legalize pot
- Thread starter gteeitup
- Start date
Sure. Tax the shit out of it and pull in some revenue. But, have to figure out a way to roadside test drivers for it. Also have to put restrictions on it like alcohol to prevent kids using it.
The only trouble I have is the fact that weed is very bad for some people. There are some people who can hold down a job, be a great parent and an overall productive member of society while being an everyday user. Then there are others that use it and their life falls apart. I guess that's the same with anything but legalizing pot will increase the number of people on govt assistance and the number of people with health problems. So I guess I'd vote to legalize it but I would want none of my taxes going to entitlement programs (unless those receiving govt assistance were restricted from using) and I don't want to pay for anyone else's healthcare either. But yeah, I'm down.
The only trouble I have is the fact that weed is very bad for some people. There are some people who can hold down a job, be a great parent and an overall productive member of society while being an everyday user. Then there are others that use it and their life falls apart. I guess that's the same with anything but legalizing pot will increase the number of people on govt assistance and the number of people with health problems. So I guess I'd vote to legalize it but I would want none of my taxes going to entitlement programs (unless those receiving govt assistance were restricted from using) and I don't want to pay for anyone else's healthcare either. But yeah, I'm down.
Yea, because I'm mostly in agreement with everything GSD said.
It's impossible not to. Life's unfair.
Legalize it - with the same reasons/reservations as GSD. Lots of tax revenue to be made, and will force the black market dealers out of business for the most part if people can get it legally and probably cheaper through a distributor. 18+, but if you receive any government assistance (State subsidized health care, unemployment, welfare, etc.) then you shouldn't be allowed to possess it (may be hard to enforce, but good in theory).
Yep. Legalize gambling too. It makes zero sense not to. We'll piss off the ghosts of our Puritan ancestors but so be it.
Yes. Given all that we know about it and have learned about it in the ~80 years since it was federally criminalized, it's absurd that people are still getting imprisoned and killed over it.
As far as all the caveats and restrictions mentioned above, it should be treated like alcohol, no worse.
As far as all the caveats and restrictions mentioned above, it should be treated like alcohol, no worse.
Well, it's a little worse in the sense that there are no apparent signs when someone has been using. And you can't have factory workers showing up to drive the forklift when their stoned. So there is definitely a difference between usage of the two and finding a way to battle the undetectable nature of pot usage would be a challenge.
Good point. Alcohol should be illegal for those on government assistance as well.
Disagree. Alcohol has essentially been "grandfathered in" because it pre-dates any form of U.S. federal government restrictions and taxation. Alcohol has been present before America was a country. If it had only recently been discovered, like weed, then it would and should be given the same taxation treatment (i.e. tax the shit out of it) as weed.
Pretty sure alcohol has its own taxes at the federal and state levels. I'm not opposed to pot being taxed. It's being taxed heavily in Washington and Colorado.
Are you being facetious here? Weed has been around a lot longer than the USA has been a country...
Yeah I wasn't quite sure what to make of that part. Martha Washington was a hip, hip lady.
Yeah but are y'all serious? You gonna try to say weed was even 20% as prevalent as alcohol before 1950?
We were replying to the words "present" and "discovered." Certainly alcohol was more common but you can't say weed didn't exist or hadn't been discovered.
^ Yes, what Julez said. Although I do agree with your general premise that it can be fairly heavily taxed, as sort of a "sin tax". Even though I'm against heavy taxation in general (I mean, I guess who isn't?), but I mean more that heavy taxing in order to provide money for government handouts isn't my cup of tea. Obviously we need tax revenue to pay for infrastructure, defense, schools, etc. And taxing things people use for enjoyment (especially those that could be potentially harmful) makes more sense than taxing someone's income.
I don't see any difference in terms of being "grandfathered in." Both are substances derived from natural products that have been used medicinally and recreationally for hundreds if not thousands of years. Both can have various levels of detrimental effects when not used in moderation.
Again, I'm not opposed to taxing it. Alcohol is taxed, cigarettes are taxed, weed can be taxed.
Again, I'm not opposed to taxing it. Alcohol is taxed, cigarettes are taxed, weed can be taxed.
This is funny I guess but you do know that cannabis was present in American society (not just Native American) long before the 20th century, right? You could buy it in the pharmacy.
Yeah this is why Republican voters such as myself hate taxation. Like you, I'm against heavy taxation, period. BUT....and this is a big 'but,' if the federal government could convince me that the revenue from heavy taxation would be used only for worthwhile things like infrastructure, defense, schools, and NOT handouts for people who don't do a damn thing to deserve it, then maybe, maybe I'd be okay with it. But as we know, that's pie in the sky thinking because the federal government is so wasteful.
Now that I think about it, my stance on heavily taxing weed is hypocritical and I accept that. It's hypocritical because I do not agree with "sin" taxes on cigs or alcohol. To me, that feels like, at best, the government attempting to legislate morality -- which I'm vehemently opposed to. At worst, it feels like what it really is, the government capitalizing on people (especially the poor) because they know people will always use tobacco and alcohol.
I'd be willing to except heavy taxation of gambling, just to get sports betting legal for goodness sake.
It's okay to just laugh
It was a joke.
Tell you what pegs the stupid meter is that not only is weed illegal here in nc, medicinal weed is as well. Think about this: when my 13 year old son shattered his clavicle they prescribed him oxycontin. Thats SYNTHETIC HEROIN!
PROVEN addictive and lethal when abused! Meanwhile a good adult friend of mine suffering from a kidney disease cant get pot prescribed to him to help ease the side effects of his medication.
Buncha morons.
PROVEN addictive and lethal when abused! Meanwhile a good adult friend of mine suffering from a kidney disease cant get pot prescribed to him to help ease the side effects of his medication.
Buncha morons.
Not sure I have much to add that hasn't been covered, but I'm pro-legalization. I'm a square who's never smoked, never plan on smoking, but I have no problem with it being legal, provided there is an age limit similar to cigarettes or alcohol, and you tax it so we can bring in green while selling green. I'm good with gambling too, since @TarHeelNation11 brought it up.
Yes, I don't agree with the government attempting to legislate morality either. But if given the choice between having heavier taxes on things like that, or income, I'd choose the "sin tax". The sin tax worked on me - as I've stated on here before, I quit dipping like 8 months ago or so now. One of the main reasons was how damn expensive it was getting. With the heavy taxes on tobacco in MA, I was paying close to $30 a week for dip (for "only" 3 tins) - which I thought was egregiously expensive. If we have taxation set up that way - if you want to lower your taxes, you just stop participating in "sinful" things like that (as opposed to bringing in less money if you want to lower your income tax) - and if you don't care, then keep on doing it.
I feel like gambling should be legal (I'm sure no one is surprised by that stance!) - and I feel like it should be treated exactly like investing in terms of taxes. Gains should be taxed as regular income (at least that's how they treat short term capital gains taxes), and gambling losses should be allowed to offset gambling gains (Say I win $10,000 on the Patriots winning the Super Bowl this year, but lose a $5000 prop bet on Cam Newton not acting like a douche bag this year - then I should only be taxed on a $5000 gambling gain at the end of the year).
(Also, damn you dude. I google image'd "casting gif" to try to find a gif of a dude casting a reel......and of course it comes up with casting couch gifs, so my huge computer monitor (at work!!) is littered with half naked girls on couches as well as a POV gif of a girl sucking **** Yikes. **Deletes history**)
I agree with most of that, although in general I'm not in favor of taxing things differently based on "sin." It's an awfully slippery slope in terms of the government dictating behavior through taxation, and taken to its extreme that's certainly not a very conservative view of the role of government. Whether you're going to use an income tax, a point-of-sale tax, or both, I'd prefer them to be applied equally across the board.
(Also, damn you dude. I google image'd "casting gif" to try to find a gif of a dude casting a reel......and of course it comes up with casting couch gifs, so my huge computer monitor (at work!!) is littered with half naked girls on couches as well as a POV gif of a girl sucking **** Yikes. **Deletes history**)
Apologies. I figured if were going to try to explain the whole offsetting gains thing - I might as well have some fun with it and have my winning bet be for my team, and my losing bet rustle some feathers on here.
I'm not a Panthers fan so "rustle" away [you were looking for "ruffle"]
[you were looking for "ruffle"]
See I get super annoyed when folks yell at me about decriminalizing it. Settle down hippie. You and I both know you already smoke it and don't get arrested for it.
That is actually already the case, Hark. You report gambling winnings as ordinary income and you are allowed to deduct your gambling losses to the extent of your winnings as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. You do have to be able to itemize deductions, however for this to be beneficial and you also have to reduce your miscellaneous deduction by 2% of your adjusted gross income.
Good point. I was somewhat aware of this (at least I knew that's how it worked with horse racing bets made at a track) - I should have assumed it was the same for casinos and the like.
If I actually reported any of my gambling gains/losses I probably would have recalled that
I just want it decriminalized/legalized along with all other drugs, at least at the possession level, to get people out of prison who dont belong there.
Weed should definitely be legal though. Recreational use is irrelevant. And as far as someone having a job where it could be detrimental to performance? Dont screw up on the job if you plan to get high. My wife is in health care as a clinician. If she got high in Colorado, came back to NC and a week later someone died on the OR table, shes in deep shit because her test would come back positive.
Oh well, she cant get high then. Such are the breaks for her for having a job that pays more than Louigi makes. She doesnt seem to mind though.
Weed should definitely be legal though. Recreational use is irrelevant. And as far as someone having a job where it could be detrimental to performance? Dont screw up on the job if you plan to get high. My wife is in health care as a clinician. If she got high in Colorado, came back to NC and a week later someone died on the OR table, shes in deep shit because her test would come back positive.
Oh well, she cant get high then. Such are the breaks for her for having a job that pays more than Louigi makes. She doesnt seem to mind though.
Marijuana doesn't make someone stupid. Ignorance makes someone stupid. Then there's just plain stupid. Marijuana can actually contribute to broadening a person's intellectual vistas. It all depends on the person.
Now, lazy? I dunno. I know some people that get more motivated and diligent when they get stoned. But, laziness is also not something that a drug creates in a person. The person creates that by themselves.
And what if it did make people lazy and stupid? At least its doesnt make people addicted to something that will KILL THEM like tobacco and alcohol do. Both perfectly legal.
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