Marijuana Consumers Demand to Pay Taxes!

[Radic]

From NORML.ORG:

Marijuana Consumers Demand to Pay Taxes!

$14 billion dollar check presented to US Treasury represents "tax and regulate" boost to economy

 

New York, NY: On April 15, better known as Tax Day, at 8:00 AM representatives and supporters of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), including the organization's national director Allen St. Pierre, will stand on the steps of the General Post Office in Midtown Manhattan and present a check for $14 billion to the US Treasury Department.

 

http://norml.org/images/ezine/giant_novelty_check_sm.jpg

The check total is an estimate of what American taxpayers spend every year to maintain marijuana prohibition. According to the report "The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition in the United States", Americans spend some $6 billion on law enforcement costs related to enforcing marijuana laws. Taxing and regulating the production and sale of cannabis like alcohol products would reduce these costs while raising an estimated $8 billion in new tax revenue. That's according to Nobel Prize Winner Milton Friedman and over 500 other accredited economists.

 

"On a day when so many Americans lament having to pay state and federal income taxes, we're representing America's millions of otherwise law-abiding cannabis consumers—as well as supportive non-consumers—who're ready, willing, vocal and able to contribute this huge sum to our struggling economy, while providing truly 'green' jobs and allowing police to focus on more important priorities," says Allen St. Pierre, NORML's Executive Director. "All we ask in exchange for our $14 billion is the right to smoke our pot responsibly and in peace—just in the same way as the millions of daily consumers of alcohol products in our country."

 

WHO

Representatives of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, including NORML's national director Allen St. Pierre

 

WHAT

American cannabis consumers and anti-prohibitionists present a $14 billion check to the US Treasury.

 

WHEN

April 15th, 2009 at 8:00 AM (press conference with mock check) and 4:20 PM presentation of check with NORML supporters.

 

WHERE

The steps of the General Post Office in Manhattan

441 Eighth Ave

New York, NY

 

CONTACT FOR INTERVIEWS:

 

• Allen St. Pierre, NORML, 202-483-5500, media@norml.org
  
• Ruth Liebesman-Martinuk, Esq., NY NORML, 212-804-5740, NewYorkNorml@aol.com
  
• David Bienenstock, author of 'The Official High Times Pot Smoker's Handbook' and a senior editor at the magazine, 212-387-0500
  

References regarding the economics of cannabis legalization:

 

• http://www.canorml.org/background/CA_legalization2.html
  
• http://www.drugscience.org/Archive/bcr4/exec_summ.html
  
• http://www.cantaxreg.com (See: Revenue Potential and Economic Analysis, and Background Materials.
  

 

Gotta love dat

yes i

forward ever

free cannabis

free the world

[Morgaine]

Hey Radic

 

Thats awesome, wish I could be there for that !!!!!!

 

Hope it'll be on the world news - if the general population in the US realised how

much $$$ spent on prohibition of our herb, when they are fighting for food and housing,

there'd be a big big turn around on the issue I'm sure.

 

Much love

Morgz

[luciddreaming]

YES! awesome!

Just digged this story.... They did it and it was apparently getting news coverage, see if it gets here....