Legalize Marijuana?

[Semper Fi]

No, I don't.

 

[Annie]

No, I don't.

From Illinois:

www.ilga.gov/commission/cgfa/CigaretteTax2002.pdf

Last year the state taxed each cigarette at 4.9 cents.


The federal government also taxes cigarettes at a rate of 39-cents per pack of 20
cigarettes. In addition, State law authorizes a municipal cigarette tax of 1-cent per
package of 20, but it cannot be imposed by municipalities in which the State already
collects a municipal home-rule retailers’ occupation (sales) tax. Home-rule units can
collect their own taxes on cigarettes. Chicago collects 16-cents per pack of 20. In
addition, Cook County collects 18-cents, which is collected in both Chicago and the
suburbs. With the new State tax increase, Chicago now pays a total of $1.71 in
cigarette taxes per pack of 20 cigarettes.

There is a separate tax for tobacco products other than cigarettes at a rate of 18% of
wholesale price. This includes products such as cigars, snuff, chewing tobaccos, and
other forms of tobacco suitable for chewing or smoking.

Here's another with cigarette, alcohol, and gasoline taxes, along with sales tax for the state:

www.taxfoundation.org/files/48221c98c98307d84f1e3f35e299eadc.pdf

 

[Semper Fi]

Thanks. How does that compare to other products, like fruit, for instance?

 

[archangel]

nothing more than sin taxes...I for one would really like to see an accounting of where this sin tax money actually goes...would be interesting to say the least...and I now suggest a sin tax be placed on homosexual activity along with Marijuana...they are also health risks!


I am so sick and tired of this tax and spend philosophy to solve problems...it never has and never will...IMO

 

[sitarro]

i vote legalize it and tax it.....

the difference between dope and booze is i can have one beer and function....you smoke 1 J and you are worthless....and with the weed now 1 hit and you are worthless....

I have smoked off and on for 30 years and I think that most of the crap that is said about pot is garbage. The stuff available today is really no stronger than the good stuff available 30 years ago. Acapulco Gold from the 70s would kick the crap out of the best Hydro of today. And back then there was hash oil and hash itself to fortify a joint or pipe load.

Anyone wasting expensive pot by smoking a j is a fool. There is no reason to smoke that much, that is the same as someone sitting down and drinking a six pack. Moderating intake is a must.

I would have to ask why would anyone drink just 1 beer, isn't the real reason to drink alcohol to get a buzz? It certainly can't be the taste, there are much better tasting drinks.

The big difference with smoking pot or drinking is. . . alcohol will bring out aggresive behavior in a lot of people, pot doesn't. Watch the news any weekend and see how many deaths and injuries are directly linkable to the consumption of alcohol. How many knifings and shootings happen at bars? How many innocent people die each year because some one in an alcohol induced feeling of invincibility, drive at outragous speeds ignoring traffic rules and eventually losing control and plowing into a family of 6 in their minivan? The problem is that the minivan people all die while the drunk lives. Add to that the many health problems including death from overdosing (happens at some frat house every year)and one has to wonder how alcohol can be legal.

Pot is impossible to overdose on(you would fall asleep too soon)and chance taking is the opposite of what most will do while stoned. My guess is that is why it was made illegal in the first place, America wants aggressive behavior, we equate that with a go getter...successful people drink Chivas, losers smoke pot(wouldn't want to slow down and relax would we). It is actually surprising speed isn't legal . . .wait , it is. . . caffein is everywhere. What is amazing is how this 1930s thinking has continued into the 2000s. Pot should at least be decriminalized but the alcohol industry will never allow it, it's not in their best interest.

Like I have said before, it is rediculous that the "justice" system has the ability to destroy a life because someone smokes a dried up weed that has nowhere near the negative effect as the 3 most popular legal drugs heavily consumed in this country. . . alcohol, tobacco and caffiene.

 

[Mr. P]

legalize it...
Fact is, as long as there is a demand there will be a supply. Billions are spent on this UN-WINNABLE war..legalize it, check quality and tax it..win win win..

That's how I feel about it.

 

[no1tovote4]

legalize it...
Fact is, as long as there is a demand there will be a supply. Billions are spent on this UN-WINNABLE war..legalize it, check quality and tax it..win win win..

That's how I feel about it.

Trillions total, over the years, have been spent on a "War" that is demostratively ineffective and creates a society where we imprison more people per capita than any other nation on the planet. We need to change the effective thrust, no longer putting people in prison fighting what is unwinnable.

 

[Gunny]

Based on the fact that NOTHING has stopped the use of marijuana, and I really don't see it as any better or worse than alcohol, I think the gov't is stupid for not legalizing it and adding it to their "sin tax" pool.

Flip side is, there is always the slippery slope. If we legalize marijuana, why not cocaine or heroin? Since common sense doesn't seem to apply to the law nowadays, the line has to be drawn somewhere.

 

[MtnBiker]

What is the average age of a marijauna user? Or what is the biggest age demographic using marijauna?

 

[Semper Fi]

What is the average age of a marijauna user? Or what is the biggest age demographic using marijauna?

High school/college/young adulthood as far as I can tell.

 

[manu1959]

High school/college/young adulthood as far as I can tell.

if true there will be a lot of pissed of people when the make the age of consent 21 to match booze

 

[pegwinn]

Based on the fact that NOTHING has stopped the use of marijuana, and I really don't see it as any better or worse than alcohol, I think the gov't is stupid for not legalizing it and adding it to their "sin tax" pool.

Flip side is, there is always the slippery slope. If we legalize marijuana, why not cocaine or heroin? Since common sense doesn't seem to apply to the law nowadays, the line has to be drawn somewhere.

Why not coke and heroin? If legal, and regulated, and taxed, there is a chance that some of the violence associated with it may diminish. I would legislate that tax money not be used to pay for rehab though. No sense allowing the welfare trash to coke out and then I pay for it.

 

[MtnBiker]

High school/college/young adulthood as far as I can tell.

I would suspect so, without hard evidence. Perhaps we can assume that there is a big demographic of marijuana smokers under the age of 21. Lets assume that with legalize marijuana that regulations and restrictions would apply much the same as alcohol and be enforced by the state. Would the current illegal sellers of marijuana stop selling to a huge portions of their market because the product is now regulated? How much tax revenue is then created or how much will continue to be illegally sold?

 

[MtnBiker]

if true there will be a lot of pissed of people when the make the age of consent 21 to match booze

They would still find plenty of willing sellers. They are doing it illegally now, why stop? In the eyes of the seller, why let the government tax some of your profit?

 

[manu1959]

They would still find plenty of willing sellers. They are doing it illegally now, why stop? In the eyes of the seller, why let the government tax some of your profit?

it would be interesting to see how that would play out once big business starts selling pot.....

 

[Gunny]

Why not coke and heroin? If legal, and regulated, and taxed, there is a chance that some of the violence associated with it may diminish. I would legislate that tax money not be used to pay for rehab though. No sense allowing the welfare trash to coke out and then I pay for it.

I see it as creating a subculture of drug-dependent parasites on society. I like to go out on the weekend and have a few beers. But how many non functioning alcoholics are there who are nothing but a burden to society?

It doesn't do any good to tax the drugs if the cost of supporting nonproductive members of society exceeds the revenue.

 

[Semper Fi]

They would still find plenty of willing sellers. They are doing it illegally now, why stop? In the eyes of the seller, why let the government tax some of your profit?

Exactly. Age of consent doesnt stop most teenagers from drinking, so I doubt making something more-legal would have any effect at all.

 

[pegwinn]

I see it as creating a subculture of drug-dependent parasites on society. I like to go out on the weekend and have a few beers. But how many non functioning alcoholics are there who are nothing but a burden to society?

It doesn't do any good to tax the drugs if the cost of supporting nonproductive members of society exceeds the revenue.

I understand. My point is more of equality. Alcohol (and I make and drink my own brew BTW) and Tobacco (I also smoke from time to time) are as addictive and cause more deaths annually than the drugs we are afraid of. The difference is in political lobby.

I already stipulated that the taxpayers should not pey for rehab in an earlier post. I won't be suing big tobacco anytime soon. Besides if cheap coke hits the market, how many losers will od in the first six months before it levels off and normalizes?

 

[5stringJeff]

From a legal standpoint, I agree with what's been said: legalize MJ, tax and regulate it like you do with alcohol, and impose stiff punishments for driving under the influence.

From a moral/ethical standpoint, I believe that one should abstain from drugs like marijuana. However, I recognize that there are many people who believe differently who will be paying a lot of tax dollars to buy pot.

 

[liberalogic]

I understand. My point is more of equality. Alcohol (and I make and drink my own brew BTW) and Tobacco (I also smoke from time to time) are as addictive and cause more deaths annually than the drugs we are afraid of. The difference is in political lobby.

I already stipulated that the taxpayers should not pey for rehab in an earlier post. I won't be suing big tobacco anytime soon. Besides if cheap coke hits the market, how many losers will od in the first six months before it levels off and normalizes?

I completely agree...you can't delineate between marijuana and harder drugs...all impair your judgment equally...if we legalize marijuana, I think it's only fair to legalize ALL forms of drugs. And taxpayers SHOULD NOT pay for rehab.