So, let me get this straight, these farmers have been doing this for generations while it was entirely illegal. Now, you make it legal, but set so many roadblocks for the average farmer that's it's impossible to enter the legal side. Then, you're shocked that they decide to continue growing it illegally just cause there's now a parallel legal market that they can't enter even if they want?!?! Who didn't see this coming?!?!?!

A 51-year user and not once have I even had the idea to jump from a balcony. I have lost my balance and done stupid things but nothing compared to what clumsiness and stupidity I've engaged in with alcohol.

That guy that leaped off the balcony had other drugs in his system they didnt want to tell you that part.

I been smoking pot since 1970 and I still do to this day present.

24 years in law enforcement and weed was the least problem among heavy drugs and ALCOHOL....

Never smoked weed in my life and I know people who smoke weed and I have no idea why it's even illegal. I have Never drink alcohol but I have seen alcohol is a billion times worse than weed.

This is amazing. I am so happy to see someone show how the government is absolutely blowing it when it comes to the cannabis industry. This should be nation wide and people should be able to bank with their businesses. This would help destroy the nation's deficit if they just got off their high-horse morality BS.

This is a terrific documentary! Botticelli is a hero for taking on the insane drug war mentality in this country. No other disease is treated like we've treated drug addiction in this country. No other disease is criminalized.

If you do something half-assed, don't expect it to work out. Legalize it federally and in every state and open state lines for it to cross.

I don't think this lady has ever been to home Depot

His face when she asked about profits was priceless 😂

Throw in an extra charge for "stealing water from a creek that is fed by rainfall." 🤷‍♂️

Those leaves can be rendered into very healthy smoothies. Cannabis has far more nutrients than people understand. The THC is just one small part of this miracle plant.

This program makes 1 thing clear; the fees and regulations associated with legalized marijuana are not only excessive but encourage black market growers. Alcohol is a far more damaging and dangerous drug. Did we learn nothing from prohibition?

Cannabis can be grown anywhere and reach 30 to 40% T.H.C, it's all in the care the plants are given..

Thankyou Meg... you r making a difference. 😊

You will never get rid of black-market cannabis if you have excessive and stupid regulations around legal cannabis.

It's asinine that they try to shift the blame onto the black market that they insure by keeping the bar to entry so out of reach to growers and the regulations and taxation that keeps the black market profitable

60 Minutes should do a follow up on these stories for this decade.

They need to worry about the meth and life threatening crimes.

25 years from now we’ll look at this 60 Minutes segment and laugh, just like we do now.

I wonder if folks who work in the liquor industry get these questions about their parenting.

We can always have 12 plants growing in Massachusetts. I believe this cuts down on criminal activity.

Cutting and destroying 1,000 plants, now that’s a crime. How can you steal water from a creek?

Y’all need to do a segment about how greed regulators and government are the only people making money in the legal industry

The Marijuana grower who hurts the environment less than any other type of farmer gets the worst punishment but when Monsanto poisons us they give them a slap on the wrist. POS hypocrites

Beautiful❤👍. Thank you!!

THANK YOU so much ❤

And he requires his employee to pass a a test proving they are clean from using it and he pays them $10hr lol

I live in California, the taxes and regulation they put on weed is insane. Everyone can grow it outside their window, but our government puts MASSIVE taxes upon it, so that we're paying WAY more for legal weed than buying off a friend. There's FAR more regulation than alcohol, which is literal actual poison, but it's easier to get than weed, WTF?

It is the 60% tax that is killing the commercial industry, at $200 an lb for outdoor ,why would anyone buy from a dispensary?

If I was a Pot user I wouldn't buy ( legal ) pot simply because I would never pay the taxes on it. I voted against the ( legalization ) of it because It non of the business of gov. to tell us what we can do with our own bodies in our pursuit of happiness. I am a Colorado resident. If I wanted to grow it for my own personal use I could legally do it. At least they got that right, unlike Florida.

Should be legal nationwide

Just stop wasting our tax dollars going after pot growers! That sheriff was a serious tool!

Weed is so vilified yet alchohol seems to be much more dangerous.

Thanks for all the hard work ❤

How did we get to the point where the government thinks it can tax that much. That's literally criminal

every word for weed except the actual one... Cannabis

Imagine cops now having to chase after real criminals like heroin and fentanyl trafickers, robbers, and murderers when they can just take out a couple weed growers and pretend they are real hard workers.

Gave up my Medical card because of the ridiculousness of the dispensary and paying the state. Had to use my Insurance to get approved to get a card but can’t use my insurance to pay for it the approved Medication, but if I need Oxys or any other controlled substances deemed ok by the Federal government . That’s a straight up: Federal Government Pyramid Scheme -the true drug dealers

I object to my tax money being used to police this. Just let everyone who needs it grow a few plants of their own.

This isn’t about pain medication or heroin. How does weed compare, but alcohol don’t?

That was awesome! ❤❤❤

Interesting article. I only know that I started growing my own in 1982 after serving in the Army in Germany. I was raised in a town that the primary source of income for many folks was marijuana cultivation. We always gave very little regard for legal vs. illegal because it is just a plant that God gave us. I have never had a reason to visit a legal distributor or pot store. I did walk through a legal store when visiting Colorado out of curiosity but most California consumers just grow a plant or two in their garden. I use compost. The same compost I use on my vegetable garden. No chemicals.

I grew up in San Diego and was a complete stoner. I had to quit when I joined the military in 2004. Well, it’s almost 2024, and I’m almost retired. I’ll probably stop drinking next year when I can finally be free

More power to the legal growers and the legal sellers and the legal customers and the state. Be safe 👍😊👍

Funny thing for me personally, smoking weed helped me kick my serious alcohol dependancy addiction, I'm not replacing the addiction with another tho cuz sometimes I'm out of weed for weeks even months without decending back in my destructive alco pit. Thank you MJ you saved my life!

Marijuana is possibly the safest drug if you want to call it that that you could do without worrying about overdosing or dying on it you cannot die on marijuana it is impossible

Here in Oklahoma our governor didn’t learn from Colorado or California he thought he knew better and now we have Chinese owned farms that ship out as much as California…….. damn it

This is how you be creative Amen.

I'm angry. All my life people called us the dregs of society for smoking pot and told us it would ruin our lives. Now that the government can put outrageous taxes on it, all of a sudden it's prompted as a wonder drug... 😑

The problem is that states have decided they will allow it to be legal if they get a very big, fat, payday from it. With that in mind they have created a system where they are trying to sell a legal product at highly inflated illegal prices which leaves the incentive to raise it illegally in place. To get crime out of the business they need to make pot just plain legal to grow at home as much as you want, which, would crash the prices and disincentivize criminals. There would still be a market for high quality pot, as not everyone has the skills to raise the quality we see here but, enough people can do it that it could be a cottage industry where some people could could make extra money raising a few plants and a few would be popular enough to make a better income but a lot of people might just be happy with less potent pot. I would rather drink a beer or a glass of wine as opposed to chugging shots of Ever-clear and the same is true for pot. I'd rather smoke a joint of Colombian or some other mild but good tasting pot than smoke the super high potency stuff. The only reason the high potency stuff came about in the first place was to be able to smuggle more value in a smaller package.

Super, great, news, shows, job, well done 👏 interesting, informative article about, great, subject, yes please 😊😊

WoW. Really interesting. 👍👍

I have never done any drugs or smoked or drank in my entire life. But I have seen many use-cases of this plant. From anti-seizure medicine to building homes, to beauty products and hair products.. the applications are really endless. I have a shampoo with it and I have also seen drinks using it.. I think it should be allowed to be used for more of these applications.

I was expecting a much less honest and fair piece. Great work here. It's *Medicine* and it's here to stay. Thank God. ✝

Well said....ty

Because the taxation and fees makes it too expensive to be able to afford it from the dispensary

If you want the best tomatoes you grow them or get from a friend they can't be found in stores they need too much hand work and are not profitable. Its the same with weed. Both plants require the same growing conditions any grandma can grow both.

Unbelievable. Do we not have better things to worry about?

Been smoking for the past 30yrs never been to the hospital never been sick little hungry after but never sick

Hello I'm a old time grower who thinks law enforcement is way too overbearing, over regulated, and They go against the will of the people. And why don't these states start their own banks.

30:59 these next few minutes of this mans conversation are some of the most humble, heartfelt words that any addict can speak. And the emotion that comes up when he talks about remembering the shell of himself he was back when he 1st got sober I can sooo fell those words and emotions he is reliving. Being a recovering addict myself 5-22-19 is the day I started to learn how to live and feel alive. And with the help from so many other people along the way I sit here today Proud, humble, enthusiastic, loyal,honest and dedicated to who I am. I never learned how to handle or process anything growing up. I wasn't allowed to show emotion. And just like everyone else in my class we all went to the same keg parties, sniffed the same coke, did X together, acid, shrooms you name it we all did it--- BUT the difference is I became addicted, not all of us did! SO NO I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE AN ADDICT, it chose me in a sense. Because why then didn't all of us become addicts, why was it just a select few of us if we all did the same shht.....? Don't put people down, they'll only feel like they deserve to stay down. Try lifting someone up because at the end of the day It's not about you, it's about helping them isn't it..... Thanks for reading this, have a blessed journey and remember. AICTWC= alone I can't together WE can

Growing a single plant can give you months of goodies to smoke. Get a decent grow light (to grow large buds) and do some learning. Save yourself hundreds and thousand over your lifetime. Its rare in life you can put in such little effort for so great reward as growing your own plants.

I'm not sure if I spelled his name right ! finally someone that is right on point

Just got my license and can say there is nothing better than having a choice of the best. Crazy how the black market is now the one overcharging people for often less quality.

That reporter seemed to be in a very happy state during the interviews with the growers.

Too bad that there are still a lot of black brothers, locked up in jail for having a small amount of pot

And what’s the fentanyl addiction and fentanyl death rate in the states marijuana is legal ??? Is it lower or the same ?

So, are a few plants at home for personal and recreational use legal?

This industry must be Nationalized. No Class E drug classification. Seriously, All states must join in to the demands of 'the people'.

You just posted a news story from 2019, though, how about a 2023 update on the situation?

Loved this 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

botachell what a great guy about time we get a human in this corrupt government

I’m disappointed. The packaging for weed is more expensive than the product.

21:44 Why does anyone care if adults are smoking weed? I’m enjoying an indica dominant hybrid now with my coffee ☕️ I’m gonna make a steak and hash browns for breakfast while I listen to the rest of your show😊 I suggest you do something similar

What is the finish production from that plant...?

i'm curious of the legal states which state has done the best?

The REASON FOR THE INCREASE in black market weed is because of the 300-400% price Mark ups...

Same thing happened in Illinois. Too many bureaucratic hoops to jump through which just jacks up the price for consumers. Greed, stupidity and politicians who aren't qualified for anything other than grifting, ruin everything.

Government shouldn't be allowed to treat anything as illegal if they knowingly accept tax dollars from it.

Psychedelics saved me from years of uncontrollable depression, anxiety and illicit pill addiction. Imagine carrying heavy chains for over a decade and then all of a sudden that burden is gone. Believe it or not in a couple years they'll be all over for treatment of mental health related issues.

Even the fact that pain management prescribes opiates in pill form has contributed greatly to the epidemic. It is highly repetitive in it's use, which will solidify an addict in a much deeper way.

i would rather help feed my dealer's family than help corporate weeders get richer

This is funny but true. Colorado part was 2015. I moved to Colorado Springs in 2017, went straight to a recreational store but not in Colorado Springs but in manitu Springs which is on county lines. El paso County continues to vote no.on recreational but there is medical everywhere and our 2 Rec stores charge twice the price as I can drive an hour north or south and it's normal price. However, every person in Colorado is allowed to grow six plants, so my wife and I can grow 12 as long as 6 or in flower and others are not so....learn to farm

The leaf, when you have enough, can make decent quantities of hash without sacrificing buds.

Interesting, when they are talking about doctors and pain medications... I am a doctor... In the early 2000's, I had to attend an 8 hour MANDATORY course on treating people's pain. There was even a 6th vital sign -" the pain score". Bureaucracy told physicians that you MUST treat pain, you were graded on the "Pain scale," hospitals got funding depending on that Pain scale. Now doctor's are to blame for the opioid crisis? I have also seen so many adverse effects from marijuana in the ER - cyclical vomiting syndrome, paranoia, anxiety - please use wisely.

Thank you for shedding light on this issue. I don't even consume it, but the political decisions made here in California really deserve all the criticism they receive. I'm a transplant from NY and have lived in Southern California for 6 years, and I can tell you that it's no mystery why we have the highest taxes, most homeless, most red tape, and most governmental waste.

I bought some weed the other day, an 1/8th for $10.12 I was shocked how cheap it was. Right after I bought a pack of cigarettes, it was $12.50. Weed is officially cheaper than cigarettes, in CA.

Smoking weed is better than drinking and driving.

Until marijuana is made legal on a federal level, the Profits will never be what they can and would be. Many many many states are still having to use the black market. The profits come when it's legalized on a federal level

I felt like Cannaco was the best dispensary in Colorado. The prices were cheaper, the quality was better, and you could even use a credit card. Downtown Denver has high prices and not as good quality as smaller towns.

Mean while cigarette's alcohol killing millions ...

what a happy factory ❤

It really needs legalized on the federal level, this is such a waste of tax money and time! And cannabis is so much better than alcohol!

The most disturbing thing in this entire special was the comment made about stealing water from the creek? If my property has a creek or spring on it. Then that’s my water that I’ll do with what I please.

Nobody else gonna talk about how the weed video happens to be 40:20?

Michael Botticelli. what an awesome man. that is the kind of leaders we need in this land.

Y'all have news channels that's updated on KZfaq

good coverage. I have advocated for legalization since the 1970's. There are new challenges and growing pains. There are logistical problems and the dangerous all-cash nature due to antiquated Federal Law that should have been reformed decades ago.