California would become the first state in the nation to legalize marijuana for recreational use under a bill introduced today by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco.
The proposal would regulate marijuana like alcohol, with people over 21 years old allowed to grow, buy, sell and possess cannabis – all of which is barred by federal law.
Ammiano said taxes and other fees that accompany regulation could put more than a billion dollars a year into state coffers at a time when revenues continue to decline. He said he anticipates the federal government could soften its stance on marijuana under the Obama administration.
“We could in fact have the political will to do something, and certainly in the meantime this is a public policy call and I think it’s worth the discussion,” Ammiano said. “I think the outcome would be very healthy for California and California’s economy.”
Man if I were one of those people in the green triangle growing pot in a closet somewhere I would be firmly against this. This would be a disaster for their whole way of life.
Oh please, if anybody actually gave a shit about California’s economy they would overturn the ban on gay marriage.
“The State of California stands to earn more than $684.6 million over the next three years due to weddings and tourism generated by the legalization of same-sex marriages. It will create new jobs and generate revenue for state and local government. From 2008-2010, spending on tourism and weddings by same-sex couples would boost California’s economy by over $63.8 million, creating almost 2,200 new jobs. The state stands to gain $8.8 million from marriage license fees alone.”
Source: http://citizeneconomists.com/blogs/2008/07/16/positive-economic-impact-of-same-sex-marriages/
Finally some common sense. We’ve been jailing millions for a drug considered to be about as dangerous as beer or asprin. I hope it passes.
Time to move to Cali and start a Victory garden.
It doesn’t matter how much revenue CA brings in. The leg will overspend. That’s been proven for the last 15 years. Ca doesn’t have a revenue problem. CA has a spending problem. It is already legal to buy and grow pot in CA. Spend a few $ and get a doctors note. Cheaper than paying tax on the pot.
As long as they keep the gay marriage ban I wouldn’t see a problem with it.
#2 Bond,
The Mormons would never allow that to happen, they might as well force themselves to spend their vacations for a while trying to brainwash the authorities that is more profitable to cater to Bible thumpers.
Gotta love the source: thinkprogress.org
Yeah, they don’t have a bias.
I wonder if the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms division of the Treasury are going to be running the tax collection outfit – or if the tax funds are likely to stay in California?
As safe as asprin it isn’t. Smoking a joint a day amounts to smoking a pack a day as for as lung damage goes. That’s planted a lot of people one of whom I watched die as in take their last breath. However by dying younger they help Social Security balance its books.
Not sure if its safer than booze or not but considering the number of dead bodies, divorces, and such it has created I’d say than is damning with faint praise.
To fight crime I might go for it but I’d also stick a tatoo on the dope heads.
A lot of dope heads can’t get jobs any more because they can’t pass the drug test.
So how will they get their money? Same place as always. Steal.
If people want to pay good money to ruin their lives and die young who am I to prevent them form winning their Darwin award?
I doubt very much the government unions would approve. If dope is legalized there would be a lot of unemployed jailers, policemen, judges and attorneys. Not to mention the fact that Democrat lawmakers would see their donation income stream greatly reduced.
The only way that a tax on marijuana would bring in any revenue would be if someone actually collected the tax from either the growers or the dealers.
We already have a federal government agency that goes after people who smuggle cigarettes: It’s called the ATF. So all this would do is lead to a massive amount of new government spending to pay for the ATF to kick in doors across the state.
Legalizing marijuana is a good idea. But don’t think you’ll get people to pay tax on something they can grow in the basement.
In your dreams! #12 is right.
I live in Mendocino County and our county would be bankrupt without pot, it is 2/3 of our economy, according to the county finance office. Let the growers declare their income and pay taxes. Get the prices down and get the crime out of it.
There are all kinds of people involved in growing pot. Highly placed city and county employees get busted with tens of pounds and eventually charges are dropped. Legalization would be better and might get the Mexican Nationals to go back to growing in Mexico.
#12 Chuck
Bad news to all the home brewers out there.
If its available legally at a reasonable price down the local shops, who’s gonna bother growing it?
Nothing puts the economic crisis in perspective quite like cannabis.
#15, Hugh,
A lot of people would still grow their own. The same as those who grow their own vegie gardens.
You just can’t beat going out to your garden and picking some fresh bud, drying it out, and serving it fresh with a little wine.
#10, deowll,
Smoking a joint a day amounts to smoking a pack a day as for as lung damage goes.
Bullshit.
When Ammiano was a SF Supervisor, his stupidity was limited to the city of SF. Now, elected to the CA legislature by his gay constituents, the entire state has to put up with this asshole.
Well.. If you can grow and smoke I’m sure nobody is going to pay tax on # of plants, especially ones who smokes.
But not everyone is going to grow it, you can brew your own beer, you can grow your own orange/apple/tobacco and all the vegetables you need but people still buy them at the store.
Growing good quality weed is not as easy, you think, you have to invest on a tons of equipments and pay for electricity. Most people will just go to local pot store and buy some and tax will be added on when you made purchase.
Legalize Meth and tax it if you want to generate 10 Billion $
Money is all that matters!
# 18 Mr. Fusion said, “Bullshit.”
Correct.
However, http://newsday.com/news/health/ny-hspot17-nws,0,788749.story
#17 Ralph
I concur. Except all the angst and paranoia due to its legal status kinda takes the shine off.
However that vast majority of people will probably just buy it, thus generating tax revenue.
For crying out loud! Smoking marijuana doesn’t make you steal..there is a difference between “doing drugs” and smoking a reefer..it’s an herb…you can just grow it in the dirt with a seed. Lung cancer? Isn’t that for the individual to decide for themselves? Cigarettes are certainly legal..as for booze vs pot…I vote for pot simply because alcohol is notorius for breeding violence. It’s a known fact that pot is everywhere..why are we filling up our prisons and ruining our kids lives(who will always check it out)by throwing them in jail and giving them a record over something we all know is an HERB? Wouldn’t you rather see booze and DRUGS illegal and go back to “Make love not war”..”flower power”, back to the basics of organic & not synthetic? Weed will ALWAYS be here & your kids will ALWAYS be exposed to it..maybe its time we look at finding a way to fight the drug war by getting everyone to smoke weed and eat doritos.
[Poppies are just flowers that grow in the dirt from a seed… – ed.]
# 25 bohemiansooap said, “Smoking marijuana doesn’t make you steal..there is a difference between “doing drugs” and smoking a reefer..it’s an herb…”
And, opium is a flower. Bad justification. Also, shows lack of education.
#10, deowll, “Smoking a joint a day amounts to smoking a pack a day as for as lung damage goes.”
Nonsense. Studies have shown that people inhale marijuana smoke directly into the lungs and hold it there for a while. Tobacco smokers normally cool the smoke in their mouths for a moment before taking it into their lungs and then exhale rather quickly. This hot smoke damages the cilia and lining of your respiratory tract. I believe Mr Fusion has pointed you to one such study.
The real point here, though, is California (like most states) has established a tax base that is heavily reliant on tobacco while at the same time doing whatever it can to deny people the use of that tobacco. Now they need to replace that lost revenue. And they should probably be able to get away with taxing it at a much higher rate than tobacco or alcohol. Damn the effect on the public health!
Personally, I’m sick to death of seeing people go to jail or lose their jobs for smoking a little weed. I am in favor of decriminalizing it but for god’s sake let’s not claim it’s healthier than other sins.
What I don’t understand is how the state is going to tax the sales of pot. If they are allowing people to grow and sell their own pot (which people already DO!) how are they going to collect taxes from private sales? It’s not like they are earning any tax revenue from illegal sales of it as it is. I don’t think drug pushers will start paying sales tax.
The only way this would work is if it went commercial. Like buying cigarettes and beer at a local liquor store, you can tax the fuck out of them, rather than buying dime bags from your stoner friend.
Ok, so pot becomes legal and is taxed, just like beer, booze and tobacco. They start jacking up the tax, like they did with tobacco, claiming “health reasons”. People getting pulled over for traffic violations and they start doing drug tests, just like they do for booze. So on and so forth…
Sounds like were just exchanging one “minor problem” for many more “problems”.
Hey, if it’s just about the money, let’s start taxing the internet, couldn’t be any harder than taxing home grown pot…
#6 you’re a douchebag
#10 that’s wrong.
#12 exactly my thinking!
#22 It wouldn’t generate billions. It can only do that when it’s contraband on the black market. Once it’s legal and commercialized the price would drop like a rock to be competitive.
#25 Um no, if you tried to smoke another plant it could cause a lot of harm, if not kill you. Just because it’s “natural” dosen’t mean it still can’t harm or kill you.
>>>> Down with Pot Prohibition! <<<<
#26 Paddy da Troll
Are you inferring that opium / heroin makes you steal? People only steal to feed their habit because its ILLEGAL and very EXPENSIVE, not to mention cut with god know what on the street.
Personally I’d rather see junkies high, healthy and happy rather than strung out and stealing my shit or in jail learning to steal my shit quicker and better.