How Do You Feel About Co-Ops? - Page 3

fdd2blk · #21 06-11-2007, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DankyDank

I'm not sure what u were trying to say here... are u selling to the clubs?

There is no doubt that the clubs are making huge profits. And again, I guess if the point is simply for pot to be available, that it doesn't matter. I just have a problem with all of this money being made in the guise of "helping the sick." So I do what I can. I provide to the ill at less than half of street price, and I don't patronize the clubs AT ALL.

At any rate, thanks to all of those that responded to the thread. Even though I am extremely surprised at the lack of outrage in regards to this issue, it has been cool to see how other people feel about it.

yes, i donate to the clubs for a recovery of my costs. believe me, this club is not making huge profits. there are only 3 in my town so i can't speak for all of them.

fdd2blk · #22 06-11-2007, 10:37 PM

they need to legalize it and do away with the "clubs" altogether. just my opinion.

Reprogammed · #23 06-12-2007, 01:08 AM

Honestly, I'm going for a cheap organic crop that I'll tend to constantly and get some help from Mother Earth.

As such I'm honestly going to completely undercut our local street. I know half the dealers around my area (Kansas City) and they all hate how much the market is exploited to aid greedy monopolies. I'm giving away at least 2 pounds in quarters to everyone I know and might even leave some around.
Hopefully it'll be enough to bring other local growers out into the open so we can work together.

I second the applause in your direction. It's gangs and cartels and greedy peddlers that will always tarnish the culture and make the DEA's jobs a hell of a lot easier villainizing us.

ViRedd · #24 06-12-2007, 08:31 AM

I don't see the reason for outrage toward legal clubs. They are providing a service and fulfilling a demand. Not all ill people are poor. For the poor who are ill, there should be some accommodation provided, and yes, we can provide that as independent closet growers.

I DO agree that there are some "patients" who aren't really sick, and I DO agree that not all clubs are on the up and up.

The clubs have:

1. Rent.
2. Utilities.
3. Licence fees.
4. Security personnel.
5. Fixtures.
6. Risk.
7. Product to purchase.

They deserve a profit.

Vi

fdd2blk · #25 06-12-2007, 06:06 PM

i'm pretty sure the honest ones don't make much more than you or i. i only work with the honest ones.

7xstall · #26 06-13-2007, 07:09 AM

i hope that "clubs" never exist in my state. to me, it seems an over-formalization of something that should, and certainly could, be most efficiently run as a decentralized confederation business type model.

here's what i'd do:

medical growers all provide contact info, prices and strain data to a registered not for profit state entity. the entity keeps track of the demand load on each grower in "districts" or some other kind of regional system. of course, growers pay to be listed in this system because there will be employees who run the web site, database, take calls, blah blah, the whole "dealing with the public" thing. it's conceivable that competing entities would arise but because they simply interface growers with patients, it would be a fairly thin margin operation from the start. the more business that can occur online the better.

this entity should also probably have a trust fund or escrow account that can be used to pay lawyers should the need arise for growers.

once prescribed, patients are provided info for how to contact the state entity online, in person, by phone, etc. the state entity then gives the patient price info and puts the patient in touch with a local grower and the patient does business directly. the grower just has to verify the prescription by phone and get paid.

this way growers manage their own schedules, prices, place of business.

i think in Cali what's happened is that large commercial growers are dumping large amounts on these "co-ops" at low prices, and, having a great deal of tenacity/greed, these co-ops are marking prices way up to keep their shadowy friends in business and make huge profits themselves.

IMO they are working in tandem with the street dealers and as a result that's all they really are themselves. just telling you what it looks like to an outsider.

.

fdd2blk · #27 06-13-2007, 07:37 AM

let's try it this way.

clubs pay $4000 for 1 lb.
they have 15 employees. older with visible medical conditions.
they have an outrageous rent to pay. the landlord will consider them a "high risk". i can imagine the deposit.
retainer fees for lawyers.
the state is now trying to get there cut.
will anyone even insure this business?
1/8ths always weigh 4+ grams. kinda makes them 7ths. re-do the math.
call a street dealer. get the run around. get burned. get bunk pot.
i can return a club purchase for a full refund if i am not satisfied.
clubs are helping to show cause for legalization.
the city requires permits to be paid. i have no idea what those fees are but i'm sure it's not cheap.
hours, days of operation and location are all tightly regulated.
it is a safe secure way for people to get there meds. there are a lot of actual patients out there.

so at $4000 a lb. that divides into $250 an ounce. the club charges $360. please tell me where this HUGE PROFIT is.

7xstall · #28 06-13-2007, 07:54 AM

so, the dealers are just dealing to the co-ops at street prices? it doesn't cost me $4000 to make a pound... i could take a pound across the country to you and it still wouldn't cost me anywhere near that.

like i said, i suspect the dealers and co-ops are working in tandem.

seems like the only control/regulation should be by patients reporting their experiences to the fictional state entity i outlined. growers who don't play nice have to go back to the black market, after being publicly outed.

.

7xstall · #29 06-13-2007, 07:55 AM

actually, it's not a state entity i outlined, it's a not for profit private entity...

medicineman · #30 06-13-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7xstall

actually, it's not a state entity i outlined, it's a not for profit private entity...

I dont understand why Med patients dont grow their own. That is legal under california law. For the cost of one ounce they can get a grow set up and within 5-6 months be free from pot expenses. Even a dummy can grow pot if he doesn't over do it, just plant seeds, water, fertilize, add light and wait, 6 mos. later he'll have some buds. I think the bubbler system is a no brainer. you have to have a ph meter, a PPM meter, some PH up and some PH down, some liquid nutes and pure water. How hard is that. I'll probably get 6-8 OZs off one plant this grow. I don't know how much one smokes, but if it's dynamite pot and you only smoke for medicinal reasons, an OZ should last a month, eh? If your a huge pothead, grow more pot. Buying pot from anyone takes the buzz out . I used to deal a little, kilo here kilo there, thats when I could buy a kilo for 50 bucks, pot was decent for mexican bud. Lids were a sandwich bag stuffed as full as you could get it, over an OZ for sure, 10 bucks, good stuff, acapulco gold, panama red. columbian gold,100.00-200.00 a key, OZs were 15-25 bucks, the good old days for sure. It Galls me to see mother nature going for 500.00 an oz, But if that is market price then if I sell an oz for 2-3 hundred, I'm doing the guy a favor, right? I should make a small profit also.