December 19, 200619 yr http://news.kypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061218/NEWS02/612180380/1014 He argues that the data support his push to begin treating cannabis like tobacco and alcohol by legalizing and reaping a tax windfall from it, while controlling production and distribution to better restrict use by teenagers.
December 19, 200619 yr It is this states top cash crop.. However I don't think it could be effectively taxed regardless. There would still be a 'black market' for it and a lot of smokers would probably just grow their own.
December 19, 200619 yr It is this states top cash crop.. However I don't think it could be effectively taxed regardless. There would still be a 'black market' for it and a lot of smokers would probably just grow their own. And this doesn't happen already. What is the difference?
December 20, 200619 yr Author It is this states top cash crop.. However I don't think it could be effectively taxed regardless. There would still be a 'black market' for it and a lot of smokers would probably just grow their own. Not if the government had the market. They could sell it so cheap the black market would die. Our jails would open up and put non-violent offenders on the street, we'd pay less taxes in other areas, less people would die in drug deals, and for the state of KY's farmers they'd have the opportunity to farm again.
December 20, 200619 yr And this doesn't happen already. What is the difference? That's my point.. How can the government effectively tax it if people are just going to grow their own anyway?
December 20, 200619 yr Not if the government had the market. They could sell it so cheap the black market would die. Our jails would open up and put non-violent offenders on the street, we'd pay less taxes in other areas, less people would die in drug deals, and for the state of KY's farmers they'd have the opportunity to farm again. How would you suggest they control the market? They can't even controll it now.
December 20, 200619 yr Author How would you suggest they control the market? They can't even controll it now. They can sell it for CHEAP!!!! A pack of cigs cost 3 bucks. Why couldn't the government sell similiar pack for 5-10 dollars? The black market is driven off of cash and without big money it wouldn't be a market at all. I'm not for this at all, but the government could tax it to death and pay a lot of bills.
December 20, 200619 yr Author That's my point.. How can the government effectively tax it if people are just going to grow their own anyway? How many cigarette smokers grow their own tobacco? How many beer drinkers grow their own hops? Who grows their own garden period?
December 20, 200619 yr "With four times the square miles and eight times the population, California is a much larger state than Kentucky, and its marijuana production is much larger, too, being valued at $13.8 billion this year versus Kentucky's $4.47 billion. Kentucky's pot crop, however, is sufficient to rank third nationally for outdoor production ($4.37 billion) and ninth for indoor production ($104.5 million)" http://news.kypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061218/NEWS02/612180376/1014
December 20, 200619 yr That's my point.. How can the government effectively tax it if people are just going to grow their own anyway? They can get the big guys which is what they are going after anyways.
December 20, 200619 yr That's my point.. How can the government effectively tax it if people are just going to grow their own anyway?The same way they control tobacco. You have to be licensed and have you tobacco card for the amount you can grow. There would of course be a de minimis, but I'm sure it would be a very low amount.
December 21, 200619 yr I understand what you all are saying.. But, anyone that grows it could sell it cheap, they just currently do not because they controll the market.. I also understand that the government could make it illegal to grow without a proper license, but if people don't care to break the law and grow it now, what's going to stop them from doing it later? I personally don't care whether it is legal or not. But I don't believe the government would or will ever have controll of it. Look at other countries that have made it legal, do their governments controll the market? Sure don't, and there is a reason for that.
December 21, 200619 yr Author I understand what you all are saying.. But, anyone that grows it could sell it cheap, they just currently do not because they controll the market.. I also understand that the government could make it illegal to grow without a proper license, but if people don't care to break the law and grow it now, what's going to stop them from doing it later? I personally don't care whether it is legal or not. But I don't believe the government would or will ever have controll of it. Look at other countries that have made it legal, do their governments controll the market? Sure don't, and there is a reason for that. The government wouldn't have complete control, but if it were legal they could tax it and regulate it.
December 21, 200619 yr I understand what you all are saying.. But, anyone that grows it could sell it cheap, they just currently do not because they controll the market.. I also understand that the government could make it illegal to grow without a proper license, but if people don't care to break the law and grow it now, what's going to stop them from doing it later? If they control it like tobacco, the government will make it punitively expensive to sell it on the black market. The fines and jail time alone will make possession look like a parking ticket. Add on top of that the much lower costs of buying it on the market, and there won't be a profitable black market.
December 21, 200619 yr My personal view is that any mind-numbing or changing substance should not be legal. Too many of today's youth use it to escape from reality instead of facing their situations and learning to deal and handle them.
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