California mulls cannabis tax

[freddie]

California mulls cannabis tax

February 24, 2009

 

SACRAMENTO, California: Could cannabis be a salvation for California's fiscal misfortunes?

 

A member of California's state assembly is introducing legislation to do just that: make California the first state to tax and regulate recreational marijuana.

 

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano from San Francisco says it is time to reap some state revenue while putting a damper on drug use by teens, cutting police costs and even helping Mother Nature.

 

"I know the jokes are going to be coming, but this is not a frivolous issue," said Mr Ammiano, a Democrat elected to the assembly in November. "California always takes the lead - on gay marriage, the sanctuary movement, medical marijuana."

 

Anti-drug groups are anything but amused by the idea of California collecting a windfall from the leafy herb that remains illegal under federal law.

 

Calvina Fay, executive director of Save Our Society From Drugs, said: "Legalising drugs like this would create a whole new set of costs for society."

 

Mr Ammiano's measure essentially would replicate the regulatory structure used for alcohol, with taxed sales barred to anyone under 21.

 

He said it would allow police to focus on more serious crimes while keeping marijuana away from teenagers.

 

The environment would benefit, too, he said, by uprooting destructive pot plantations that denude fragile ecosystems.

 

By some estimates, California's pot crop is a $US14 billion ($22 billion) industry. On that figure, the proposal could mean upward of $US1 billion in tax revenue each year.

 

After posting a $42 billion budget deficit, "generating new revenue is crucial to the state's long-term fiscal health", said Betty Yee, California's Board of Equalisation chairwoman, who supports Mr Ammiano's proposal.

 

Also in support of opening debate on the issue is the retired Orange County Superior Court judge James Gray, a longtime legalisation proponent.

 

"I'm a martini guy myself," Mr Ammiano said. "But I think it's time for California to look at this in a truly deliberative fashion."

 

Los Angeles Times

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world...5237688318.html

[larfin1]

Just goes to show how hypocritical most governments are, and proves the old adage, they can not tax it so they illegalise it.

 

pot should not be taxed, hands off free pot for everyone is my dream world.

nb thanks for the info i will be using that ....

[Radic]

check here for a copy

cannabis legalization Bill pdf

 

dem charge like a bull at a gate

US$50 per oz

thats about US$10 a gram on the street

that sux

apart from dat

the bill looks wicked

 

yes Cali leads the way

gotta love dat

 

forward ever Cannabis

heal de people

heal da land

[Mouse Inana]

Yeah, but everything gets taxed, at least its being legalized (hopefully).

[Radic]

well acause that is strictly for local cali cops

the feds will still bust ya in cali

so is upto obamma to call the shotz for the feds

and he has allready said he is not in favour of cannabis legalization

unless we can change his mind pon that one

thats the way its going to be

 

it will be interesting to see how he daels wid it

 

he has set the powers in motion to stop the DEA form raiding the medicinal cannabis clubs

gotta love dat

as rick simson said

show me a disease that cannabis cant cure

the lid is open now all will be reviealed

[jabez]

They could charge $100 a OZ and it would still end up costing less if there was a legal market!

 

This a awesome time for legalization as long as everything comes together right. Over 40% of Americans want to make it legal, Obama has implied he will be backing off the traditional all in "war on drugs", the UN have just met in Vienna to determine the international drug policy for the next 10 years (there 1998 policy of creating a drug free world in 10 years has clearly failed) which is suppost to released on the 11th of march (which will hopfully have a more realistic policy of harm reduction) and then they will be voting on the AB 309 bill on the 26th of march.

[Ryant1234]

Hopefully California will lead the way, and I'm sure it will if this gets through..

[Koselitz]

It's a beginning...