MJ legalization in CA

[Curt581]

Great. Now the US is going to have boneheaded jackasses walking around all day and night, doing nothing and saying stupid stuff. Sounds like fun.

We've already got that... it's called "U.S. Congress".

[retdetsgt]

We've already got that... it's called "U.S. Congress".

I don't think legalization of marijuana is going to have nearly the impact a lot of people are afraid it will. I suspect most of the people that will use the legal stuff are probably already using the illegal.

[Question321]

That's my thought too. It's readily available to anyone who wants it whether or not you go looking for it. So most people have just made the decision for themselves whether or not they want to do it.

Really it just seems the government would have the potential to profit off it and maybe find some good uses for the money.

[retdetsgt]

Really it just seems the government would have the potential to profit off it and maybe find some good uses for the money.

Taxing it would be tough. ATF would have to become MATF.

[Group9]

Taxing it would be tough. ATF would have to become MATF.

Not to mention, you would have to believe that the same people who aren't bothered by breaking the law and selling marijuana now, would be bothered by selling marijuana and breaking the law then.

[Question321]

The same way tobacco and alcohol were? Even if they continued to work illegally. Prices would drop significantly as legal shops opened which would have to impact their desire to run illegal operations. They'd attempt to evade taxes like any other industry, but I get what you're saying by they're already willing to break the law.

[Group9]

The same way tobacco and alcohol were? Even if they continued to work illegally. Prices would drop significantly as legal shops opened which would have to impact their desire to run illegal operations. They'd attempt to evade taxes like any other industry, but I get what you're saying by they're already willing to break the law.

Well, it hasn't really worked that way for liquor. Legal liquor is actually a lot more expensive than moonshine (which is still a big business). In your business model, why will people, especially the jobless underclass (who are the largest consumers of marijuana and all other illegal drugs), go pay more for legal marijuana that is taxed, rather than buy cheaper marijuana off the street that isn't? How would you practically enforce a tax on street sellers?

[retdetsgt]

The same way tobacco and alcohol were? Even if they continued to work illegally. Prices would drop significantly as legal shops opened which would have to impact their desire to run illegal operations. They'd attempt to evade taxes like any other industry, but I get what you're saying by they're already willing to break the law.

Marijuana is now grown covertly and will continue to be if it's taxed. As Group9 said, the government will tax it to the point that it will be a lot more expensive than the illicitly grown.

It's just a matter if the federal government decides if the money enforcing the tax is worth what they would collect from street dealers. The downside of busting them is it's going to put a lot of unskilled, uneducated on the unemployment rolls if they can't see dope....:eek:

Although you can bet R.J. Reynolds and such will dump tobacco fields for marijuana.

[acreature]

Aren't too many people illegally growing and selling tobacco. The BIG difference is that Weed gets you high. People will still grow and sell that... as was said, the govt weed would be more expensive, and the home grown will be cheaper.

[acreature]

Really it just seems the government would have the potential to profit off it and maybe find some good uses for the money.

Yes, the Government always finds good uses for money.

[acreature]

Although you can bet R.J. Reynolds and such will dump tobacco fields for marijuana.

And the altering the hell out of it so it's just as addicting as the tobacco they sell now.

[shark2k]

Taxing it would be tough. ATF would have to become MATF.

What would the M stand for? I can't figure it out.

-Shark2k

[retdetsgt]

What would the M stand for? I can't figure it out.

-Shark2k

Uh, marijuana.

[Question321]

Don't have to tax it to hell.... to start. Pull people in like tobacco. Start small and after the small people are beat out, then start cranking up the tax.

It would only take walmart selling weed to put any local dealers out of business.

[retdetsgt]

It would only take walmart selling weed to put any local dealers out of business.

Wal-Mart would only sell it if it comes from China.