Exploring the Structure of the Illegal Market for Cannabis

Summary This paper explores the middle and retail levels of the illegal market for cannabis in New Zealand using national household drug survey data. Those who reported purchasing half or full ounces of cannabis were defined as middle level market participants, while those who purchased smaller weights or merely used cannabis were defined as retail level participants. Those who had purchased cannabis were then further categorised as either cannabis ‘buyers’ (i.e. those who only purchased sufficient cannabis for their own consumption needs) or cannabis ‘dealers’ based on whether the surplus of cannabis they had, after their own personal consumption was deducted, exceeded the legal definition of cannabis dealing (i.e. possession of 28 g of cannabis or more). Nine per cent of those who had purchased cannabis in the previous year were categorised as middle level participants with 69% of these defined as middle level dealers and 31% as middle level buyers. Middle level cannabis dealers were projected to earn, on average, $2927 (NZD) net annual profit from selling surplus (rate of return of 34%). There was a wide variation in the projected net earnings of the middle level cannabis dealers with the majority earning only modest incomes (bottom 50% – $260 per year, top 10% – $25000 per year). Participants at all levels of the market commonly reported receiving cannabis for ‘free’ and this is likely to reflect the social sharing of cannabis during group consumption and non-cash payments for cannabis. This barter and gift giving tradition may provide cannabis users with a degree of insulation from any price increases for cannabis brought about by law enforcement activity. Cannabis selling creates a convenient source of income for heavy cannabis users to finance their own personal cannabis consumption, which may also dampen the impact of any rise in price brought about by law enforcement success.The 2003 HBS-Drug Use was funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Health and carried out as part of the Public Health Intelligence (PHI) Health Behaviours Survey Monitor. The statistical design for the 2003 survey was completed by Dr. Megan Pledger at SHORE, and by James L. Reilly from Statistical-Insights. The questionnaire was adapted and extended from the National Drug Survey questionnaire for the Health Behaviours programme by Dr. Chris Wilkins. Data collection was managed by Dr. Chris Wilkins, Rachael Lane, Joe Morley and Mary Blade. The statistical analysis of 2003 HBS-Drug Use was completed by Paul Sweetsur. The analysis in this paper was partly funded by the New Zealand Police.     

议对外商非法撤资的法律规制

进入2008年以后,我国部分地区却密集出现了较为严重的外商非法撤资的情况。非法撤资对当地经济更是雪上加霜,同时造成了企业职工、中方合作者、企业供货商等相关权益人的巨大利益损害。本文通过介绍非法撤资的现状,分析了非法撤资产生的原因以及带来的危害,进而讨论了对非法撤资的法律规制途径,希望能够提出一些有价值的建议。     

On the Second-best Policy of Household's Waste Recycling

This study analyzes the second-best household's waste recycling policy. If we assume the first-best economy with no illegal disposal or transaction costs, then unit pricing, an advance disposal fee and a recycling subsidy are required in order to achieve the social optimum such that both the sum of unit pricing and an advance disposal fee and the sum of unit pricing and a recycling subsidy are equal to the marginal disposal cost. Furthermore, the first-best outcome can also be obtained by a producer take-back requirement system.In the real economy, however, various factors prevent the first-best optimal outcome. In this study we consider two factors, one being the transaction cost associated with a recycling subsidy (or refund) and the other being illegal disposal by the consumer. If a recycling subsidy (or a deposit-refund system) is adopted, a transaction cost associated with it will be generated. Alternatively, if unit pricing is adopted, some of the consumed goods may be disposed of illegally. We show the complete trade-off between unit pricing and a recycling subsidy. In other words, we can not adopt unit pricing and a recycling subsidy simultaneously. As a result, there are three candidates for the second-best policy: unit pricing with an advance disposal fee, a deposit-refund system, and a producer take-back requirement system.Which of these three policies is the second-best policy will depend on the relative magnitude of the price of a recycled good and the marginal transaction cost associated with a recycling subsidy (or the refund in a deposit-refund system). Generally, if the price of a recycled good is positive and the marginal transaction cost is relatively high, unit pricing with an advance disposal fee is the second-best policy. However, where the price of a recycled good is negative and the marginal transaction cost is relatively high, a producer take-back requirement system is the second-best policy. Further, where the marginal transaction cost is relatively low, a deposit-refund system is the second-best policy, regardless of whether the price of a recycled good is positive or negative.     

裂变营销属性：电商平台的创新、违法与传销犯罪

在“流量经济”与“用户思维”加持下,传销形态已发生异变。对于裂变营销属性的认定,应当通过非法传销的实质解读,提炼出传销的元模型,将具有非法传销外观的营销创新予以剥离,形成“拉人头+团队计酬”以及“收取入门费+团队计酬”的二元类型。同时,借助缓和的违法一元论,透视裂变营销中传销违法向传销犯罪的转化逻辑,明确二者之间“质”与“量”的区别。当本罪与诈骗犯罪或集资犯罪发生竞合时,应当充分发挥想象竞合的“明示机能”实现全面评价,并择重处罚。     

合同诈骗罪的“非法占有”的解释和认定

根据刑法第224条的规定，行为人在主观上具有非法占有的目的是合同诈骗罪成立的必备要件。本文拟对“非法占有”的含义、非法占有目的的产生时间及其合同诈骗罪的具体认定相关问题作一探讨，以冀对刑法理论和刑事实务有所裨益。     

恶意挤占医保基金的经济学分析

导致医保基金存量减少的原因可以分为两类,一类由客观原因导致,并且难以避免,另一类是人为因素造成的恶意挤占医保基金的行为。针对后一种情况,从经济学角度,首先运用产权理论的观点来分析制度本身的缺陷,再通过建立两个博弈模型来分析当事人投机心理的形成过程,并提出相应解决措施。     

我国网络广告法律问题研究现状

互联网的飞速发展带来了网络广告的异军突起,但其现状却不容乐观,网络广告面临诸多法律问题亟待解决。本文针对网络广告面临的法律问题现状,从网络广告性质及主体的界定、审查机制的缺失、网络违法广告、网络广告侵权问题以及网络广告的法律适用与管辖权问题等五个方面进行了归纳与梳理,并结合中国目前的研究现状展开了评价,以期对我国未来网络广告法律问题的理论构建以及实践活动提供更为重要的借鉴意义。     

论破坏国家重点保护野生动物资源的犯罪

《野生动物保护法》将珍贵、濒危野生动物列为国家重点保护的野生动物 ,并规定了管理、保护制度。 1 997年《刑法》新增了非法猎捕、杀害珍贵、濒危野生动物罪和非法收购、运输、出售珍贵、濒危野生动物、珍贵、濒危野生动物制品罪 ,从而完善了我国对野生动物的法律保护体系。本文就两个罪名的法律构成 ,以及司法实践中的有关问题展开讨论。     

北京市失地农民问题分析

实现农村城镇化和转移农村劳动力是解决"三农"问题的根本出路,也是全面建设小康社会的一个战略性问题.按照首都发展战略规划,北京将在加快城区扩张、不断加大农业结构调整的基础上,积极推进郊区城镇化、工业化和现代化建设.当前,在统筹城乡协调发展、着力构建和谐社会过程中,亟待解决的是失地农民问题.本文以北京失地农民为主要研究对象,通过对农村土地占用和农民失地情况调查,分析农民失地过程中面临的问题,提出解决失地农民问题的途径和办法.