Music Industry

10 Ways Legal Pot Could Help the Music Industry

That’s the topic of this story at Hypebot.  And with ever-greater pushes to legalize marijuana for recreational use a la Colorado, expect a big uptick in the number and variety of pro-pot stories.

Here are the first three points from the Hypebot list.

1) Easier access and reduced cost for musicians who use marijuana.2) Fewer musicians getting busted. Reduced stress, legal fees, cancellations, etc.

3) Lucrative tax revenues and reduced policing expenses open up the possibility of better collective support for poor musicians and increased funding for the arts.

The rest of the list can be found here.  Meanwhile, I’ve come up with a few possibilities of my own.

  • Less work for Willie Nelson’s lawyers.
  • More blissed out crowds; less hassle for concert security.
  • Increased concession sales might allow for lower ticket prices.
  • Hemp rope, the roadie’s best friend.
  • A line of accessories from artists like Snoop Dogg Lion.

And I’m sure you can think of more.  Anything we’re missing?

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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One thought on “10 Ways Legal Pot Could Help the Music Industry

  • These lists drive me nuts.

    Reduced cost? doubt it. Booze is not cheap and its legal. Illegal weed is in fact already cheaper than legal booze

    Fewer musicians getting busted? Maybe but my bet is that won’t change greatly. Many musicians will still find ways to get arrested. Peeing in mop buckets, throwing eggs at the neighbour. To say nothing of the prevalence of E or what ever name its going by now.

    Increased funding for the arts tied to legalization? No. Way.

    See above. Wider audience because pot is legal (okay someone is smoking something thats for sure) there is no way to correlate these things.) More fun merch? really? Are we thinking that the numbers of people who smoke up will increase greatly simply because its legal because again, I bet the percentages will not change much

    Okay #6 might actually be legit there are no serious pints after that.

    Lower ticket prices? The basics of greed say that will NOT happen even if it’s financially viable. Especially now that more revenue is achieved through live performance than record sales.

    Perhaps a more negative effect might be that attendance dropped at many events due to the preponderance of weed jokers. Currently, attending a live event means having to put up with a fair amount of weed stench as it is. If it were to become legal, the increased door would be enough to keep me away. Bad enough already.

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