Colorado puts 25% tax on marijuana

[hangover]

One of the reasons America has the largest percentage of its population in PRISON of any nation is because of the war on drugs.

What a prison state. What a fucking sick joke.

That's the ideology of the right wing fascist republicans. Put the opposition in prison, and eliminate competition at the voting booth.

It's because we have an extremely high percentage of people who think they have a right to commit crimes. Sometimes the only way to put the assholes away is for a bs drug charge.

Thanks moron, for proving my point.

Before the right wingers started the war on drugs, there wasn't a drug problem in this country. Once the drug war started, ten thousand times more drugs came into the U.S.. And instead of marijuana it became cocaine, and then meth. But the biggest drug problem is the pharmaceutical drugs that the right wingers support.

 

[TakeAStepBack]

Discussing tobaccoo in conjunction with Marijuana is silly. Tobacoo plants do not grow natively or easily in north hemisphere climates. It's very difficult to grow. Therefore, people look to distributors and growers of the plant from other regions to import it.

"Weed", as it is called for good reason, can be grown in many climates and is not nearly delicate a plant. People will grow their own weed in the back yard without a penalty and without a tax.

the state, and the people, just shot themselves in the foot on tax revenue from the product.

The state will do fine. A sizable portion of people will just put up with the tax for the convinence. If you have even 20% of the people growing thier own you still make out like a bandit. People will enjoy the ability to get product of a proven quality, with nice happy names, and be able to smoke it without worry of arrest. 25% tax is not much at all. If it were 100% i would see a concern, but the savings from not having the "criminal risk tax" is more than enough to make up for it.

Only 12% of Colorado's population consume cannabis at this time. the state isn't going to see shit for revenues on sucha stiff tax. The state will do fine, sure. The point here is that the state (and the people) have opted to hose these folks right back into the black market they were just trying to break out of.

The state will no see the projected tax revenue from the industry because they just essentially closed the door on it and put it back underground.

 

[hangover]

Its still cheaper than the black market, by FAR. Quit talking out your asses. The black market isnt going to drop its prices in Col. Just to compete there when its still illegal in most states and making a KILLING.

No, it is not. The fact that growing it, and distributing it with far less criminal consequences will make the black market thrive and lower prices extensively. The state is now going to contend with the fact that individuals can grow up to 6 plants on their own without any penalty.

The sales tax is excessive and will push people to grow/trade/sell their wears outside the state taxation industry. They will have quality products at cheaper costs/prices than going to a dispensary and paying a 30% premium on wears.

I realize economics is a difficult subject, but good fuckin' grief, people.

Gee mister wizard, do you have any idea what the tax is on alcohol? With your stupid reasoning, everybody should be making their own hooch.

 

[Sallow]

Annual deficit? What annual deficit? Won't be long before the other states follow suit, like they did with casinos and the lottery. Fed is going to have to soon too, because the rich would rather have stoners pay off the national debt.

Colorado voters approve 25 percent taxes on recreational marijuana

Outstanding!

 

[Sallow]

Discussing tobaccoo in conjunction with Marijuana is silly. Tobacoo plants do not grow natively or easily in north hemisphere climates. It's very difficult to grow. Therefore, people look to distributors and growers of the plant from other regions to import it.

"Weed", as it is called for good reason, can be grown in many climates and is not nearly delicate a plant. People will grow their own weed in the back yard without a penalty and without a tax.

the state, and the people, just shot themselves in the foot on tax revenue from the product.

The state will do fine. A sizable portion of people will just put up with the tax for the convinence. If you have even 20% of the people growing thier own you still make out like a bandit. People will enjoy the ability to get product of a proven quality, with nice happy names, and be able to smoke it without worry of arrest. 25% tax is not much at all. If it were 100% i would see a concern, but the savings from not having the "criminal risk tax" is more than enough to make up for it.

Only 12% of Colorado's population consume cannabis at this time. the state isn't going to see shit for revenues on sucha stiff tax. The state will do fine, sure. The point here is that the state (and the people) have opted to hose these folks right back into the black market they were just trying to break out of.

The state will no see the projected tax revenue from the industry because they just essentially closed the door on it and put it back underground.

No they didn't.

 

[martybegan]

Discussing tobaccoo in conjunction with Marijuana is silly. Tobacoo plants do not grow natively or easily in north hemisphere climates. It's very difficult to grow. Therefore, people look to distributors and growers of the plant from other regions to import it.

"Weed", as it is called for good reason, can be grown in many climates and is not nearly delicate a plant. People will grow their own weed in the back yard without a penalty and without a tax.

the state, and the people, just shot themselves in the foot on tax revenue from the product.

The state will do fine. A sizable portion of people will just put up with the tax for the convinence. If you have even 20% of the people growing thier own you still make out like a bandit. People will enjoy the ability to get product of a proven quality, with nice happy names, and be able to smoke it without worry of arrest. 25% tax is not much at all. If it were 100% i would see a concern, but the savings from not having the "criminal risk tax" is more than enough to make up for it.

Only 12% of Colorado's population consume cannabis at this time. the state isn't going to see shit for revenues on sucha stiff tax. The state will do fine, sure. The point here is that the state (and the people) have opted to hose these folks right back into the black market they were just trying to break out of.

The state will no see the projected tax revenue from the industry because they just essentially closed the door on it and put it back underground.

Again, you are overlooking the convincence factor, and the fact that the tax incorporates the fact that some people will avoid it via grow your own.

 

[hangover]

Discussing tobaccoo in conjunction with Marijuana is silly. Tobacoo plants do not grow natively or easily in north hemisphere climates. It's very difficult to grow. Therefore, people look to distributors and growers of the plant from other regions to import it.

"Weed", as it is called for good reason, can be grown in many climates and is not nearly delicate a plant. People will grow their own weed in the back yard without a penalty and without a tax.

the state, and the people, just shot themselves in the foot on tax revenue from the product.

The state will do fine. A sizable portion of people will just put up with the tax for the convinence. If you have even 20% of the people growing thier own you still make out like a bandit. People will enjoy the ability to get product of a proven quality, with nice happy names, and be able to smoke it without worry of arrest. 25% tax is not much at all. If it were 100% i would see a concern, but the savings from not having the "criminal risk tax" is more than enough to make up for it.

Only 12% of Colorado's population consume cannabis at this time. the state isn't going to see shit for revenues on sucha stiff tax. The state will do fine, sure. The point here is that the state (and the people) have opted to hose these folks right back into the black market they were just trying to break out of.

The state will no see the projected tax revenue from the industry because they just essentially closed the door on it and put it back underground.

Another overlook fail. The tourism industry is booming, from people coming to Colorado and Washington to catch a buzz. The bars are selling it like they do alcohol. And there's gong to be a hell of a lot of stoners moving to those states.

 

[TakeAStepBack]

Again, you are overlooking the fact people can grow and distribute their wears outside of the tax industry. There will be little incentive to create a robust tourist industry around the product because the tax burden will be heavy. The tax is imposed on top of the existing taxes that need to be hurdled in a business venture at the state and federal level.

The convenience in all this is that growers and consumers can now grow/smoke/trade/sell their own wears minus a 30% tax premium. Where this hopefully doesn't completely destroy above board industry is in manufacturing usage of the plant hemp.

 

[martybegan]

Again, you are overlooking the fact people can grow and distribute their wears outside of the tax industry. There will be little incentive to create a robust tourist industry around the product because the tax burden will be heavy. The tax is imposed on top of the existing taxes that need to be hurdled in a business venture at the state and federal level.

The convenience in all this is that growers and consumers can now grow/smoke/trade/sell their own wears minus a 30% tax premium. Where this hopefully doesn't completely destroy above board industry is in manufacturing usage of the plant hemp.

The benefit from growing your own and selling is not high enough for the risk of financial loss due to prosecution for tax evasion. And tax evasion is a far easier crime to prosecute than any other, because the burden is on YOU to prove you paid your taxes.

That 30% isnt enough to cover the risk. Again if the tax was like NYC cigs at 200-300% you would have a point, but the dramatic reduction in cost due to legalization is not even close to eclipsed by the tax.

 

[KevinWestern]

of course it will be more expensive.
otherwise black market does not have any reason to exist - what is it going to propose to the consumer which he already does not have?

Is taxed, legal alcohol more expensive than black market alcohol (which is untaxed?).

Do we see any bootleggers these days?

Do we see any bootleggers these days?

yes

Let me rephrase; the legal alcohol industry generates I think $400 billion in economic activity each year in US.

When considering the economic activity generated by bootleggers who make a living by manufacturing (key word) and selling to the public, is it smaller, larger, or equal?

 

[Katzndogz]

Product is a lot easier to tax than service.
Prostitution can't break the ground to legal as easily as drugs can. And prostitution has been around a lot longer.

It's easy to legalize prostitution. It's just impossible to keep illegal whores from operating.

prostitution is legal in some parts of nevada there is no *illegal prostitution* in those counties
would nt be any need for it.
legalised alcohol and the *illegal * speakeasys went away.

prostitution should not be illegal anyway **where is the crime ???

Of course there is illegal prostitution. Prostitution is legal only under controlled circumstances. In legal brothels, the girls get checked, they pay taxes, the men have to wear condoms. They still have illegal prostitutes who don't have licenses, don't get checked and don't pay taxes. They are street walkers, get their jobs through pimps or hotel concierges.

 

[TakeAStepBack]

The state will do fine. A sizable portion of people will just put up with the tax for the convinence. If you have even 20% of the people growing thier own you still make out like a bandit. People will enjoy the ability to get product of a proven quality, with nice happy names, and be able to smoke it without worry of arrest. 25% tax is not much at all. If it were 100% i would see a concern, but the savings from not having the "criminal risk tax" is more than enough to make up for it.

Only 12% of Colorado's population consume cannabis at this time. the state isn't going to see shit for revenues on sucha stiff tax. The state will do fine, sure. The point here is that the state (and the people) have opted to hose these folks right back into the black market they were just trying to break out of.

The state will no see the projected tax revenue from the industry because they just essentially closed the door on it and put it back underground.

Another overlook fail. The tourism industry is booming, from people coming to Colorado and Washington to catch a buzz. The bars are selling it like they do alcohol. And there's gong to be a hell of a lot of stoners moving to those states.

What bars?
Are you saying Colorado is allowing dispensing in bars and nightclubs? Because that is news to me...

Washington has already banned that process.

Liquor Control Board prohibits marijuana at bars, clubs | State Government | The Olympian

Washington’s Liquor Control Board wants to make sure people aren’t using marijuana in bars and nightclubs. The board on Wednesday filed a draft rule that would explicitly ban any business with a liquor license from allowing marijuana use on-site. Among the board’s concerns is that people who use marijuana in combination with alcohol could pose an extra danger on the roads if they drive.It’s already illegal under Washington’s recreational marijuana law to use pot in public, and that includes restaurants, bars and clubs. But at least a couple of establishments have tried using loopholes to allow customers to use marijuana, such as by having “private clubs” within the businesses.

Legal Pot Goes Local in Colorado | The American Conservative

 

[martybegan]

Is taxed, legal alcohol more expensive than black market alcohol (which is untaxed?).

Do we see any bootleggers these days?

Do we see any bootleggers these days?

yes

Let me rephrase; the legal alcohol industry generates I think $400 billion in economic activity each year in US.

When considering the economic activity generated by bootleggers who make a living by manufacturing (key word) and selling to the public, is it smaller, larger, or equal?

Bootlegging is mostly done by people who do it more for a combination of the nostalgia and the idea of giving the finger to the "guvermint" than any real concept of making a fortune from it.

The day of the legal bootlegger may soon be here, as the feds and states are starting to treat small batch distilling the same as small batch brewing.

 

[TakeAStepBack]

Again, you are overlooking the fact people can grow and distribute their wears outside of the tax industry. There will be little incentive to create a robust tourist industry around the product because the tax burden will be heavy. The tax is imposed on top of the existing taxes that need to be hurdled in a business venture at the state and federal level.

The convenience in all this is that growers and consumers can now grow/smoke/trade/sell their own wears minus a 30% tax premium. Where this hopefully doesn't completely destroy above board industry is in manufacturing usage of the plant hemp.

The benefit from growing your own and selling is not high enough for the risk of financial loss due to prosecution for tax evasion. And tax evasion is a far easier crime to prosecute than any other, because the burden is on YOU to prove you paid your taxes.

That 30% isnt enough to cover the risk. Again if the tax was like NYC cigs at 200-300% you would have a point, but the dramatic reduction in cost due to legalization is not even close to eclipsed by the tax.

Oh, please. You mean all those people who have been cultivating/selling it while it was a crminal offense are now going to get weak in the knees over tax evasion?

 

[KevinWestern]

Again, you are overlooking the fact people can grow and distribute their wears outside of the tax industry. There will be little incentive to create a robust tourist industry around the product because the tax burden will be heavy. The tax is imposed on top of the existing taxes that need to be hurdled in a business venture at the state and federal level.

The convenience in all this is that growers and consumers can now grow/smoke/trade/sell their own wears minus a 30% tax premium. Where this hopefully doesn't completely destroy above board industry is in manufacturing usage of the plant hemp.

It takes about 4 hours to brew your own beer (plus 3 weeks for fermentation), which is much quicker and less labor intensive than marijuana production.

Considering Chicago's insane tax on alcohol (a beer at a bar could cost $7-8, while a homebrew equivalent maybe $0.50-$1), why is maybe 99% of all alcohol consumed in the city manufactured by legal sellers?

 

[NoNukes]

Wait and see how it actually turns out. If such a tax turns people from the legal outlets to the old reliable street corner dealer, it won't be such a good idea.

Why would they go back and pay more. It is cheaper and more accessible the legal way.

 

[martybegan]

Again, you are overlooking the fact people can grow and distribute their wears outside of the tax industry. There will be little incentive to create a robust tourist industry around the product because the tax burden will be heavy. The tax is imposed on top of the existing taxes that need to be hurdled in a business venture at the state and federal level.

The convenience in all this is that growers and consumers can now grow/smoke/trade/sell their own wears minus a 30% tax premium. Where this hopefully doesn't completely destroy above board industry is in manufacturing usage of the plant hemp.

The benefit from growing your own and selling is not high enough for the risk of financial loss due to prosecution for tax evasion. And tax evasion is a far easier crime to prosecute than any other, because the burden is on YOU to prove you paid your taxes.

That 30% isnt enough to cover the risk. Again if the tax was like NYC cigs at 200-300% you would have a point, but the dramatic reduction in cost due to legalization is not even close to eclipsed by the tax.

Oh, please. You mean all those people who have been cultivating/selling it while it was a crminal offense are now going to get weak in the knees over tax evasion?

What is going to happen is they will see a large part of thier client base dry up due to more reliable legal sellers.

People like going to a store for stuff over going to some back alley for stuff. They only go to the back alley when they HAVE to, not because they WANT to.

 

[TakeAStepBack]

Wait and see how it actually turns out. If such a tax turns people from the legal outlets to the old reliable street corner dealer, it won't be such a good idea.

Why would they go back and pay more. It is cheaper and more accessible the legal way.

it'll be cheaper on the "street corner" too. Perhaps even cheaper than at a retail outlet. In fact, I'm going to put my money on it. People will grow and distribute the same as they did when it was illegal but with the added bonus of not having to contend with the criminal charges.

The tax is excessive and will keep the black market aspect firmly intact.

 

[TakeAStepBack]

The benefit from growing your own and selling is not high enough for the risk of financial loss due to prosecution for tax evasion. And tax evasion is a far easier crime to prosecute than any other, because the burden is on YOU to prove you paid your taxes.

That 30% isnt enough to cover the risk. Again if the tax was like NYC cigs at 200-300% you would have a point, but the dramatic reduction in cost due to legalization is not even close to eclipsed by the tax.

Oh, please. You mean all those people who have been cultivating/selling it while it was a crminal offense are now going to get weak in the knees over tax evasion?

What is going to happen is they will see a large part of thier client base dry up due to more reliable legal sellers.

People like going to a store for stuff over going to some back alley for stuff. They only go to the back alley when they HAVE to, not because they WANT to.

A back alley? Good grief you people watch too many movies. Did you know, here in NYC there is a delivery service? Yeah, it's completely illegal.

Anyway, "more reliable sellers" isn't even a factor.

 

[martybegan]

Oh, please. You mean all those people who have been cultivating/selling it while it was a crminal offense are now going to get weak in the knees over tax evasion?

What is going to happen is they will see a large part of thier client base dry up due to more reliable legal sellers.

People like going to a store for stuff over going to some back alley for stuff. They only go to the back alley when they HAVE to, not because they WANT to.

A back alley? Good grief you people watch too many movies. Did you know, here in NYC there is a delivery service? Yeah, it's completely illegal.

Anyway, "more reliable sellers" isn't even a factor.

You are making the classic business error, you are thinking about how YOU would deal with the situation, and not how the potential customers will deal with the situation.

People will eat a 25% tax for the convinence, and because most people will follow laws they are not 100% happy about, but are not up in arms about. The small amount of people who will keep underground due to desire or hatred of any form of tax will be minimal compared to the people who will gladly pay the tax to get 100% legal bud.