House voting to federally decriminalize marijuana

a reply to: Hypntick
Lots of people up here brew their own. The government has a monopoly on alcohol and taxes the # out of it. Last time I picked up a 24 pack it was 50 bucks lol...... The same goes for weed, people tried the overpriced garbage at the government shop, then went back to however they got it before. Growing their own or a blackmarket seller. The only people who still buy from the government are people that didn't have a source before it was monopolized, I mean legalized.

originally posted by: TKDRL
a reply to: Hypntick
Lots of people up here brew their own. The government has a monopoly on alcohol and taxes the # out of it. Last time I picked up a 24 pack it was 50 bucks lol...... The same goes for weed, people tried the overpriced garbage at the government shop, then went back to however they got it before. Growing their own or a blackmarket seller. The only people who still buy from the government are people that didn't have a source before it was monopolized, I mean legalized.

The Tavern League controls Wisconsin.
They do not want weed legalized here because it will hurt alcohol sales.

originally posted by: underwerks

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan

originally posted by: underwerks
a reply to: pexx421

I’ve worked in the legal cannabis industry all over the map and I always get a laugh when people complain about it being taxed. The cannabis industry is the only industry I’ve seen where the tax burden isn’t passed along to the consumers. It’s absorbed by the producers.

For a simple reason. If the cannabis they produce is priced too much higher than black market prices, no one will buy it. They’ll just continue buying off the black market. I’ve seen stuff in Seattle (arguably the most expensive legal market) go for $70 an oz. Not to mention the store wide sales and coupons/online deals that most stores constantly have.

I operate bars in Texas under a Mixed Beverage Permit. This means I have 2 different taxes to pay:

6.7% mixed beverage tax
8.25% beverage sales tax

The 8.25 is passed on to the consumer. The 6.7% is paid by us, and cannot be shown on the reciept (its vendor facing). Which only means that my price point is increased by the 6.7% that I am taxed.

If you think consumers don't see taxes....you just don't understand simple math.

It seems more likely that you don’t understand the cannabis industry and how it operates. In Seattle, there’s a 37% excise tax on all cannabis. Which is supposed to be paid by the consumer and collected at the point of purchase.

37%.

Yet cannabis overall is comparable or less expensive than what can be bought on the street. Why do you think that is? Surely if the consumer was paying the brunt of that tax it would be at least 37% more expensive than it is on the street, but it isn’t.

What happens is that producers price their product to retailers low enough to make up for the 37%. So prices for the consumer stay the same. That’s how it works. The alcohol and cannabis industry don’t operate the same. Two different markets that act differently. You can’t really compare them.

The reason cannabis is so expensive is because it’s illegal. You’re paying for the risk. Once that isn’t a factor in growing and selling it there’s more than enough money for the producers to pay the lions share of what it’s taxed. Because if they don’t and they raise prices to reflect the tax, people will stop buying their products and instead buy them on the street.

Well, supply and demand still dictate price to some degree..too much supply, and it all tanks.

a reply to: JAGStorm

The insane part about that is that it won't. People do what they want already. Folks who prefer booze, buy booze. Folks who prefer other intoxicants, buy those.

originally posted by: TKDRL
a reply to: Hypntick
Lots of people up here brew their own. The government has a monopoly on alcohol and taxes the # out of it. Last time I picked up a 24 pack it was 50 bucks lol...... The same goes for weed, people tried the overpriced garbage at the government shop, then went back to however they got it before. Growing their own or a blackmarket seller. The only people who still buy from the government are people that didn't have a source before it was monopolized, I mean legalized.

$50 for a 24?!?!?! WTF!!!!! Man, please don’t tell me that was one of the piss beers (Bud, Coors, PBR, Miller, etc)!!

As for prices, they must vary greatly from state to state. Whenever I go up to Mass I hit up the dispensary after leaving the airport and stock up for however long I’m there. I’d be willing to pay extra to know exactly what I’m getting, but that’s never the case. You can still snag an 8th of killer stuff for $50, which is exactly what it costs on the street more often than not, for good stuff anyway.

For me, the real benefit is the options. I don’t always go for the strongest stuff I can find because sometimes it’ll just give me anxiety. I love all the snacks/novelty type stuff I can get my hands on. Thanks to the vape pens, I spent the week of my wedding.....uh, not nearly as nervous about it as I would have been without the vape pen.

Going back up at the end of this month to see family for the first time in over a year, I can’t wait!

Meanwhile, Florida is still dragging it’s f*cking feet, kicking and screaming along the way. We’ll see if things change after this corona BS and the state realizes it needs to make up for the loss of profits tourism normally brings us. Just like I said about coc-aine being decriminalized in a place like South Florida, it’s already so readily available down here that if you want it, you’re going to get your hands on it easily. The legality of it just makes users a little more sneaky (but barely) about it exchanging hands.

originally posted by: [
What do you think, about time, or slippery slope?
I know many friends with chronic pain that are waiting for this.

15 states already legalized it and seem to be doing OK. I don't live in one of those states so if you do,
what do you think? Was it a benefit to your state?

not at you but yeah because its a slippery slope to treat adults like adults and let them decide what they can and cant do to themselves. next they are going to wamt to go out in public and not stay 6 feet apart and cover their face with a mask. then even worse they are going to want to decide what they can read or not read themselves.

i think the slope was and is going the opposite direction.


trump should have done this .

a reply to: underwerks

How times have changed. I was paying env $30 for a 1/8 of sh144y resin when I was a teen ... if you wanted green it'd be double.

a reply to: Drucifer
Yeah, the beer brands vary a few bucks, but that's just cray right? Last time I bought beer in NY I got a pack of smokes and 60 beers for what I would pay for a 24 up here haha. I can't really speak personally on the weed stuff, as I can't smoke it anymore. I want to try something like charlottes web or something like that, but I can't. My doctor is a dickhead and refuses to give me lorazapam so if it triggers a panic attack I am screwed lol.

What about stickers and emblems on drivers licences ? 🥶

This is long overdue.

It’s about time the government starts giving us more than they take away. I have never used this substance, but I wholeheartedly endorse less victimless crimes.