Quote:Kentucky's cash crop is tobacco and it's history is rich in tobacco growing. I think it has changed to Marijuana and the last I heard more money is now made off of that than tobacco

Well THAT certainly helps destroy a negative Southren stereotype.





Tangent:Have you the excellent Aussie TV series "Underbelly"? The background is the massive illicit marijuana industry around Griffith,New South Wales in the 1970's.

Quote:In the 1970s, Griffith was often associated with drug distribution (particularly marijuana) and organized crime,[7] as depicted in 2009 by Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities. However, Griffith is now associated with good wine and food, primarily as a result of its diverse population, with notable contributions by Italian-Australians. Griffith's multi-ethnic population is now absorbing new national groups, including a significant Sikh Indian community.[8] The city is sister city with the Italian town of Treviso in the Veneto area. Many Italians in Griffith are from the Veneto region or the Calabria region of Italy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffith,_New_South_Wales

Hey I don't have a problem with anyone in the state of Kentucky growing Marijuana. It's not a negative thing to grow or smoke pot. Only if you don't put it before your other responsibilities. Our climate is great for it. We have rich soil and the weather is great. We have deep dark "hollers" as people call them that stays moist and just enough sunlight gets through the trees to allow the plants to really take off. It's not a redneck thing...but it's just that it grows so well here and we have so many remote places and people can easily grow thousands of pounds of pot. Tobacco is a long tradition in my state. Actually Native Americans grew tobacco. Most of the Tobacco grown here is Burley and the early settlers started growing tobacco because of the Native Americans. So...really it's not only a Kentucky thing but the history is much more rich than that. I love the smell of fresh cut tobacco and the smell of it curing in a barn. As a child my family grew it and I'd have to strip it in the fall. Used to my family made a couple hundred grand from one years yield of tobacco. Today it's much less and hardly worth the effort because labor is more expensive and it's not worth as much.

I have not seen "underbelly" but it sounds similar to the stories America has about Miami in the 80's. That was cocaine...not pot. I'm living in a huge drug trade area. Meth labs are everywhere and it's common to have a monthly or weekly explosion in my town. They even make meth in cars! Pot still reigns supreme though....it's everywhere. The farther East you go and get into the Appalachia area the more pot you will find and out in there you get into the pain pill trade and not so much meth. The pot out in that area is some funky stuff and better than here. The moisture and soil of the mountains really makes it super sticky.

(September 2, 2009 at 8:27 pm)dry land fish Wrote: Ha yes just like prohabition. Boot legging is against the law. We still have them though. If you don't want to drive thirty miles to the liquor store you can hit up a boot legger for a case of some cheap beer or cheap whiskey!

Thats cool. I like history especially the prohibition era.

(September 2, 2009 at 8:27 pm)dry land fish Wrote: We have moon shiners too. I have a family member that was busted over the summer for making moon shine and had a few pot plants. Actually, we have a fifth of moon shine on it's way from WV right now. I don't know if some of you know what moon shine is but it's homemade grain alcohol so you never know what you'll get. It's usually made from corn or potatoes and it's so strong you have to keep it in a glass jar. Usually around 199 proof but the bad side is that it's easy to drink too much and get alcohol poisoning and sometimes it will be a bad batch and might kill you. You really can't tell a bad batch from a good batch until you drink it! The feeling one gets from it is very euphoric. Not heavy and sloppy like bourbon whiskey and not numb like vodka. It's a big thing in the south. Actually it's just Ethanol and I know a man who converted his car to over to ethanol and raises potatoes to turn into gas for his vehicle.

Yes I have heard of moon shine.

Amp

(September 1, 2009 at 4:55 pm)binny Wrote: So how much is a pack of smokes in Kentucky? In Washington (state not DC) they are $5.85 (?) a pack. I don't smoke, but my husband does and I still can't figure out why he is willing to pay so much money for nails in his coffin.

Binny, a pack of Marlboro reds will run you between $2.90 - $3.45 in Kentucky. In Louisiana it's between $4.45 - $5.00. So almost half the price and that includes the same with the cartons. It's the reason I buy my cartons in Kentucky when I travel up that way...LLOLL..


I'm not sure who mentioned this within the posts, but moonshine taste like shit. Even the steal makers that try and use a little strawberry or raspberry flavoring to calm it down a bit.

My father gets his from Arkansas every now and then. I've had a few swigs of it and wanted to rip out my own throat after....

Moonshine does taste like shit. Good thing about it is that it's so strong you only have to take a few shots and you are set. You have never had to take it for "cough syrup"? Mix it up with a little rock candy and it will clear out any nasty goopy stuff you have in your throat if you are sick. Plus it will knock you out just like Nyquil.

Quote:Moonshine does taste like shit.

Try some poteen,you'll be unconscious before you notice the taste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poteen

HERE cigarettes are around $15 for 20. There are current moves to increase the excise to make them $20.

Here cigarettes are sold by weight. To get around the law, tobacco companies sell cigarettes in packets of up to 50.

My state has some very strict anti smoking laws:

Tobacco advertising and sponsorship is not permitted, including at point of sale . Legislation is mooted to ban branding of cigarettes.

You may not smoke:

On public transport ,Taxis or any Australian aircraft. (including QANTAS International flights)

In any public building.

In any shop,shopping centre, bar, hotel, restaurant,club or casino.

In any motor vehicle,including your own,if there is a person under 18 years is present.


The Adelaide city council is currently working on a bylaw to ban smoking entirely in the city mall.

The aim seems to be to eventually ban smoking everywhere accept in the home.


An ex smoker (nearly 7 years) I consider tobacco smoking a social evil,and the tobacco industry (including growers) drug pushers. I despise them all.

I concede smoking is an emotional issue for me and one where I may not be as rational as I might like. That is an explanation,not a justification or an apology.

I love Poteen, my windows have never been so spotless.

Cigarettes here (BC, Canada) run you approximately $10 per pack, depending on the brand. And our smoking prohibitions are identical to Australia PLUS a couple of additions: can't smoke in any malls, and can't smoke outside if it's within 3 meters (10 feet) of a window or doorway.

As a smoker myself, I do not have a problem with some of the bans of smoking within restaurants, buildings, airports etc.
I do not smoke in my house or car, but as long as those options are still available then I'm happy. The second they start trying to dictate what I do in my own purchased house, is when I will have a problem.

Here in Louisiana the only type ban of smoking in your car is if their are children under the age of 13. I do not have a problem with this law either just so long as they do not completely ban smoking period within your own vehicle.

I support smoking bans in all public buildings. No one should tell you what you can and can't do in your home or car. I can't believe they ban smoking in your car with children under 13. I don't smoke and I think it's gross. I get angry at people who have that attitude "It's a free country so I'll smoke wherever whenever and kiss my ass.". People smoke in some grocery stores here! It's so redneck and white trashy.