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green73
02-04-2013, 06:41 PM
SEATTLE (AP) - An effort is building in Congress to change U.S. marijuana laws, including moves to legalize the industrial production of hemp and establish a hefty federal pot tax.

While passage this year could be a longshot, lawmakers from both parties have been quietly working on several bills, the first of which Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado plan to introduce Tuesday, Blumenauer told The Associated Press.

Polis' measure would regulate marijuana the way the federal government handles alcohol: In states that legalize pot, growers would have to obtain a federal permit. Oversight of marijuana would be removed from the Drug Enforcement Administration and given to the newly renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms, and it would remain illegal to bring marijuana from a state where it's legal to one where it isn't.

The bill is based on a legalization measure previously pushed by former Reps. Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Ron Paul of Texas.

Blumenauer's bill would create a federal marijuana excise tax of 50 percent on the "first sale" of marijuana - typically, from a grower to a processor or retailer. It also would tax pot producers or importers $1,000 annually and other marijuana businesses $500.

cont
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130204/DA482F300.html

Occam's Banana
02-04-2013, 06:51 PM
It's déjà vu all over again ...

acptulsa
02-04-2013, 06:54 PM
Interesting. They'd have to repeal the law to tax the stuff. You don't tax something that's forbidden. This makes it sound like Colorado and Washington state have won.

Outstanding if true!


It's déjà vu all over again ...

That it is. Many a bootlegger remained in business after prohibition was repealed because of the onerous sin taxes that were levied on alchohol.

UpperDecker
02-04-2013, 06:54 PM
I know that some will hate this because it doesn't go far enough, taxes, ect. but steps like this need to be taken. This is something that will have to be chipped at and chipped at until we get the desired results, so I am happy to see this becoming a bigger discussion.

paulbot24
02-04-2013, 08:05 PM
I like this idea but what does it do for all the people with marijuana crimes on their record that still can't get a job at a convenience store? How many futures had to be ruined for this deja vu idea to finally happen?

dannno
02-04-2013, 08:07 PM
Blumenauer's bill would create a federal marijuana excise tax of 50 percent on the "first sale" of marijuana - typically, from a grower to a processor or retailer. It also would tax pot producers or importers $1,000 annually and other marijuana businesses $500.

Wow they can go fuck themselves.

puppetmaster
02-04-2013, 08:14 PM
lol the feds will screw this up as usual

thoughtomator
02-04-2013, 08:27 PM
Interesting. They'd have to repeal the law to tax the stuff. You don't tax something that's forbidden..

I would review the history of hemp prohibition if I were you. There's a tax that holds a particularly notorious place in the lore, in that you could not pay it without admitting you were smuggling contraband, yet you were charged with evading the tax if you were caught smuggling.

TheGrinch
02-04-2013, 08:29 PM
lol the feds will screw this up as usual

Doubtful, if there are 2 things the government is good at, its taxes and spending

QuickZ06
02-04-2013, 08:34 PM
Guess they are done with the whole cartel thing. Guess when 60k people die, someone might start noticing.

FindLiberty
02-04-2013, 08:42 PM
Up next, Bathtub Jane and Al Capone - Chicago style.


This American system of ours, call it Americanism, call it capitalism, call it what you will, gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it. (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/quotes/quotes/a/alcapone408711.html)
Al Capone (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/quotes/quotes/a/alcapone408711.html)

jkr
02-04-2013, 08:47 PM
long as they get their bribe, i mean payoff, i mean "tax"

buy em a boat and they wont make you live in pain!
great job america...

invisible
02-04-2013, 08:55 PM
You don't tax something that's forbidden.

IA did exactly this a few years back, IIRC it was called the Iowa drug tax stamp act. It required stamps to be purchased from the state and affixed to packaging of illegal drugs, and for sellers to purchase "drug dealer licenses". If you got caught for possession and / or sale without the "required" stamps and license, you were additionally charged with tax evasion and stuck with additional fines. Hard to believe, but it's true.

Confederate
02-04-2013, 09:00 PM
IA did exactly this a few years back, IIRC it was called the Iowa drug tax stamp act. It required stamps to be purchased from the state and affixed to packaging of illegal drugs, and for sellers to purchase "drug dealer licenses". If you got caught for possession and / or sale without the "required" stamps and license, you were additionally charged with tax evasion and stuck with additional fines. Hard to believe, but it's true.

Yeah, many states have done this to add extra jail time and fines to drug dealers.