Last week, a senate committee carved up a bill aimed at outlawing hemp-derived products, such as the Delta-8, 9 and 10 psychoactive cannabinoids.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, who also was the primary sponsor of Alabama’s medical cannabis law, was not popular. That was primarily because it sought to regulate an industry that exists, at least in part, because Alabama’s medical cannabis process is a dumpster fire. The products also happen to be very popular with a wide range of people, and they’re mostly safe.
So, what did the senate’s Health Committee do? It came up with a different plan for this product that consenting adults like to partake in. Instead of attempting to impose an impossible-to-enforce ban on the products and acting like a nanny state, lawmakers instead came up with a novel: Let’s regulate it, tax it and ensure that Alabama companies get the licenses to produce it.
The new plan imposes fines and strict sales guidelines. It would also give preference to Alabama companies in the production and testing processes.
If only there were other products out there, like these hemp-derived products, for which we as a state could impose similar restrictions, while both allowing adults to participate in recreational activities of their choosing and properly regulating and taxing those products in order to generate revenue that might offset the costs of regulation and potential societal harm from the products.
Man, I’m racking my brain here trying to come up with a similar product. Something that’s widespread. Something that law enforcement says we really need to rein in. Something that large groups of people in this state enjoy doing. Something that could generate buckets of revenue. Something that Alabama-owned businesses could produce, thus ensuring all of the revenue and the income generated from the product remain in Alabama, where it will serve the state from top to bottom.
Hmmmm. Boy, if only there were a … heeeeeyyyyy, wait a minute.
Gambling.
Gambling is all of these things. And even more. It checks off all of the same boxes. It is far more widespread and problematic, desperately in need of regulating. It would generate even more revenue. And we have companies in this state who have built grand casinos and partnered with world class companies to offer luxury accommodations and experiences – truly some of the most respected in the industry.
And yet, for some reason, passing a gambling bill that regulates, taxes and imposes licensing restrictions on companies who are authorized to offer it is something akin to trying to climb Mt. Everest barefoot.
It’s insane.
We could pass this Delta-8, 9, 10 regulation bill next week sometime and no one would bat an eye. It would do the exact same things, set the exact same parameters and impose the exact same sort of taxes.
But apply it to gambling and everyone loses their minds. Remember the debate last year over a gaming bill that would have allowed Alabamians to vote to approve seven casino licenses, a lottery, sports wagering and a gaming commission? It fell apart over one thing: the reluctance to give Alabama companies a slight advantage – by allowing them the opportunity to beat the best bid by an agreed upon margin of dollars – in the bidding process.
Certain people, including some lawmakers, painted it as a handout. Others called it dirty. Some tried to say it was signs of a rigged system.
It was all smoke and mirrors.
As the hemp derivatives debate shows, it’s something that happens all the time. We give Alabama businesses a leg up in bidding constantly, and no one questions it. Ever.
The fact is there’s no logical reason we haven’t applied the same approach to gambling. It’s the best way. It’s the most sensible way. It’s what the people want.
But there’s too much money in the prolonged fight. Too many lobbyists and lawyers and lawmakers and “nonprofits” and churches and media outlets are making too much money on this fight to let it be settled. So, here we still sit, with this idiotic system in place where we have more gambling than Nevada but still pretending that legalization and regulation would “bring gambling to Alabama.”
It’s insanity.
But sometimes, it’s good to be reminded that our lawmakers know the proper ways to do things, they just sometimes choose not to do them.
