in a golf club setting.

The MASTER at this was Edward Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud.
He single-handedly changed the culture of tobacco consumption from men-only, to include women. It's an amazing story of social manipulation with 'torches of freedom' - in documentary called "Century of the Self" - it's in the beginning minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ3RzGoQC4s
"Mass persuasion" and propaganda (renamed as 'council on public relations' to avoid stereotype associated with the nazi's and the word propaganda).
- The manipulation of the unconscious in the case of cigarette smoking starts at 10:00 minutes in. Doubled their damn tobacco market!
- Women would smoke, because of the phallic symbolism - the cigarette's gave them penis's.

Maybe that's the rallying cry - the new 'torch of freedom' - lady liberty with a joint - appropriate this cultural icon! Let it be locked in the popular mindset that cannabis = freedom, and freedom = American, and therefore cannabis = American (sorry for bias to US examples).

 

[Freakshow]

So, it's not apples to apples, but grapes to buds - and it's different.
I think of the coffee shops in the Dam back when visiting - are there elite, high-end coffee shops that have been successful? Perhaps, not sure, but they seemed more 'normal' environments with standard fixtures and accoutrements.

Ironic thing, is it's the elites who probably need a nice sativa-fueled perspective shift the most (wrt making a global impact on our cultural norms).

Some advances such as quality vape pens with pressed rosin extracts are helping to break into a segment that would never touch a joint to their lips (have a few examples observed here).

"High-end" type retail outlets may attract a type that would never step foot in a dispensary. Avoid the stigma of 'head shops' to win over new market segments as this open up.

excellent points. I think the coming of legal buds is still in its infancy so it's too early to tell who will be partaking and who will not be. IN every group, however, there are those that will seek out that boutique bud vs the mass produced bud for the masses. There's already magazines that sample and rate buds from different local dispensaries. I foresee that going to a national level, much like Wine Spectator has. How many people read wine spectator? not nearly as many that drink wine but for those that do, they do make a note to maybe grab a bottle of this or that form the local wine store - not the grocery store. Most grocery stores carry the low end everyday drinking stuff. The stuff in Wine Spectator generally can be ordered, either online or through the dedicated wine specialty store. See where i am going with this? Once things go national, it will open up a huge number is possibilities. With a National magazine/web site/ whatever rating and scoring products, there's a big possibility that the high end market will emerge. Leafly doesn't quite cut it. We need something more on a professional level. Leafly still has that stoner aire about it. We need to get away from that - it's this stereotype that makes the higher end people demand discretion. Most folks will be able to order the high end buds from a reputable online retailer and never have to leave the comfort of their own home. You just have to be home to sign for it with proof of age when it arrives. I do this all the time with an App call Wine Til Sold Out. Buy 4 bottles and you get free shipping at 60% off per bottle. Some of it is crap but there are some amazing gems that come through. There's will be services like this, perhaps.

the possibilities are endless. And forgive me, i still like the wine analogy.

 

[Shmokin]

A good bit of fear mongering in this article. I dont like monsanto either but this article jumps to conclusions with little evidence. So far they have not gotten involved with the plant. They are consolidating ancillary businesses. Gavita, botanicare, gh have all been bought out.

 

[Freakshow]

A good bit of fear mongering in this article. I dont like monsanto either but this article jumps to conclusions with little evidence. So far they have not gotten involved with the plant. They are consolidating ancillary businesses. Gavita, botanicare, gh have all been bought out.

that's why i have completely stopped buying any products from GH, Botanicare, and Gavita. I will not contibrute a dime ot Scotts or Monsanto.

AN has the best Cal Mag I have ever used, Age Old PH up works just as well as GH and got some techniflora PH down. Other than that, there's no products i have that need replacing. I am looking at getting away from AN nutes. I'll be trialing Emerald Harvest coming up soon. Hell even AN has the Jungle Juice 3 Part that is just like the GH 3 part and they have it for less money. You can Lucas with it and everything.

 

[Freakshow]

Pretty soon we won't be able to buy anything and will have to make our own amendments out of worms and chickens.......you know , like the farmers did way before Bayer/Monsanto..

How bout that, like organics and shit......

who woulda thought?

;-)

 

[Freakshow]

i think more in terms of the larger MJ companies paying this small company royalties due to the patents owned by the small company. I doubt they will bother with the little guys. But when you are talking RJ Reynolds, and that monstrous grow facility, in New Mexico, among others they will be a target.

 

[Space Toker]

oh sorry can't read all this right now, but saw the title and wow this is a rich topic for all kinds of comments and deep thinking on how we all got here and what we can do about it... wow... ok first of all, the cannabis industry was stolen from little to mid size guys that deserved to benefit the most and given over to rich docs and the med industry that was co-opted by the still richer, a few big companies is now co-opting the rec industry, and from the sounds of it now they are being pushed aside by the even bigger and greedier fish...who will in turn be supplanted by the likes of Walmart and then the even bigger Amazon... if we let one guy gather all the wealth in the world we are dumb and without backbone, stop this before it happens!!!!

Ok now to the other points. Bayer was always involved in and about drugs and not the good or bad they could do but the profit it could create, they were the first to extract from willow what we now know as aspirin, so give credit for what little and where it is due, but they also invented and promoted heroin, then got into toxic pesticide and/or herbicide chemicals... and Monsanto seeking to create a monoply on genetically engineered crops to enslave the 3rd world is a new low but in a time when new lows are set every day morally/politically, and new highs for temps and global climate devastation, we need more than ever to fight against the greedy rich and the global and financial destruction they cause for the rest of us. Cannabis or good people must not be the last to fall to greedy evil scummery, but the first to rise up against it in a serious way and defeat it!

 

[mre]

Big Tobacco

Now let's not forget about Big Tobaccy! Article from a couple weeks back..

GMO Marlboro Marijuana May Be Reality
By David Heldreth

Philip Morris International Owns GMO Cannabis Patent, Stake in Cannabis Inhaler Company

Years of gossip throughout the cannabis community about genetically modified cannabis and Big Tobacco may turn out to be true based on a newly revealed patent. Recent investigation by the Cannabiz Journal discovered patent number US20080281135A1, filed in 2005 and entitled “System for Producing Terpenoids in Plants,” which outlines the creation of transgenic or GMO plants for the purpose of increasing terpenoid production. The seemingly innocuous patent covers terpenoids—which include all cannabinoids and terpenes—and spells out that the inventor includes plants from the family Cannabaceae and Cannabis sativa. In addition, patent US20140290135A1 is for improvements to systems to create GMO plants. Both patents are owned by Philip Morris Products SA, a Switzerland-based subsidiary of Philip Morris International.

The patents and their connection to Philip Morris were missed for years due to a complicated set of circumstances. First, the company filed the US patent in 2005 and assigned it to the aforementioned subsidiary in Switzerland. Then in 2007 the company completed a restructuring where Philip Morris US and Philip Morris International were separated into two companies, with Philip Morris US being held under the new name Altria, which coincidentally is a form of “high” in Latin.
...

read more at the link here:
https://www.cannabizjournal.com/volume-2-issue-3-august-2017/2017/8/11/gmo-marlboro-marijuana-may-be-reality