Some news about legalize marijuana sales

originally posted by: 727Sky
Yes but with their additional 15% in taxes; which as it stands now, will increase the cost from 54$ (taxed already) to 65$ for eighth-ounce bag.. I guess that is one way to keep the black market alive and well..

No need for a black market. Many are willing to pay those prices, and those that aren't can just ask a friend with a medicinal license to pick some stuff up for them. I wouldn't say that's like a black market, more like asking someone to pick something up from Sam's Club since you don't have a card there.

I honestly don't blame them, either. What my wife and I can get for $90 at a recreational shop costs around $50 at a medicinal shop. Both of us qualify to get our own medicinal licenses, but no doctor in town will prescribe it, and we work so much we don't have time to make an appointment out of town to get it.

originally posted by: jtma508
The whole tax thing is government's way of forcing their agenda on the people. People voted for recreational weed, government is against it (LEO, pharma, and liquor lobbies) so they'll try to tax it to death. Kinda like the GOP and the ACA. If you can't fix it just wreck it and then tell the people, 'see? It's not working'. Will of the People my ass.

This is the same thing you see with a cigarette tax.

Cigarettes are more pernicious though because nicotine addiction is much worse, or so I'm told. So to tax the nicotine addict is much more effective.

a reply to: ketsuko

In a perfect world some of the tax revenue would be used for any adverse effects of the recreational drugs on society.

Marijuana actually has the lowest of many of them. Lower than video games, lower than caffeine as some kids have od on monster energy and had cardiac arrests.

Strangely some states don't tax alcohol very much and not only does it have significant overdose potential it has significant physical addiction potential.

originally posted by: luthier
a reply to: ketsuko

In a perfect world some of the tax revenue would be used for any adverse effects of the recreational drugs on society.

Marijuana actually has the lowest of many of them. Lower than video games, lower than caffeine as some kids have od on monster energy and had cardiac arrests.

Strangely some states don't tax alcohol very much and not only does it have significant overdose potential it has significant physical addiction potential.

In a perfect world, the government wouldn't have sin taxes because it's not the government's job to try to modify behavior based on what it deems desirable.

However, if there is to be a sin tax, then the only place any collected revenues from it should go is into closed loop programs.

For example, if you want to tax cigarettes, the revenues should only go into health care for smokers or smoking cessation -- things we might expect to have a decreased need for as the sin tax does what it's supposed to do -- stop people from smoking by making it a cost-prohibitive habit. Instead, they try to increase the sin tax by selling it on how it can go into children's education or something else that will always need funding.

What happens if you pass the sin tax and it works? You are then left holding the bag for that program and the money must be found elsewhere, meaning people who voted for the sin tax figuring it will never be something they have to pay for because they don't indulge in that sin, will now have to be taxed to pay for it in one way or another.

a reply to: ketsuko

I partially agree. The tax (whatever political name you give it) should be for the adverse effects of the product. So alcohol or Marijuana should be for state burden of addiction problems, and fatalities.

Since the majority of users don't have these problems I would assume it's not going to drive people from consumption.

a reply to: luthier

Possession charges / fines are negligible compared to other crimes, like DWI. In states without legalization possession of certain amounts of marijuana comes with a fine that is the equivalent of a civil infraction and nothing more.

As for Colorado yes there is a decrease in teen use however their is an uptick in adult use. Right now states that have legalized recreational use are a destination for those who live in states who restrict its use. Since they dont need to see a doctor to get a medical card they dont have to be a resident of the state in order to obtain it. Also keep in mind that states who legalized it requires a person be 21 years old to purchase it so im not sure why they are using the info as a stat for the legalization argument.

My point however is its a growing industry in terms of taxable income for governments. Most of the states that have legalized it are "blue states" (Democrat controlled). As with business under Democratic tax plans they are heavily taxed and buried under regulations.

If recreational use is legal why bother buying it from licensed distribution stores? Why legalize it just to tax it when the law itself undermines the intent?

For the record possession of marijuana is one of the few laws I never bothered to completely care about. Unless you are placing yourself or others (minors / driving under the influence) in danger I have better things to do. The law enforcement argument falls into the broken window theory. Giving a pass on low level crimes, like simple possession of marijuana, opens the door for larger crimes. If this law is not enforced then why would they enforce other laws.

Anyways my point is the laws in question wont generate the revenue the state thinks it will, especially where recreational use is legalized. If you can possess it and grow it without a license / prescription then how do you tax it?

a reply to: Xcathdra

Why don't people make alcohol in mass?

Regulation means inspection of purity and statement of potency.

Wouldn't you want to know your coors light isn't going to make you vomit drunk?

People seem to miss that aspect. It would be nice to know the potency of the drug. Not everybody can have a $5k grow setup.

a reply to: luthier

You only need a closet and 3 good LED bulbs on a timer. If you add in a roll of foil id estimate the cost to be less than $100

a reply to: TheBlackDog

3.5g

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Possibly if you lucky. You need ventilation and states with humidity and air quality issues would have a harder time.

Vermont is about to to legalize possession and home grows.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Dude they make some sexy ass LED lights these days.

Get a Rosin press.




Solvent free, then you can say ey bruh this is organik!

a reply to: Lysergic

Or a magic butter machine and let the alcohol tincture evaporate.

a reply to: luthier

Sometimes a man is impatient.

Booze sales really that bad here? maybe I should go buy some voodoo rangers....

a reply to: Lysergic

Come on ever clear doesn't take long..

originally posted by: luthier
a reply to: Xcathdra

Why don't people make alcohol in mass?

Regulation means inspection of purity and statement of potency.

Wouldn't you want to know your coors light isn't going to make you vomit drunk?

People seem to miss that aspect. It would be nice to know the potency of the drug. Not everybody can have a $5k grow setup.

When the law says a person can grow up to 6 plants in their own home how does the government regulate / tax it?

As with alcohol the industry is regulated / taxed however you still have people who home brew.

a reply to: Xcathdra

They tax the sales.

Same way they tax beer.

I can make as much as I want in my garage.

originally posted by: luthier
a reply to: Xcathdra

They tax the sales.

Same way they tax beer.

I can make as much as I want in my garage.

State laws prohibit the sale of home brewed beer.

If the law says you can have 6 plants and grow it yourself how is it taxed? How is it regulated? How would the government know your plants were lawfully purchased and not from someone else who illegally sells the seeds for it?

originally posted by: luthier
a reply to: Xcathdra

They tax the sales.

Same way they tax beer.

I can make as much as I want in my garage.

And if you and your neighbor agree to a sale, how does the government regulate and tax that? If you are supplying your neighbor or even neighbors and yourself and they are paying you, how does the government tax that?

It's the marijuana loophole!

a reply to: Xcathdra

How do they know with beer?

Your argument appears to be they need to tax 100 percent of all Marijuana.

People will always buy to try new stuff, if there crops get ruined, if they run out, if they are terrible horticulturists, lazy, don't have the space, travelling etc.

Or like Vermont is about to just let people grow and make small possession legal.