Broke Politicians Now Considering Taxing Marijuana

What does it take for self-righteous citizens and do-gooder politicians to consider legalizing drugs (Marijuana)?  Being broke.

Why does it require financial reasons to finally consider the obvious and rational behavior?  People, we don’t need to be broke in order to realize that you can’t regulate the personal behavior of people, and put millions of people in jail for smoking something.

We’ve legalized alcohol and cigarettes, there’s no difference with pot.

Will the citizenry and politicians consider legalizing prostitution if financial circumstances require their sisters, mothers and aunts to find a 2nd job?  Let’s have laws that make sense and can be enforced.  Not laws that bankrupt the legal and judicial system.

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LA Times Blog Article
A pot tax?
4:06 PM | July 15, 2009

We all knew marijuana was a big business. But now, amid California’s latest and deepest financial crisis, the state Board of Equalization has put a revenue figure on the cannabis trade – and the potential benefit to government coffers.

A tax on pot sales in California could fetch as much as $1.4 billion, according to the board’s analysis in response to a proposal by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) that would regulate cannabis much like alcohol.

Pro-pot groups ballyhooed the report as another sign that the long debate over marijuana legalization has entered a new, more serious phase. The Drug Policy Alliance said the report “amplifies the escalating national discussion of marijuana policy.”

Ammiano’s measure is staunchly opposed by law enforcement groups, but the lawmaker argues that it would generate much-needed revenue for the state, restrict access to only those over 21, end environmental damage caused to public lands by illicit crops and redirect police efforts to “more serious” crimes.

— Eric Bailey in Sacramento

Link:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/07/a-pot-tax.html