HR 5843 Personal Use Marijuana

[MikeFlynn74]

H.R. 5843, an "Act to Remove Federal Penalties for Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults," has been inroduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Barney Frank and Ron Paul.

Would be very interesting to see a good valid arguement against this. But we all know where this is going.

 

[MULE]

H.R. 5843, an "Act to Remove Federal Penalties for Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults," has been inroduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Barney Frank and Ron Paul.

Would be very interesting to see a good valid arguement against this. But we all know where this is going.

Imagine the tax possibilities.....

EDIT: If Marijuana was legal

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

Imagine the tax possibilities.....

EDIT: If Marijuana was legal

You know I was talking to a friend about this last night. leagilizing and taxing the crap out of pot could empty out our over crowded prisions of some non-violent criminals, and provide enough tax income to.... Oh I dont know.... Better fund our schools? Lower the personal income tax? Expand the immigration and naturilization service so it dosn't take someone 12 years to become a citizen leagaly? Provide healthcare to US citizens?

 

[the_bird]

I just love that it's being spondered by BARNEY FREAKIN' FRANK and RON FREAKIN' PAUL. They don't get much more diametrically opposed that those two!

 

[EdWort]

Better fund our schools?

Our schools are funded just fine, they just don't know how to use it properly. We throw more and more money on schools every year and kids continue to do poorly. The Unions answer is MORE MONEY.

It's BS. In Europe, the money follows the student, so schools need to be competitive or the money leaves as goes the students.

Schools don't need more money, they just need to get rid of the NEA so incompetent teachers can be sacked and boated administrations can be trimmed.

 

[jezter6]

While I like the idea of legalization and taxation - we've seen what they've done to tobacco.

Even if the government would legalize and tax the crap out of it - people would still find the cheaper alternative. The way the government would work, it would cost $45 a joint after taxes and surcharges and fees. Meanwhile, your local dealer can probably sell you a half Z for that price.

Of course, once the gov't sets a price, the dealers will probably up their prices too making it too expensive to smoke.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

jezter thats a chance Im willing to take!

 

[jezter6]

jezter thats a chance Im willing to take!

I see both sides of this one. Yes, I would like it to be legal so that I didn't have to meet someone at 2am in a dark parking lot and be fearful of the cops. I would like to take a drug test for work and not worry about pot being caught and me losing my job.

However, I'm also not looking forward to paying ungodly expensive rates for what really is a low class drug. I like smoke, it's good stuff - but if they end up making it so expensive that the people who currently smoke it can't afford it (let's just say it - in general it's the lower-middle class to poverty level that are the hefty percentage of smokers) - it isn't going to do any good.

I think that legalizing it will allow people like you, who CAN afford it, to smoke a few times - you'll likely get bored of it once it's legal and you'll stop. Meanwhile, your less than decent part of humanity will still be breaking into cars and houses to steal CDs and DVDs and selling them for drugs - the only difference is where they get them.

For legal marijuana to have a net positive effect, it needs to be easily accessible to the masses at a price that doesn't cause people to turn to drastic measures (steal, stop feeding their families) to support their smoking habit.

 

[MULE]

I'd like to see what a bottle of booze cost during prohibition. I would think cost will be dependant on supply and demand just like everything else.

 

[the_bird]

A lot would depend on HOW marijuana was legalized - totally free market, or got-to-some-government-agency-to-pick-it-up legalized. Reasonably unregulated, I bet you'd see the market develop like the markets for tobacco or liquor, where you've got both the ultra-cheap, ultra-nasty stuff and really high-end product.

You've got to figure, too, that SOMEONE's making a huge profit on pot sales right now, probably not the street dealer but someone's making a lot of money. You figure there's a huge premium to be had because of the punishment if arrested and because of the artificial scarcity.

What the NEED to do is include it in the farm bill - how much would it help poor farmers up here in New England to be able to LEGALLY grow some pot on the side?

 

[jezter6]

A lot would depend on HOW marijuana was legalized - totally free market, or got-to-some-government-agency-to-pick-it-up legalized. Reasonably unregulated, I bet you'd see the market develop like the markets for tobacco or liquor, where you've got both the ultra-cheap, ultra-nasty stuff and really high-end product.

You've got to figure, too, that SOMEONE's making a huge profit on pot sales right now, probably not the street dealer but someone's making a lot of money. You figure there's a huge premium to be had because of the punishment if arrested and because of the artificial scarcity.

What the NEED to do is include it in the farm bill - how much would it help poor farmers up here in New England to be able to LEGALLY grow some pot on the side?

I agree, however I see problems with that - mainly theft. Farmers can grow what they can because stealing a potato or two isn't really viable since you can buy them for less than $1 at the store.

I see a lot of people sneaking into MJ farms at night stealing buds left and right.

 

[Greggy]

I am all for decriminalization of marijuana even though I have never touched the stuff in my life; however, I don't think it stands a chance to pass.

Greg

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Jezter

You really seem ultra paranoid about over paying than you do all the good that it would likely bring. Grow a plant or 2 in the house to support your habit when its legal.

I highly doubt pot smokers are the agressive thieves you make them out to be.

 

[jezter6]

I'm poor, and I'm anti-government.

I'm sure that, to make money, home growing will still likely be illegal if a legalization act ever passes.

But mostly - I'm anti government. I think our elected reps have screwed the pooch so many times, that I can't honestly trust them to do this with any decency to the American people. It will likely benefit the rich at the expense of the poor, which I am personally against.

Aside from the availability standpoint, I don't necessarily see much in the way of positive benefits for the consumer. I see the government taxing the crap out of it to pay for what - the war on other drugs. We all like to assume that the money will go towards good things like schools or reducing other taxes - but the way our government runs - the new revenue stream would be spend on new programs that aren't necessary.

 

[MULE]

I see a lot of people sneaking into MJ farms at night stealing buds left and right.

Kind of like corn, green beans and hops. Sorry for the joke, I couldn't resist.

 

[mr x]

Some historic pics of tax stamps:

http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/stamps.htm
http://marijuanastamps.com/state-stamps.htm

 

[jezter6]

Kind of like corn, green beans and hops. Sorry for the joke, I couldn't resist.

Of course not. :cross:

However, as I stated above - nobody steals those items becaue they have extremely low value and are easy to get at low low value at the grocery store.

If weed was sold in an 8oz bag for $5 like pre-mixed salad - nobody would think twice. However, I personally doubt that it will be remotely that available/cheap under any US laws...

 

[jds]

Am I the only one who gets a grin out of the oxymoron in the bill title?

Act to Remove Federal Penalties for Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults

Personally, I wish it were legalized. I gave it up in college after I figured out it made me dumber for several days after, but I don't see why people who want it should be denied. We spend way too much public money chasing the green demon away.

 

[kornkob]

Jezter

You really seem ultra paranoid about over paying than you do all the good that it would likely bring. Grow a plant or 2 in the house to support your habit when its legal.

I highly doubt pot smokers are the agressive thieves you make them out to be.

Perhaps not the seasoned, middle aged guy who likes to spark it up but if you think that the high school kids wouldn't be staging elaborate late night raids on crops then you are kidding yourself.

They need to specifically legalize the rock salt defensive measure at the same time that they open up weed for farmers.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

They need to specifically legalize the rock salt defensive measure at the same time that they open up weed for farmers.

Stealing is stealing. Steel Shot IMO

 

[Fingers]

Am I the only one who gets a grin out of the oxymoron in the bill title?

I don't get it. Are you saying to be an adult is to be irresponsible, or are you saying all pot use is irresponsible? Either way I can't say that I agree with you. There's no oxymoron there. Equating all use with abuse is a false dichotomy.

 

[the_bird]

The natural answer to the theft issue is that if it's a problem, farmers will put up greenhouses that they can secure. I would imagine that any legalization would also be fairly highly regulated (well, maybe not, if Ron Paul is involved), potentially requiring that some security measures be implemented to keep it out of the hands of minors.

The market will figure all of that out. If it's legalized, kids won't have to break in any more than they need to break into a liquor store to get beer; just have someone's older brother pick you up some.

 

[jezter6]

If it's legalized, kids won't have to break in any more than they need to break into a liquor store to get beer; just have someone's older brother pick you up some.

For the 'finished goods' part of it - yeah. But brewers also don't have fields upon fields of cans of beer ripe for the picking. If beer DID work that way - kids would be sneaking into fields grabbing a 30 pack and partying their brains out.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

OMG seriously what is your problem?

Legalize it- Hell its not stopping any of the kids from getting it today.

 

[the_bird]

It's an issue that would need to be addressed, but it's workable. Hell, chain link fences and razor wire would work, too! Maybe keep some of those untrainable pit bulls with biting issues on premises

 

[MikeFlynn74]

untrainable pit bulls with biting issues on premises

*must resist urge to stab*

lol that was funny

 

[MULE]

untrainable pit bulls with biting issues on premises

Didn't this can of worms get opened in another thread? LOL!

 

[jezter6]

OMG seriously what is your problem?

Legalize it- Hell its not stopping any of the kids from getting it today.

We just have different opinions on the idea. I support legalization, but I just don't trust our government in how they do it. Relax, smoke up a bowl or two, and realize we're both on the same side in the end, but we don't have to get into any fights over it.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Relax, smoke up a bowl or two, and realize we're both on the same side in the end, but we don't have to get into any fights over it

I dont care what they do- As long as I can without fear of the man ruining my life.

sigh... Personally they should only be allowed to legislate this type of stuff if they went through random weekly drug testing

 

[david_42]

One of the reasons that the early US government didn't try taxing marijuana is it is too easy to grow. I've got no problems with legalization and I suspect the marketing types will have no problem convincing people the brand-names are better. The one person I know that is using for medical reasons has trouble finding pot that works for him. Most growers try to maximize THC and it's some other chemical that he needs.