The War on Pot: America's $42 Billion Annual Boondoggle

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

legalize it and the rest of the drugs

Sure. I mean what's wrong with a nice relaxing smoke of Crack?

Do you speak from experience?

I guess my irony needs work.

No.

It does.

Well quotes from joke videos aside (that was from the video BTW, from a UK sitcom called Peep Show) hows about you.

Do you speak from "experience" - or is that a bull$hit question to begin with?

I just believe people should be able to put whatever they want in their own body. Whether it's crack or cool-aid.

I'm in agreement with that. I don't think they should be criminalized for it. Throwing them into a prison is about the most expensive way to deal with addiction.

Sure - up until you end up in jail for crimes committed out of addiction in pursuit of a fix - e.g. heroin addicts robbing people. I think there's plenty wrong with that to justify those substances being restricted, and out of the mainstream.

On balance - I'd say its not so much about the use of those substances, but about the social/criminal negatives that arise out of them.

After all, a few hundred years ago Britain managed to bankrupt China with opium imports from Afghanistan. It certainly was a destabilising influence on that particular society.

If the drugs were easily accessible and cheap, I don't see how the addiction would turn users to prostitution and other means outside the law to fund their addiction, unless you are suggesting that being under the influence encourages criminal behavior?

Poverty tends to do that - addictive behavior is generally destructive in that regard IMO.

[natty bumppo 297]

If the drugs were easily accessible and cheap, I don't see how the addiction would turn users to prostitution and other means outside the law to fund their addiction, unless you are suggesting that being under the influence encourages criminal behavior?

maybe they'll just be cheaper prostitutes

quick ... what's the current price ?

this way we can trend the "going rate" ...

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Right now drugs are sold with a huge profit margin. If its legalized, that profit margin will drop significantly. It will no longer be such a cash crop. Prices will go down for consumers too, ...

Sure would. After all, there ain't no tobacco taxes on weed.

[natty bumppo 297]

Right now drugs are sold with a huge profit margin. If its legalized, that profit margin will drop significantly. It will no longer be such a cash crop. Prices will go down for consumers too, ...

Sure would. After all, there ain't no tobacco taxes on weed.

yet

... it will happen ... just give it time

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Right now drugs are sold with a huge profit margin. If its legalized, that profit margin will drop significantly. It will no longer be such a cash crop. Prices will go down for consumers too, ...

Sure would. After all, there ain't no tobacco taxes on weed.

then maybe someone will get the idea to impose taxes on weed to fund that kid health care plan and we can listen to the howls of outrage from the pot smokers

[natty bumppo 297]

Right now drugs are sold with a huge profit margin. If its legalized, that profit margin will drop significantly. It will no longer be such a cash crop. Prices will go down for consumers too, ...

Sure would. After all, there ain't no tobacco taxes on weed.

then maybe someone will get the idea to impose taxes on weed to fund that kid health care plan and we can listen to the howls of outrage from the pot smokers

like yea man ...

Edited October 10, 2007 by Natty Bumppo

[Peikko 1,575]

I expect there would only be howls of outrage if the tax made it more expensive to buy legally, than illegally, which would make this topic rather...pointless?

However, I rather think that were it to be legalised, it would be taxed in much the same way as alcohol and tobacco.

[natty bumppo 297]

I expect there would only be howls of outrage if the tax made it more expensive to buy legally, than illegally, which would make this topic rather...pointless?

However, I rather think that were it to be legalised, it would be taxed in much the same way as alcohol and tobacco.

can we tax victory gardens too ?!?

so people can pay taxes on food they grow at home too ...

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Right now drugs are sold with a huge profit margin. If its legalized, that profit margin will drop significantly. It will no longer be such a cash crop. Prices will go down for consumers too, ...

Sure would. After all, there ain't no tobacco taxes on weed.

then maybe someone will get the idea to impose taxes on weed to fund that kid health care plan and we can listen to the howls of outrage from the pot smokers

That's the beauty with the pot smokers, they just light up another and won't care anymore.

[natty bumppo 297]

Right now drugs are sold with a huge profit margin. If its legalized, that profit margin will drop significantly. It will no longer be such a cash crop. Prices will go down for consumers too, ...

Sure would. After all, there ain't no tobacco taxes on weed.

then maybe someone will get the idea to impose taxes on weed to fund that kid health care plan and we can listen to the howls of outrage from the pot smokers

That's the beauty with the pot smokers, they just light up another and won't care anymore.

dude ... they get munchies ... so guess it's okay to tax the food they grow at home too?

tax at the same rate as food you (the maybe non pot smoker) grow in your victory garden?

after all ... its easier to tax something everyone uses ... not just the "sin tax" users.

[Peikko 1,575]

Where did you get the idea that home grown weed would be taxed? Ok, I am not into the weed culture but I would have thought that not everyone who smokes it grows it, or would ever do so. Therefore there would be commercially grown weed which could be taxed, in the same way that tobacco is taxed.

Where the 'Victory Garden' comes into this eludes me entirely...

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Right now drugs are sold with a huge profit margin. If its legalized, that profit margin will drop significantly. It will no longer be such a cash crop. Prices will go down for consumers too, ...

Sure would. After all, there ain't no tobacco taxes on weed.

then maybe someone will get the idea to impose taxes on weed to fund that kid health care plan and we can listen to the howls of outrage from the pot smokers

That's the beauty with the pot smokers, they just light up another and won't care anymore.

dude ... they get munchies ... so guess it's okay to tax the food they grow at home too?

tax at the same rate as food you (the maybe non pot smoker) grow in your victory garden?

after all ... its easier to tax something everyone uses ... not just the "sin tax" users.

I pay tax on my beer and don't complain about it. I can escape paying that tax. It's a choice tax.

Oh, we don't tax food here in Florida.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Where did you get the idea that home grown weed would be taxed? Ok, I am not into the weed culture but I would have thought that not everyone who smokes it grows it, or would ever do so. Therefore there would be commercially grown weed which could be taxed, in the same way that tobacco is taxed.

Where the 'Victory Garden' comes into this eludes me entirely...

uh huh........avoiding taxes, growing it in your back yard. i'm sure that will go over well with the newly named atfw (alcohol, tobaccoa, firearms, and weed).........

[Peikko 1,575]

It's perfectly legal to grow tobacco now, it's perfectly legal to make your own wine. None of that gets taxed. Why the broohaha about home grown weed if it was legalised? It's no different.

[natty bumppo 297]

Where did you get the idea that home grown weed would be taxed? Ok, I am not into the weed culture but I would have thought that not everyone who smokes it grows it, or would ever do so. Therefore there would be commercially grown weed which could be taxed, in the same way that tobacco is taxed.

Where the 'Victory Garden' comes into this eludes me entirely...

your age is showing ... sorry ...

home grown goods ... I'll stop there ....

back to your question ... how will weed be taxed burdened?

only pharmaceutical? or "home grown too" ?

sorry I've spent too much time in the Carolinas and Virginia (and the Connecticut River Valley) around tabacco farmers .....