Posted on 07/16/2009 6:18:10 AM PDT by Slapshot68
A bill to tax and regulate marijuana in California like alcohol would generate nearly $1.4 billion in revenue for the cash-strapped state, according to an official analysis released Wednesday by tax officials.
The State Board of Equalization report estimates marijuana retail sales would bring $990 million from a $50-per-ounce fee and $392 million in sales taxes.
The bill introduced by San Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano in February would allow adults 21 and older to legally possess, grow and sell marijuana.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
You would probably have to fence it in and place electronic monitors all around it to keep the kids out of it.
The difference between going to the store and buying liquor and buying pot is, you need to treat the pot the same as liquor.
The problem I see, is the ones buying the pot will ‘light up’ as soon as they get it, just like cigarettes.
Laws need to apply equally to pot and liquor.
If you can’t drink the liquor on the street legally, then you shouldn’t be able to smoke the pot either.
Public intoxication and DWI would be defined for both, with the same penalties.
“Laws need to apply equally to pot and liquor.
If you can’t drink the liquor on the street legally, then you shouldn’t be able to smoke the pot either.
Public intoxication and DWI would be defined for both, with the same penalties.”
Couldn’t agree more.
Hey, Kalifornia. Why not try something REALLY radical, like making GUNS legal!
Industrial hemp used to be Missouri’s largest cash crop. You could make anything out of it. I’d consider getting into farming if they legalized growing it again. The clothes that can be made out of it are stronger than cotton and last longer. The ropes, the oils, the edible seeds, it’s a huge untapped market. Besides the fact the stuff grows, a lot, and you could get more than one crop a year and the stuff doesn’t need pesticides.
It’s a great way to cash in on the “organic” market and with a low overhead to boot.
Even with a punishing tax rate, a sack of legal weed would still cost far less than the current black market prices. I suspect those inclined would happily pay a big tax to fire up their bongs legally.
And growing pot is a pain, especially for a recreational user. Why have home brew kits not driven Budweiser out of business, and why do bags of tobacco not outsell cigarettes? Again, people will gladly pay the tax for (1) convenience and (2) peace of mind in being legal.
True, but what about all of those violent Mexican drug gangs? What are they going to do for gainful employment?
The Niobrara River in Nebraska is so full of industrial hemp it looks like pictures I’ve seen of Thailand! Acres upon acres of it. No THC, I’m pretty sure. It really should be grown as a crop here in America - it is wonderful, but then again it’d be impossible to discern from the strong stuff.
No one will be forcing you to use the stuff...but for those of us who do, then let us do so responsibly. America is still a free country, is it not?
Like I said on a previous post, I will GLADLY pay the tax if I could be assured that I could use responsibly & not have my freedom taken away by an over-bearing government. Freedom isn’t free!
There...I fixed it for you. :-)
i know this wont be popular, but i said it before and i think it makes sense to legalize it.
the money would help offset costs, end nuisance work for police allowing them to do more important work
regulation of the drug would be much easier and the money going back to terrorists and criminal organizations would be cut significantly.
Without illegal drugs, the gangbangers would have to resort to smuggling cigarettes, light bulbs, trans-fats, red meat, young hookers for politicians, etc.
When you create a vacuum................things eventually go there.
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