The times they are a changing . . . about Marijuana laws

[haikuman]

I posted here for all the obvious reasons. *(:>*

7 May 2013 Last updated at 23:52 GMT
Will legalised marijuana lead to an economic boom?

By Lynsea Garrison
BBC News, Seattle, Washington


Marijuana is now legal in Washington state in the north-west of America. Will the sales kick-start an economic boom?

Kimberly Bliss and her wife, Kim Ridgway, have been looking for ways to get back on their feet.

The women lost their jobs when their mutual employers sold a struggling wholesale meat business during the recession. Two and a half years later, Ridgway has been unable to find stable work, while Bliss only works part-time.

[freeradical]

Not to worry.

The Obama administration and his henchman Eric Holder will come down hard on Washington and Colorado, just like they promised not to do in states with medical marijuana laws like California.

Hope and change...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvUziSfMwAw

[Lemon Drop]

freeradical wrote:
Not to worry.

The Obama administration and his henchman Eric Holder will come down hard on Washington and Colorado, just like they promised not to do in states with medical marijuana laws like California.

Hope and change...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvUziSfMwAw

..

never mind

it's a rapidly evolving issue, it's 2013, not 2008.

[cbelt3]

So when they're all Buds , the tax money will flow, right ? :biggrin:

If the illegal drug trade in the US is worth, oh, $100B, then legalizing it and taxing it will... hmm..

1- Drop the prices by a factor of 5. Market's then $20B
2- Tax it at 50%. Tax revenues of $10B.
3- Drop the "War on Drugs".... cost perhaps $70B
4- Free the prisoners busted for drugs ... cost perhaps $20B

Net savings to the US taxpayer.. Perhaps $100B.
That's over FIVE times the 'savings' from the "Sequestration" that took place and caused such turmoil.

And has no consideration of the net savings in suffering caused by drug cartels and violence, and the instability of various countries including Mexico.

[Mac-A-Matic]

cbelt3 wrote:
So when they're all Buds , the tax money will flow, right ? :biggrin:

If the illegal drug trade in the US is worth, oh, $100B, then legalizing it and taxing it will... hmm..

1- Drop the prices by a factor of 5. Market's then $20B
2- Tax it at 50%. Tax revenues of $10B.
3- Drop the "War on Drugs".... cost perhaps $70B
4- Free the prisoners busted for drugs ... cost perhaps $20B

Net savings to the US taxpayer.. Perhaps $100B.
That's over FIVE times the 'savings' from the "Sequestration" that took place and caused such turmoil.

And has no consideration of the net savings in suffering caused by drug cartels and violence, and the instability of various countries including Mexico.

Drop the "War on Drugs" is probably one of the bigger reasons why drugs are still outlawed. There's a lot of money being spent on that "war".

[decay]

Mac-A-Matic wrote:
[quote=cbelt3]
So when they're all Buds , the tax money will flow, right ? :biggrin:

If the illegal drug trade in the US is worth, oh, $100B, then legalizing it and taxing it will... hmm..

1- Drop the prices by a factor of 5. Market's then $20B
2- Tax it at 50%. Tax revenues of $10B.
3- Drop the "War on Drugs".... cost perhaps $70B
4- Free the prisoners busted for drugs ... cost perhaps $20B

Net savings to the US taxpayer.. Perhaps $100B.
That's over FIVE times the 'savings' from the "Sequestration" that took place and caused such turmoil.

And has no consideration of the net savings in suffering caused by drug cartels and violence, and the instability of various countries including Mexico.

Drop the "War on Drugs" is probably one of the bigger reasons why drugs are still outlawed. There's a lot of money being spent on that "war".
A LOT.

and many jobs because of it, too.

and let's not forget for-profit prisons put into place by crooked politicians.

[Bill in NC]

war on drugs will not end

even if all 50 states legalized pot 'importers' would just switch to coke & heroin instead.

doubt we'll see those legalized anytime soon

[Lemon Drop]

I'm sure you're right Bill in NC, crime will always find a way.

But we could change a lot that goes on on the other side of the equation. We don't need to ruin lives by putting people in jail because they had a small amount of pot for personal use. And we could focus on the public health issue of drugs and help people overcome addiction more than we do now.

[haikuman]

Lemon Drop wrote:
I'm sure you're right Bill in NC, crime will always find a way.

But we could change a lot that goes on on the other side of the equation. We don't need to ruin lives by putting people in jail because they had a small amount of pot for personal use. And we could focus on the public health issue of drugs and help people overcome addiction more than we do now.

Well said LD :agree: