If you want to see the free market at work without the hindrance of regulators, so far, you need only look as far as medical marijuana.  It is now legal in 15 states and for the record, before I go on and in the interest of full disclosure, I am 52 years old which means I came of age during a great couple of decades, the 60s and 70s – So I’m sure you can see what I’m alluding to here. Unless you never drink wine, beer, or liquor, I don't want to hear any moralizing about pot.  Where it has been legal for a long time, namely the Netherlands, usage has gone down - not up - contrary to what the opponents have said.  To quote the Dutch Minister of the Interior on the subject, when asked why the drop, he answered, "By making it legal we have made it boring".

So, now that more and more states are jumping on the bandwagon - seeing not only issues of allowing adults to be adults - but also the chance for revenue (remember the "Numbers Racket"?  Now it's called the Lottery.  If there is money in it, the government sooner or later will do it!) it is becoming all the rage.  And although there are still federal authorities trying to interfere (like the DEA) at the state level, these dispensaries are pretty much left to their own devices.  And what is happening is pure free market economics as the old time stoners are being subjected to good old mainstream businesspeople opening their own operations.

Seeing a market for a more conservative approach (selling to guys like, well, “products” of the 60’s) nicer and nicer dispensaries are popping up and pushing up against dingy dumps with posters of Bob Marley and clerks that speak a language that is incomprehensible to the grownups who like pot.  The conservative buyers feel much more comfortable in a more, well, pharmaceutical setting with trained clerks in bright and clean places.  Naturally, the old time stoners are hopping mad and protesting like small time store owners did when Wal Mart came to town, but they will in the end lose and be a product of the creative destruction of capitalism.

And the result will be a better quality of store, offering a better quality of pot - cheaper.  The customers will benefit and the business will become more and more mainstream.  Mark my words, it won't be long before even these new purveyors are pushed out as well, as society sees that pot is no big deal and the big chains decide to sell Kirkland Pot.  Ah, I love free markets!