Legalizing "green"

[SHRED]

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Potential tax revenue from Legalizing marijuana

When discussing marijuana legalization, a common theme seems to inevitably come up from those in favor. It goes something like this, "We should legalize pot and the government could make millions by taxing it".
While that sounds terrific at first, on closer inspection it is, in my opinion, a severely flawed logic.
I think everyone agrees that the price of dried marijuana flower is artificially elevated due to the fact that it is illegal. There in lies the "flaw". The fact that the price is artificially set well beyond it's worth.
Should it become legal, and adults were allowed to grow 2 or 3 plants, it is my contention that the value would stabilize somewhere around what any dried flower would be worth...not much.
Therefore, medicinal/recreational marijuana's potential as a tax revenue stream is basically nil. There will, however, be a huge tax savings however in not housing prisoners and burdening our courts.


Where the tax revenue can really be found

Industrial hemp.
This is where the true commercial potential shines through.
The 10's of thousands of potential homegrown products is staggering. By replacing wood, cotton, and many petroleum based products with hemp we could go a long way towards the "green economy" that our President talks about.
Industrial hemp would play a crucial role in the revitalization of our countries economy by putting people back to work, reinvigorating small business, and fortifying revenues.

What are we waiting for?

Good link here:
http://www.votehemp.com/index.html


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[notadmblnd]

1. I've never really smoked any good homegrown.

[BridgeTheGap]

2. Med Pot in California has already proved your theory wrong

The Med law there allows anyone with a scrip to grow their own (? # of Plants allowed?).
An 8th is $50. Given that anyone can grow their own if they so choose, the price should be very low by now. It isn't. Estimates of generated revenue for the state are in the low BILLIONS.

The same theory could also be applied to alcohol distilling, brewing, etc. Not necessarily a very expensive activity and legal to make certain amounts, BUT it's regulated by the government and still generates substantial revenue.

[SHRED]

5. I disagree

When people are free to grow without having to register, then it will drop.

Not everyone feels comfortable to grow now at all.

[bunnies]

3. Speaking of flawed logic.

I can counter that first argument in ONE word. Tobacco.
Even if a pack of joints cost the same as a pack of butts, the government would make millions. It takes skill and knowledge beyond that of most people to grow kick-ass MJ. People would buy rather than grow due to the ease of use. Not to mention that the majority of the country isnt hospitable to growing all year round. And - lets face it - people are lazy.

Hell. I could grow my own tobacco if I really wanted to. Right?

Legalize it all - I say.

[Nederland]

8. Excellent retort (nt)

[Royal Sloan 09]

4. K n R eom

[patrice]

6. Industrial Hemp also for FOODS from mom-and-pop producers. Foods that CAN replace meat in our diets

[quidam56]

7. Hemp is an amazing product, it should be one of our major cash crops

Henry Ford made a car from hemp products and was going to grow it to fuel his cars until the war interrupted that plan. We should also legalize marijuana, it's Kentucky and California's # 1 cash crop. Bush is a toxic terrorist, our mountains in Appalachia are being decapitated, destroying the land, air quality and water. http://www.wisecountyissues.com I'd much rather see old hippy hillbillies take care of the land while growing weed on the mountain tops than what we see now.

[guardian]

9. Drug Policy topic?

Shouldn't this post be in the Drug Policy forum?

My 2 cents: I think they should legalize ALL drugs. Tax them and regulate them.