I think so. It should be controlled and taxed. It would allow all of that money to be taxed fairly. It's political suicide.
Sure, to many people making too much $$$$ off something that grows in the ground, and could be taxed like beer and probally higher and it would still turn a profit for the goverment.
That's a good point. But even if there is just a sales tax it could collect millions of dollars that are currently being bypassed. And the dealers who don't pay income tax could be forced out of business.
It comes down to economics. Aside from tax purposes, there was a special on cable about the DEA and how they can't get ahead of the illegal marijuana farms in the US and in spite of a tremendous amount of man hours, they admit, they never will. If marijuana was legal in the US and regulated like alcohol it would cut down on the number of people crowding our courts and prisons and at the same time put a screeching halt to the smuggling of pot in from Mexico. Personally, I would rather share the highway with someone who is stoned over someone who is drunk any day of the week.
Based on numbers from 2002, the latest year for which complete data was available, the study found that taxpayers shelled out an average of $10,400 for each pot smoker plucked off the streets by police. Of this more than $7 billion annual total, police costs totaled $3.7 billion, court costs $853 million, and prison costs $3.1 billion. In the nation's two most populous states, California and New York, taxpayers are faced with an annual marijuana enforcement bill of more than $1 billion.
Sure, but I would want it to have the same restrictions as something like alcohol with an age requirement and driving under the influence consequences.
there are already driving under the influence consequences and the age should simply be if your 18 your old enough to make your own decision.
truth. Drinking age vs smoking age is stupid. If you're old enough to vote, fight for your country, and inhale cancer, you're old enough to drink afterwords.
I have to shake my head every time I pass through South of the Border on 501. They made gambling illegal in SC so all of those ex-video gaming places are now dirty book stores and massage parlors. SC - never allowing another state to be trashier than itself.
on the other hand, that's a lot of law enforcement and a lot of money that somebody is in control of, and you'll have a hell of a time getting it away from them....