Pat Robertson endorses decriminalizing marijuana

#27
#27
utvolpj said:
the costs built in because it's illegal will be gone and I seriously doubt taxes make up that hole. Plus very few people I know smoke just because it's illegal
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I'm not in favor of legalization, but arguing that taxing it won't lower consumption is erroneous. It's all a matter of the amount of the tax. If it is taxed heavily enough, demand will definitely drop. That demand would likely shift to other drugs that haven't been legalized, but that is a different argument.
 
#30
#30
Vol423 said:
I'm not in favor of legalization, but arguing that taxing it won't lower consumption is erroneous. It's all a matter of the amount of the tax. If it is taxed heavily enough, demand will definitely drop. That demand would likely shift to other drugs that haven't been legalized, but that is a different argument.
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Taxing it won't matter though because production will rise and there will be no risk involved in selling it. Currently people are illegally growing it, illegally smuggling it, illegally selling it etc. You have all of these people risking jail time and you're paying extra for that service. If you legalize it, it will be no different than tobacco or alcohol. The price of alcohol increased during prohibition and declined after. I don't know why Marijuana would be any different. The price is more likely to go down than up. So even if you tax it, the price won't increase.
 
#31
#31
droski said:
as much as i think sentencing for weed is pretty stupid it's pretty ridiculous to argue we are regurally putting recreational smokers in jail for pot.
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The real costs come in trying to enforce the law and how simple possession cases needlessly bind the wheels of justice.
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#32
#32
Vol423 said:
I'm not in favor of legalization, but arguing that taxing it won't lower consumption is erroneous. It's all a matter of the amount of the tax. If it is taxed heavily enough, demand will definitely drop. That demand would likely shift to other drugs that haven't been legalized, but that is a different argument.
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How you going to tax someone that grows their own? If they legalized it, they could tax the hell out of it and wouldn't stop people from growing it. If anything, keep the taxes reasonable to where it isn't worth someone's time to grow their own.
 
#33
#33
MaehlMan said:
Sure it will. It'll be more expensive, and the thrill of illegality will be gone. It won't be a drastic drop or anything, but I think it will go down some.
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I've never heard in my life of someone that smokes weed for the "thrill of illegality." People smoke weed because they enjoy getting high. :cool2:
 
#34
#34
2010-1221-BArbie-Chris.jpg
 
#37
#37
MaehlMan said:
Sure it will. It'll be more expensive, and the thrill of illegality will be gone. It won't be a drastic drop or anything, but I think it will go down some.
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ludicrous - pot smoking will not go down if it's decriminalized or legalized.

As PJ said, I doubt anyone smokes primarily because it's illegal.
 
#40
#40
utvolpj said:
the costs built in because it's illegal will be gone and I seriously doubt taxes make up that hole. Plus very few people I know smoke just because it's illegal
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It will be just the same. The system everyone seems to be proposing is more or less the same as Vancouver BC, where prices are the same (although potency tends to be much higher -- especially over places like the south, take my word for it. Stuff in the red states is miles behind what you can get in any blue state or border state). Usage is huge there.

Still, I don't see how anyone could legalize nearly all proofs of alcohol, yet make pot illegal. And yes, there ARE numerous places in the US where people are jailed for relatively small amounts of pot.

droski said:
i know some people smoke a lot of weed, but if you have over an ounce my guess is you probably are selling it.
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Yep. No need to have that much... In fact, legalizing anything up to half an O would probably be fine. Anybody with more than that could get an immediate charge of intent to distribute.

Add to all of this that it could end up making a decent revenue stream for the government.

Let's f'ing do this already. Step your game up, California. Get this back on the ballot.
 
#41
#41
Here's a question-if a law like this was implemented, would it be done on a state-by-state basis, or could it become federal law?
 
#42
#42
milohimself said:
(although potency tends to be much higher -- especially over places like the south, take my word for it. Stuff in the red states is miles behind what you can get in any blue state or border state).
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Not if you have the right connections.
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#44
#44
milohimself said:
Yep. No need to have that much... In fact, legalizing anything up to half an O would probably be fine. Anybody with more than that could get an immediate charge of intent to distribute.

Add to all of this that it could end up making a decent revenue stream for the government.

Let's f'ing do this already. Step your game up, California. Get this back on the ballot.
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See, someone who isn't me prefers to buy 1-2 lids at a time. Fewer incriminating trips, fewer "f*** I'm out" moments, and certain salesman are willing to deliver if high quantities are purchased.

I have never seen a dealer who buys an ounce for the purpose of selling it since high school. If I had to pick the minimum amount to make it a felony, I'd say a quarter pound.
 
#45
#45
doozer said:
Not if you have the right connections.
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It's there, but you pay a premium for it. People from BC sell to Washingtonians at a tidy profit, then it gets flipped to Oregonians for some more plus margin, so on and so forth. Luckily I only buy locally grown organic from small farms as to reduce carbon footprint.
 
#48
#48
DinkinFlicka said:
11/29 probation came with it. No one should be incarcerated for that.
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Dear lord... I know that red states are typically much, much harsher with maryjoowanna, but that's crazy.

I had a buddy (more like an acquaintance) whose house got raided during a party... Cops came into his room and found two pounds and a scale. Everybody under 21 at the party got mipped, but they told him to flush the pot while they watched, then they bailed.
 
#49
#49
milohimself said:
Dear lord... I know that red states are typically much, much harsher with maryjoowanna, but that's crazy.
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One of the better red states is Mississippi. Less than an ounce possession, first offense, is a warning. Second offense is a bit different, though.

I'm not sure how many other states have that same first offense law. I assume they also take your pot, though.
 
#50
#50
Well yeah. Nowhere outside of towns where it's legal do you get to actually keep it.
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