do we really want it legalized?

[godsherb420]

i got to thinking, and realized that if marijuana is legalized the government would put taxes on it, and have outrageous prices, and probably be even more strict about it than they are now, with permits to grow it like you have to get for tobacco and such or maybe even make it illegal to grow it unless it is grown in government labs or something... i dont know im baked right now but its sort of a weird thought for me...

legalization would be cool if the government didnt have a shitload of restrictions on it

[Ntak]

they wouldnt make the prices outrageous i think they would keep them pretty much the same that they are seeing how its $50 for seeds and about a $900 yeild ur making a good profit when grown country wide...i dont think they would go over the prices we have now...it would prolly be like amsterdam

[symptom]

Originally Posted by godsherb420

and probably be even more strict about it than they are now

how can they possibly be more strict than having it illegal, as it is now?

I see where you're coming from but even with massive taxing and restrictions, I doubt it would be as harsh as the current fine / sentencing which currently overshadows pot. It cost me $1200 for having paraphernalia and less than 3 grams. I highly doubt they would attempt a $1200 or even $200 tax if it where legalized because people would just say "fuck you" as they have been since the first laws were enforced, and grow their own.

Sadly from the perspective of the government, it is far more practical to keep it illegal, thus providing themselves with billions in FREE revenue each year. It is, therefore, our duty to do what we can to prevent them from basically stealing our hard earned money. That's part of the game I suppose. Kinda cat-and-mouse, but the cat has thermal imaging, sniffer dogs, wiretaps, and whatnot. Luckily there are thousands of mice

(first post woo!)

-SYMP

[Phridge]

That could actually happen. A 20pack of cigarettes in ireland costs €7.50 ($11.60). Im pretty sure the bulk of it is tax. Ands its been going up massively/steadilly every year.

But im sure if it were legalised, it would cost less than €50/3g (going rate round these parts). plus it'd prolly alleviate 99.99% of the paranoia that comes with shmokin!

[Talventaivas]

Tax free weed in airports and at borders please! Could you imagine?

If it is legalized, even if it IS taxed, it won't be as much as it costs on the black market... and think about excise taxes on like... alcohol as well. It's an intoxicant, so of course taxes will be high. But the convenience will be worth it, going to the corner shop rather than making a bunch of phone calls and sketchy parking lot transfers.

[Smokey_mctoke]

Everyone would grow their own. Seed would be cheap as hell... Quality cannabis would be...quite free

do we really want it legalized?

Hell yeah

[Barnabyjones]

I think we would want it legalized but....

You might hear alot about drug dealers opposing legalization, this is for two reasons, less customers and cheaper price. The government couldn't make weed too expensive because then everybody would grow their own/ buy from dealers again. However, if the government sold lets just say 1/g for $10 everybody would buy from shops.

Thats how the goverment could actually make some money, selling it at $10 1/g and throwing a tax of maybe a solid $3. That could, and would make stoners a great benefit to the economy. But most activists for legalization are stoners, or ultra liberals,(or Ron Paul) and most people dont listen to either of them. Since many conservatives and the uneducated think that weed is either a terrible drug or just don't care, theres not going to be much popular sovereignty for it.

So we have Barry Cooper, Ron Paul, all stoners who don't deal (I'd imagine), and the occasional guy who doesn't smoke but thinks it should be legalized.... thats just not enough.

I personally think it could benefit more than just stoners and it IS a good idea, but its not going to happen.

[flyhalf87]

Originally Posted by Barnabyjones

So we have Barry Cooper, Ron Paul, all stoners who don't deal (I'd imagine), and the occasional guy who doesn't smoke but thinks it should be legalized.... thats just not enough.

thats if everybody votes, but they dont. if all of the stoners voted for the legalization of it, im sure it would be a large percentage of voters, because how many non smokers care enough to vote against it?

[Talventaivas]

I'm sure more nonsmokers would support it's decriminalization or legalization than one would think... at least after education and proper information comes around.

[bluntwrap]

Originally Posted by godsherb420

i got to thinking, and realized that if marijuana is legalized the government would put taxes on it, and have outrageous prices, and probably be even more strict about it than they are now, with permits to grow it like you have to get for tobacco and such or maybe even make it illegal to grow it unless it is grown in government labs or something... i dont know im baked right now but its sort of a weird thought for me...

legalization would be cool if the government didnt have a shitload of restrictions on it

The thing is that if cannabis is legalized there is a good chance that it will become a large production crop. And with that many growers and the large supply they could produce it will be much easier to come by, and therefore hopefully cheaper, even if a large government tax is placed on it. Think of how much cannabis could be produced if the large scale farming equipment and technology that is implemented on legal crops was put to use on a marijuana crop. I actually saw a statistic the other day that in 1997 marijuana was the 4th largest cash crop in the United States, over tobacco, cotton, and wheat, and i just found another site that has 2006 prediction that states that it could be the largest in the US at this point.

I believe it was already stated but the tax that the government could collect would be a serious increase in revenue, and perhaps even alleviate some of the strain that our economy has been under lately with soaring gas prices and falling housing markets. It would also allow the government to focus on busting the real narcotics, and not a natural herb that makes you hungry.

So back to the original question, Should marijuana be legalized? YES, because i believe that the prices would stay reasonable, if not lower, due to the decrease in transfers from seller to seller before it reaches you, and the massive quantities that could be produced and even if taxed stay reasonable. Not to bring up the economic benefits again.


my stats:
http://www.jointogether.org/news/hea...cash-crop.html

[Salvial]

Originally Posted by Barnabyjones

So we have Barry Cooper, Ron Paul, all stoners who don't deal (I'd imagine), and the occasional guy who doesn't smoke but thinks it should be legalized.... thats just not enough.

Ron Paul doesn't smoke.

[BuddhaLova]

It's called capitalism....If buds were completely legal, for recreational use and everything, then there would be marijuana growing companies. These companies couldn't tax the hell out of you, or they'd have no customers. Capitalism naturally keeps prices low for the consumer.

[me7922]

Originally Posted by Salvial

Ron Paul doesn't smoke.

your right ron pauld doesnt snoke but he also doesnt beleive the government should be able to control what we put in our bodies so he beleives that the government impedes apon our freedom by making weed a controlled substance. so just cuz ron paul doesnt smoke doesnt mean hes not for the cause!

[Talventaivas]

I don't snoke either (I'm sorry)

The government issues the taxes, not the producer. It's just like alcohol taxes, a % added onto the sale price. But even with taxes, the price would be comparatively low, since different companies would compete for price and quality.

[IWubMarijuana]

I don't think the prices would get severely high if it was legalized. People would be growing thousands of times the amounts they are now, because it's going to be legal. Supply will surge, causing a drop in price.

I don't think there'll be a huge jump in use though, since pretty much anyone who'd want to smoke legal weed probably already smoked illegal weed.