Thread: Mary Jane does not pay taxes

There is some talk about decriminalizing pot over and above marijuana for medical use —— then taxing it to pay for healthcare and whatever else politicians want. The tax part won’t fly. That’s why steam is still illegal. Here is why:

Individuals are legally entitled to make a certain amount of beer, wine, and whiskey for their own consumption. Not many American drinkers make their own hooch; so taxation is not a problem for the tax collector. Not so with Mary Jane. Assuming that Mary Jane will get the same personal-use exemption John Barleycorn enjoys, tens of millions of grasshoppers will grow their own (no one knows how many are already into gardening). Taxes collected on legal marijuana sales will be minuscule.

The unintended consequences in making an honest woman out of Mary Jane will take a huge bite out of cigarette and alcohols sales; followed by a tremendous lose of tax revenues from both. There is not one state that can survive that kind of a hit; so I don’t expect to see legal marijuana any time soon.

If Mr. Happyweed does have a real shot at going legal let’s do it as quickly as possible. I would really like to see how the courts deal with the personal-use issue?

And won’t it be a kick watching anti-tobacco moralists sing a different tune when they see a chance to get behind a little legal steam?

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Originally Posted by lala0455

very nice post.
i ahve accepted you post informations.

To lala0455: And thank you for reading and accepting.

You're wrong, to a large extent. This is a country of convenience. People want to get good reefer, they will buy it (and pay taxes). Many will gladly pay taxes on reefer to help support this shithole country's recovery, because they are just plain happy to be able to easily buy good reefer. Do you really know how "easy" to grow good reefer it is? It isn't. It's as much gardening work (and more) as any gardening. Most people are not gardeners in this day and age. Sure, some might try to throw a seed down, just to see-- but most people are going to buy weed, not grow it. There's no shortage of reasons why.

Originally Posted by Go_Fuck_Yourself

You're wrong, to a large extent. This is a country of convenience. People want to get good reefer, they will buy it (and pay taxes). Many will gladly pay taxes on reefer to help support this shithole country's recovery, because they are just plain happy to be able to easily buy good reefer. Do you really know how "easy" to grow good reefer it is? It isn't. It's as much gardening work (and more) as any gardening. Most people are not gardeners in this day and age. Sure, some might try to throw a seed down, just to see-- but most people are going to buy weed, not grow it. There's no shortage of reasons why.

To Go Fuck Yourself: No doubt, convenience will motivate the majority who can afford to buy. On the other hand, Thirty or forty million, spread across fifty states, growing their own is more than enough to panic the tax collector. Even twenty million gardening-grasshoppers can put a serious dent in tobacco and alcohol sales; more so if they supply their friends on the quiet. It’s logical to assume that a few million will share the joy with friends. So long as they are not selling there is not much chance they can be caught or stopped.

Even if the government levies hefty fines on miscreants, the expense involved in catching and prosecuting every weed-whacker who shares his crop would defeat the purpose. And can you image eight or nine million grasshoppers demanding jury trials?

there will definitely be a lot of home growers. not that there aren't a lot already. basically anyone with rudimentary farming understanding and the means to do it can grow good weed. I don't see the home-brewers being much of an issue, any more than the home-brewers of alcohol. If you live in the city you probably can't easily grow enough of your own weed. I rather see the proliferation of commercial, tax-paying grow operations. Why not? It's just business. It should be good for the consumers because we should get better quality product for less money. And certainly less overall danger. Getting rid of the black market will be a huge benefit for our society in terms of rolling back the US prison state industry as well.

Originally Posted by Flanders

There is some talk about decriminalizing pot over and above marijuana for medical use —— then taxing it to pay for healthcare and whatever else politicians want. The tax part won’t fly. That’s why steam is still illegal. Here is why:

Individuals are legally entitled to make a certain amount of beer, wine, and whiskey for their own consumption. Not many American drinkers make their own hooch; so taxation is not a problem for the tax collector. Not so with Mary Jane. Assuming that Mary Jane will get the same personal-use exemption John Barleycorn enjoys, tens of millions of grasshoppers will grow their own (no one knows how many are already into gardening). Taxes collected on legal marijuana sales will be minuscule.

The unintended consequences in making an honest woman out of Mary Jane will take a huge bite out of cigarette and alcohols sales; followed by a tremendous lose of tax revenues from both. There is not one state that can survive that kind of a hit; so I don’t expect to see legal marijuana any time soon.

If Mr. Happyweed does have a real shot at going legal let’s do it as quickly as possible. I would really like to see how the courts deal with the personal-use issue?

And won’t it be a kick watching anti-tobacco moralists sing a different tune when they see a chance to get behind a little legal steam?

You make a strong point about it not being able to be taxed. However I disagree that it will effect tobacco and alcohol sales. Many pot smokers add tobacco with their pot for joints, blunts, etc. And pot without booze is just as bad as booze without a cigarette. People will feel there is something missing and go buy them anyway. So it is likely that it wont have the effect you talk about.

I do agree that it will be impossible to tax it when people grow their own. However the taxes that wont be spent on drug offenders for pot might save enough that it wont matter. Plus you have to take into consideration that instant gratification is huge part of marketing. Sure people can grow, but that takes time. When they want a quick joint they will go buy it from a store. For much the same reason people still buy booze when they can make it at home.

Flanders.... I agree that Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana should all be treated the same. They should all be made completely illegal with a penalty for possession of immediate execution, sans trial.

Hopefully they'll make it legal soon. I wouldn't mind paying a tax for good, legal, hassle free weed. Maybe I'll go into business for myself.

The Government would still come out on top anyhow. Since they would not be spending billions of dollars on fascist policies to keep people from smoking it in the first place.