>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. WELCOME, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME, EVERYBODY.
IM MEGYN KELLY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ON THIS COLD AND SNOWY DAY IN NEW YORKIS
COLD AND SNOWY DAY IN NEW YORK CITY.
CITY.
WE BEGIN THIS MORNING WITH POT
IN AMERICA.
THE LEGALIZATION OF POT FOR RECREATIONAL USE.OF POT FOR
RECREATIONAL USE. WE HAVE SOME SUPPORTERS.
ITS ON THE RISE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES.
IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE A GOOD THING. OR MAY NOT BE A GOOD
THING.
TODAY, MORE THAN HALF, 29 OF THE
50 STATES, ALREADY SELL
MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL USE.
MEDICAL USE.
CALIFORNIA VOTED TO LEGALIZE IT FOR RECREATIONAL USE IN 2016,IT
FOR RECREATIONAL USE IN 2016, MAKING IT ONE OF SIX STATES TO
LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL POT.
NOW, THIS SPARK WAS QUICK TO
LIGHT.
LIGHT.
COLORADO AND WASHINGTON ARE THE PIONEERS OF POT.HINGTON ARE THE
PIONEERS OF POT. THEY LEGALIZED IT JUST OVER FIVE
YEARS AGO IN 2012.
THIS YEAR, AT LEAST THREE
STATES, VERMONT, NEW JERSEY AND
MICHIGAN, AND POSSIBLY MORE THAN
A DOZEN OTHER STATES, FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA, ARE CONSIDERING
VARIOUS INITIATIVES TOWARDS
LEGALIZATION. IN 2018.
READY OR NOT, WELCOME TO
AMERIJUANIA.
AMERIJUANIA.
SOON, THE AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE GREEN.RAIN
MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE GREEN. NOW, MANY FOLKS WORRY ABOUT THE
HEALTH AND THE SOCIETAL EFFECTS
OF THIS.
OF THIS. BUT THE POT BIZ HAS TURNED OUT
TO BE A HUGE CASH COW.
FOR MANY CASH STRAPPED
GOVERNMENTS.
GOVERNMENTS. SUPPORTERS SAY LEGALIZED POT
CREATED OVER 18,000 JOBS AND $2
BILLION TO COLORADOS ECONOMY
JUST LAST YEAR ALONE, THANKS TO
LEGAL WEED.
LEGAL WEED. HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT ONE
TOWNS RACE TO THE GREEN RUSH
AND HOW IT MAY BE COMING TO A
TOWN NEAR YOU IS NBCS JACOB
SOBEROFF.
SOBEROFF.
>> Reporter: IN 2001, DESERT
SPRINGS WENT BANKRUPT AND HAS
BEEN STRUGGLING, HOPING TO
REVIVE ITS FORTUNES WITH CANNABIS.S FORTUNES WITH
CANNABIS.
>> WHAT YOURE SEEING IS IN DESERT HOT SPRINGS, THEYVE
ZONED LIGHT AND DUST TO BE
CANNABIS FRIENDLY.
CANNABIS FRIENDLY. ALL THESE PARCELS HAVE
OPPORTUNITY FOR CULTIVATION.
>> Reporter: THIS CONSULTING
BUSINESS WILL SOON EMPLOY 100
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE.
YOURE ALL YOUNG, IN YOUR 20s. NOT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE COME TO
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA,
TO BEGIN THEIR CAREER.
>> WE GET A LOT OF STRANGE
LOOKS.
LOOKS.
>> Reporter: PEOPLE THINK ITS WEIRD?orter: PEOPLE THINK ITS
WEIRD?
>> ESPECIALLY FROM L.A., YEAH. >> Reporter: AS IT EXPANDS WITH
EMPLOYEES SEEKING A FORTUNE,
CARTERS FIRM HELPS COMPANIES
OPEN PRODUCTION FACILITIES LIKE
THIS $7 MILLION MARIJUANA GROW
HOUSE.
HOUSE.
ONE ROOM.
>> TIMES 84 POUNDS. >> Reporter: 84 POUNDS TIMES
$2,000 A POUND.
>> EACH ROOM TURNS FOUR TIMES.
>> $8,640,000 OF CANNABIS EVERY
YEAR OUT OF THIS BUILDING.
>> YOUR LIPS TO GODS EARS.
>> Reporter: HOW MUCH TAX
REVENUE?
REVENUE?
>> OVER $300,000 A YEAR. >> $300,000 FROM THIS BUILDING.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> Reporter: THE CANNABIS
INDUSTRY ALREADY HAD AN IMPACT ON LIFE IN DESERT HOT SPRINGS.
REAL ESTATE PRICES.
>> COUPLE YEARS AGO, THEY WERE
PURCHASED AROUND $60,000 AN
ACRE.
ACRE.
NOW, YOUD BE LUCKY TO FIND ONE FOR $900,000 TO $1 MILLION.ONE
FOR $900,000 TO $1 MILLION. >> Reporter: $1 MILLION AN ACRE.
>> UNDEVELOPED.
>> UNDEVELOPED. >> Reporter: IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE DESERT.
THE DESERT. THREE YEARS AGO, THIS COST
$60,000 AN ACRE.
>> THATS WHAT IM TELLING YOU.
>> Reporter: POT HAS BEEN A BOOM
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS
HERE.
HERE.
BUSY TIME FOR YOU?
>> UH-HUH.
>> Reporter: BUSIER THAN NORMAL?
>> THIS YEAR HAS BEEN GOOD,
YEAH.
SINCE THE RECESSION, THIS HAS
BEEN THE BUSIEST YEAR.
>> Reporter: IS IT WHAT YOURE
SEEING AROUND HERE?
>> WHAT OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TELLS US IS FRAMERS AND DRYMPANY
TELLS US IS FRAMERS AND DRY WALLERS ARE AT A PREMIUM.
CANT GET ENOUGH.
>> Reporter: NICE TO MEET YOU.
ONE OF CARTERS CLIENTS, A GROUP
OF MARINE CORPS VETERANS ARE
BUILDING A FACILITY TO BE
STAFFED BY VETERANS.
>> WELL GET THE PLANS THIS
WEEKEND.
WEEKEND.
>> Reporter: THIS IS A VETERAN
OWNED CANNABIS BUSINESS?
>> MARINE CORPS VETERAN OWNED.
>> Reporter: BOTH OF YOU? >> YES.rter: BOTH OF YOU?
>> YES.
>> Reporter: YOURE BETTING THEYLL SUCCEED BUT NOT ONG
THEYLL SUCCEED BUT NOT ON EVERYBODY, THAT THEYRE ALL
GOING TO SUCCEED IN THE CANNABIS
INDUSTRY.
INDUSTRY.
>> IM ALL IN WITH THESE GUYS.
THEY BLEND GOOD BUSINESS SENSE
WITH CONSCIOUS AND CANNABIS EXPERIENCE.OUS AND CANNABIS
EXPERIENCE.
>> Reporter: THE ODDS IN
CALIFORNIAS RECREATIONAL POT
INDUSTRY, AS WITH ANY GOLD RUSH, ARE AGAINST YOU.H ANY GOLD RUSH,
ARE AGAINST YOU. >> FROM LESSONS WE LEARNED FROM
OTHER STATES, THE FAILURE RATE
IS HIGH.
IS HIGH. 70% THE FIRST YEAR WILL FAIL.
>> Reporter: LOOKS LIKE A GOLD
RUSH, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE FOR
EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY.
>> THATS RIGHT. >> THEY NEED TO GET MORE PEOPLE
SMOKING POT, THEN THINGS WILL
TAKE OFF FOR THEM.
JACOB IS WITH ME NOW.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> DID YOU SAMPLE THE PRODUCT
OUT THERE?
OUT THERE? >> NO COMMENT.
IM AN NBC NEWS EMPLOYEE.
>> METHOD REPORTER?
>> I CANNOT CONFIRM OR DENY. >> ALL THE POT LOVERS ARE LIKE,
YES, OKAY.
YES, OKAY. TOTAL NUMBER OF STATES THAT HAVE
LEGALIZED IT IS ACTUALLY EIGHT?
>> YEAH, EIGHT FOR RECREATIONAL
USE.
USE. 30 FOR MEDICINAL USE.
>> IT IS ONLY SOLD IN SIX?
>> THATS RIGHT.
MAINE AND MASSACHUSETTS HAVE NOT
QUITE GOTTEN THEIR ACT TOGETHER
YET.
YET.
I DONT KNOW IF IT IS BECAUSE THE STONERS THERE ARE DOING THE
POLICY OR WHATS GOING ON.
>> BEFORE YOU GET EXCITED, IF
YOURE A POT LOVER, JEFF
SESSIONS HAS A MESSAGE FOR YOU.
WHILE THIS MAY BE LEGAL NOW IN
EIGHT STATES, IT IS STILL
ILLEGAL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
THERES A CONFLICT THERE.
HE JUST WEIGHED IN ON THIS.
>> EXACTLY RIGHT.
AS I WAS ABOUT TO JOIN YOU ON
SET, JEFF SESSIONS, THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, SAID PREVIOUSLY, GOOD
PEOPLE DONT SMOKE MARIJUANA.
HES A LONG-TIME OPPONENT OF THE
LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.
THIS MORNING THE "ASSOCIATED
PRESS" SAYS HE MAY INSTITUTE A
FEDERAL CRACKDOWN, WHICH COULD
CREATE PROBLEMS FOR THE STATES.
THEYRE COUNTING ON THE REVENUE
TO FUND EDUCATION AND HEALTH
PROGRAMS.
PROGRAMS.
ITLL BE A CONFLICT BETWEEN
STATE, LOCAL AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.L AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
>> JEFF SESSIONS SAID GOOD
PEOPLE DONT SMOKE POT? >> GOOD PEOPLE DONT SMOKE
MARIJUANA.
MARIJUANA.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO NOT PARTAKE.THAT.
I DO NOT PARTAKE. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT.
MY MOM SCARED THE YOU KNOW WHAT
OUT OF ME WHEN IT CAME TO
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING.
IF I EVER FIND ANYTHING, YOULL GO INTO A 30-DAY INPATIENTOULL
GO INTO A 30-DAY INPATIENT PROGRAM WITHOUT QUESTIONS ASKED.
I DID NOT.
IM STILL AFRAID OF HER. NOW, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST
THIS, BECAUSE I SEE WHAT IT IS
DOING TO THE BUSINESSES OUT
THERE.
THERE.
>> THOSE GUYS ARE HAPPY WITH IT,
OBVIOUSLY.
>> YOU HAVE TO SEE THE MARINES.
ITS GREAT.
BUT THE DOWNSIDES ARGUE, THOSE OPPOSED TO THIS, AREGUE, THOSE
OPPOSED TO THIS, ARE SIGNIFICANT, IN PARTICULAR WHEN
IT COMES TO HEAVY MARIJUANA USE
BY TEENS.
BY TEENS. >> THATS RIGHT.
>> WHAT IT DOES TO THEIR BRAINS.
LONG-TERM, EVEN AFTER THEY STOP
SMOKING.
SMOKING.
>> OF COURSE.
THE INDUSTRY WILL TELL YOU,
ACTUALLY, THROUGH INCREASED
REGULATION, ITLL GET PEOPLE WHO SHOULDNT BE USING MARIJUANA TOO
SHOULDNT BE USING MARIJUANA TO NOT USE MARIJUANA.
THERE ARE A LOT OF SKEPTICS A
ABOUT THE THAT.
THE INDUSTRYS POSITIONING THIS
ALMOST LIKE A WELLNESS TOOL.
BY PUTTING IT IN PLACES WHERE
YOU KNOW WHAT YOURE GETTING, WHERE YOU HAVE SEASONED VETERANS
OF THE INDUSTRY THAT CAN TELL
YOU HOW TO USE IT, HOW NOT TO
USE IT, WHO SHOULD USE IT AND
WHO SHOULDNT, ITLL BE A SAFER
PRODUCT.
PRODUCT.
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT BEING PEOPLE OUT DRIVING
WHILE HIGH ON MARIJUANA, LIKE
THEYRE NOT HAPPY ABOUT PEOPLE
DRIVING WHILE DRUNK.
>> INDEED, THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE STOPPED DRIVING WHILE
HIGH HAS GONE UP IN THE STATES
THAT HAVE LEGALIZED IT.
>> THEY ARE GOING TO GO UP.
THE INDUSTRY WANTS EVERYBODY TO BELIEVE THEIR MESSAGING, THATTO
BELIEVE THEIR MESSAGING, THAT THIS IS GOOD FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE
IT BRINGS IT OUT FROM UNDER THE
BLACK MARKET.
BLACK MARKET.
IT WAS ENORMOUS. STILL EXISTS AND IT IS FAR
BIGGER THAN THE LEGAL MARKET.
CALIFORNIA MAKES EIGHT TIMES THE
AMOUNT OF POT THAT IS CONSUMED
THERE, AND IT GOES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TO STATES LIKE NEW YORK
THAT DOESNT HAVE LEGALIZED
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA. THATS WHY PEOPLE WANT THE
FEDERAL PROHIBITION TO END.
I HEARD PEOPLE HOOTING AND
HOLLERING ABOUT LEGALIZED
MARIJUANA.
MARIJUANA.
>> ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IF JEFF SESSIONS THINKS YOURE AF
JEFF SESSIONS THINKS YOURE A BAD PERSON IF YOU SMOKE POT.
>> DIDNT HAPPEN UNDER PRESIDENT
OBAMAS ADMINISTRATION.
OBAMAS ADMINISTRATION. IF ITS NOT HAPPENING UNDER A
DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION, ITS
NOT HAPPENING.
NOT HAPPENING.
>> WHAT ABOUT BILL CLINTON? HE NEVER INHALED BUT DIDNT?
HE NEVER INHALED BUT DIDNT CHANGE IT.
CHANGE IT.
>> PRESIDENT OBAMA WASNT SHY ABOUT TALKING ABOUT HIS USEY
ABOUT TALKING ABOUT HIS USE EITHER.
EITHER.
THERE IS A STIGMA IN WASHINGTON,
D.C., DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE
VAST MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE
THE MEMBERS OF YOUR AUDIENCE,
SUPPORT THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.E LEGALIZATION OF
MARIJUANA. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> BUNCH OF COLLEGE STUDENTS OUT
THERE.
THERE.
I HAVE TO ASK YOU, IT IS CRAZY BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO THE STORES
WHERE THEY SELL THE POT
PRODUCTS, ITS NOT JUST A JOINT.
ITS COOKIES AND GUMMIE BEARS.
>> DROPS TO PUT IN YOUR WATER.
>> WE SOUND LIKE AN
ADVERTISEMENT.
ADVERTISEMENT. GUM
GUM GUMMIE BEARS YOU SAY.
IT CAN BE CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE
OF THE THE KIDS.
>> COLORADO, ONE OF THE STATES
THAT LEGALIZED THIS, THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT ABOUT THEEY HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT ABOUT THE PACKAGING OF THIS STUFF.
GUMMIE BEARS, I HAVE A
2-YEAR-OLD, YOU DONT WANT THAT
SITTING IN YOUR HOUSE.
SOMEBODY GRABS IT AND POPS IT IN
THEIR MOUTH, THEN YOU HAVE A --
POTENTIALLY
POTENTIALLY POTENTIALLY, THAT COULD BE
DANGEROUS.
DANGEROUS.
>> THE COUNTERARGUMENT IS, WE HAVE LEGALIZED FIREARMS IN THE
COUNTRY WHICH, OF COURSE, VERY
DANGEROUS POTENTIALLY TO
CHILDREN AND ITS ALLOWED IN
PEOPLES HOUSE.
PEOPLES HOUSE. IF THIS IS LEGAL IN YOUR STATE,
IT IS UP TO THE PARENT TO HANDLE
THIS RESPONSIBLY, ESPECIALLY IF
IT IS A GUMMIE BEAR LOOKING
THING, AWAY FROM YOUR CHILD.
>> THEYRE TRYING TO KEEP THOSE
OUT OF STORES, OUT OF THE HANDS
OF KIDS, TO MAKE SURE THEYRE
SAFE AND EQUAL ACCESS FOR
MARIJUANA.
MARIJUANA.
>> I PREDICT HELL VOLUNTEER FOR