Legalize It (buy, pros and cons, taxes)

[Hollytree]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

We decriminalized it last April. And yeah, it has been proven time and again to save money in a multitude of ways.

Not totally- an ounce or less and a $150 fine. http://norml.org/news/2013/04/04/rho...w-takes-effect

Of course, if you're public enough to get fined- maybe this is really a tax.

[Rnrboy]

That is decriminalization. It means there can be a fine but no jail time.

While decriminalized acts are no longer crimes, they may still be the subject of penalties; for example a monetary fine in place of a criminal charge for the possession of a decriminalized drug. This should be contrasted with legalization, which removes all or most legal detriments from a previously illegal act.

Decriminalization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My understanding, though, is that - in Rhode Island - if you are caught three times within a certain period; there could be jail time.

However, I happen to have a very close friend who actually had the cops catch him with some and they just laughed it off. No fine, no nothing. This was last summer.

Anyway, right now we are basically letting people smoke it virtually scott-free, but still leaving all the profit to the black market. Makes no sense.

[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

OK. But the subject matter here has nothing to do with if you like Pot. It's should we legalize it, tax the hell out of it, and get mega-revenue. I have found Liberals and Libertarians have always been able to come together on this issue. So I still don't understand if you're in favor of legalization or not. (Nor am I saying you're a Libertarian, just making the point that this issue resonates across a vast segment of the political spectrum.)

The problem is if you "tax the hell out of it and get mega-revenue" then people will just buy it on the street like they do now. I agree it should be legal (Libertarian and all), but it needs to be done in a smart way. Overtax it to the point of making it more expensive than on the street, and people won't buy it.

[Hollytree]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

That is decriminalization. It means there can be a fine but no jail time.

While decriminalized acts are no longer crimes, they may still be the subject of penalties; for example a monetary fine in place of a criminal charge for the possession of a decriminalized drug. This should be contrasted with legalization, which removes all or most legal detriments from a previously illegal act.

Decriminalization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My understanding, though, is that - in Rhode Island - if you are caught three times within a certain period; there could be jail time.

However, I happen to have a very close friend who actually had the cops catch him with some and they just laughed it off. No fine, no nothing. This was last summer.

Anyway, right now we are basically letting people smoke it virtually scott-free, but still leaving all the profit to the black market. Makes no sense.

I only know what I see from the law I cited but doesn't it imply that more than an ounce and/or dealing is still criminal under the current law? Anyone have the truth on this?

[Snowball7]

Yes, Chafee is for it. Read between the lines.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee said Tuesday that the state should see how laws legalizing marijuana in Colorado and Washington play out before considering similar steps.

Linc's World: After Colorado and Washington show substantial increases in tax revenues
from legalization, I could support it.

[Rnrboy]

Originally Posted by Raiderman

The problem is if you "tax the hell out of it and get mega-revenue" then people will just buy it on the street like they do now. I agree it should be legal (Libertarian and all), but it needs to be done in a smart way. Overtax it to the point of making it more expensive than on the street, and people won't buy it.

Ah, but on the street you are not guaranteed the same variety of selection, nor do you always know what you're really getting. (Esp. these days.)

Tell the people in CO - who bought so much leqal weed that some dispensaries are running out of it - that there is no demand! Pretty Libertarian state too.

Colorado is running low on (legal) marijuana - The Margin - MarketWatch

[Rnrboy]

Originally Posted by Hollytree

I only know what I see from the law I cited but doesn't it imply that more than an ounce and/or dealing is still criminal under the current law? Anyone have the truth on this?

You are correct. It is only less than an ounce that is decriminalized.

Forgive me, I misunderstood your initial response.

[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

Ah, but on the street you are not guaranteed the same variety of selection, nor do you always know what you're really getting. (Esp. these days.)

Tell the people in CO - who bought so much leqal weed that some dispensaries are running out of it - that there is no demand! Pretty Libertarian state too.

Colorado is running low on (legal) marijuana - The Margin - MarketWatch

Oh, I am sure there is demand! But I am wondering how the price from legal dispensaries compares to what is found on the street. Plus, I'm sure much of the initial sales are due to the novelty that you can walk into a store and buy it. I am all for legal distribution, my only point was they need to keep the pricing competitive.

[Rnrboy]

The only reason to keep the pricing competitive is to entice buyers. As I just showed you, they are having no trouble doing that. If that ever changes, prices will no doubt have to drop in order to compensate. The sellers set their own price, not the government. Remember, "Legal Weed" and "Government Weed" are not necessarily synonymous. People can get licenses to sell their own and then put it on the market at "fair value".

Don't you Libertarians believe in the "Uber-free wunderkind market"?

You do (perhaps inadvertently) make a good point, though. It is the pricing that might be an issue for some folks. Not the tax itself. (Which is just a percentage.) If prices come down, so does tax revenue of course. But any revenue is better than the situation we have now, and it has demonstrably helped other states' bottom lines.

[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

The only reason to keep the pricing competitive is to entice buyers. As I just showed you, they are having no trouble doing that. If that ever changes, prices will no doubt have to drop in order to compensate. The sellers set their own price, not the government. Remember, "Legal Weed" and "Government Weed" are not necessarily synonymous. People can get licenses to sell their own and then put it on the market at "fair value".

Don't you Libertarians believe in the "Uber-free wunderkind market"?

Stop trying to pick a fight, I AGREE with you LOL..

And yes, I believe in a free market society. My only statement, was while the weed is still a novelty, and not a commodity like cigarettes, alcohol, etc, the government shouldn't get greedy and levy a massive tax. It appears they haven't, as people are flocking to pot stores. That means the pot sellers are making enough profit to be viable. If taxes were exorbitant, then that would cut into the sellers' profits in order to keep pricing competitive. And that would benefit the government more than the sellers, and in that I would find fault. Let the earners earn, give a fair tax to the government who can then squander it, and everyone's happy