Effort building to change US pot laws

[Heath]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130204/DA482F300.html

SEATTLE (AP) - An effort is building in Congress to change U.S. marijuana laws, including moves to legalize the industrial production of hemp and establish a hefty federal pot tax.

While passage this year could be a longshot, lawmakers from both parties have been quietly working on several bills, the first of which Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado plan to introduce Tuesday, Blumenauer told The Associated Press.

Polis' measure would regulate marijuana the way the federal government handles alcohol: In states that legalize pot, growers would have to obtain a federal permit. Oversight of marijuana would be removed from the Drug Enforcement Administration and given to the newly renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms, and it would remain illegal to bring marijuana from a state where it's legal to one where it isn't.

The bill is based on a legalization measure previously pushed by former Reps. Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Ron Paul of Texas.

Blumenauer's bill would create a federal marijuana excise tax of 50 percent on the "first sale" of marijuana - typically, from a grower to a processor or retailer. It also would tax pot producers or importers $1,000 annually and other marijuana businesses $500.

His office said Monday it doesn't yet have an estimate of how much the taxes might bring in. But a policy paper Blumenauer and Polis are releasing this week suggests, based on admittedly vague estimates, that a federal tax of $50 per ounce could raise $20 billion a year. They call for directing the money to law enforcement, substance abuse treatment and the national debt.

Last fall's votes in Colorado and Washington state to legalize recreational marijuana should push Congress to end the 75-year federal pot prohibition, Blumenauer said.

Washington state officials have estimated that its legal marijuana market could bring in about half a billion dollars a year in state taxes.

[CYF]

$50 an ounce tax???

[CyberHustler]

Blue manure

[bean-aid]

Originally Posted by CYF

$50 an ounce tax???

Shit... the kind was $350 an ounce back in 1995. I think those prices are still about the same, maybe cheaper. So add $50 to what base price? I don't think it's that big a deal. Now how do I get all the fines back that I had to pay when getting caught?

[Joshua G]

the cop lobby will never let their source of free pot go down...

[bronco67]

Just what I need. Something that could embolden me to smoke more weed.

[magicmike]

they are taking steps in the right direction.

[Mr Pheer]

I'm not a pot smoker or a pot opponent, but it just seems really stupid not to allow industrial use of hemp.

[bronco67]

Originally Posted by Mr Pheer

I'm not a pot smoker or a pot opponent, but it just seems really stupid not to allow industrial use of hemp.

It also seems stupid to demonize a plant that has actual healing properties and makes you feel good. Alcohol poisons people and turns them into assholes and its not only legal, but pushed in our faces with advertising. Pharm drugs are ok to push on people, even with all of the side effects and deaths they cause. But weed is this thing people still can't get over.

Its one of the biggest cases of brainwashing in the history of our society.

[Matt 26z]

Originally Posted by Mr Pheer

it just seems really stupid not to allow industrial use of hemp.

The cotton and timber industries played a big role in getting hemp plants included in the marijuana ban. Congress pushed it through even though smoking hemp doesn't make you high. It's really one of the worst cases of congress looking out for big business at the sacrifice of America.

Things may be different now that the textile industry has moved overseas and paper production isn't as sacred as it once was.

[AsianDivaGirlsWebDude]

I remember when this song first came out, and legalization was just a pipe (bong) dream...



Legalize it!



ADG

[arock10]

What would all the bored cops do that wont be able to bust kids for weed any more?

[DTK]

The for-profit prison industry will fight this hard. Actually, a lot of industries will..

[purecane]

Originally Posted by CYF

$50 an ounce tax???

fuck, there goes my discount....

[geedub]

I can't believe all these loser stoners actually want to pay more taxes. Fucking idiots.

[SuckOnThis]

Originally Posted by arock10

What would all the bored cops do that wont be able to bust kids for weed any more?

Its not just that, cops love the fact that they can search any vehicle or person, and in some cases bust your front door down and all they have to claim is they smelled marijuana.

[Redrob]

But, local governments are working hard to eliminate tobacco smoking for millions of existing users.......go figure.

[candyflip]

How will they tax the greens I will grow in my basement and smoke all myself?

[Best-In-BC]

Originally Posted by candyflip

How will they tax the greens I will grow in my basement and smoke all myself?

Me too, but im sure they will make it ridiculously illegal to grow it.

[Rochard]

I'm very anti drug and don't smoke pot myself and even I can't figure out why it's illegal. Make it legal, tax it, and instead of paying for the housing of everyone arrested for pot related offenses set them free and let them pay taxes. Win win win.

[LeRoy]

Start investing ;)

http://www.smallcapnetwork.com/Time-...p/mid/2/id/99/

[Joshua G]

Originally Posted by Best-In-BC

Me too, but im sure they will make it ridiculously illegal to grow it.

yeah. there may come a time where people who grow for themselves wish it was never legalized. or people who buy it legal think the price is too high.

[Heath]

A lot of good points, especially the fact alcohol is FARRRRR worse than weed. Yet that's legal.

As for the tax, $50 is nothing in comparison to what you already pay unless your dealer is an idiot or you buy in bulk (over 1lb at a time). Just saying.

[DTK]

Originally Posted by Rochard

I'm very anti drug and don't smoke pot myself and even I can't figure out why it's illegal. Make it legal, tax it, and instead of paying for the housing of everyone arrested for pot related offenses set them free and let them pay taxes. Win win win.

Unless you own private prisons,
or your company/organization makes money from the $50bil/year 'War on (some) Drugs',
or you're in the timber/paper business
or you're in the textile business
etc
etc

Of course i agree with you, but in this country, making sense is out of fashion.

[Heath]

Originally Posted by DTK

Unless you own private prisons,
or your company/organization makes money from the $50bil/year 'War on (some) Drugs',
or you're in the timber/paper business
or you're in the textile business
etc
etc

Of course i agree with you, but in this country, making sense is out of fashion.

Agreed. This is exactly why some great inventions never make it.