Back when marijuana was illegal in Arkansas (it still is, through federal statutes), one of those pushing the idea of "medical marijuana" let it slip that it was only the first step. And that once "medical marijuana" was on the books, the pro-weed industry would be back for broader legalization.
And here we are.
Another dopey story came across the wire this week: Circle K has signed a deal with a cannabis producer to sell marijuana at its gas stations in Florida. Bloomberg reports that Florida is one of those states in which marijuana can be sold only for medical use, so only those Florida residents who have medical marijuana cards can buy it now, and soon at Circle K, along with their colas and lottery tickets.
One analyst told Bloomberg that as the marijuana sellers start posting their signs in the gas stations, "the optics of having co-located banners could be material for societal acceptance."
A better way to say that came from the chief executive of Green Thumb, the marijuana company that inked the deal with Circle K: The agreement will "continue to normalize" weed by integrating it with regular consumer products. "This is a futuristic deal."
Maybe.
Who is it who takes a mile when you give him an inch?