CA To Legalize and Tax Marijuana?

Interesting... (4.00 / 2)

It's like Weed Day today. :)

Who needs to wait for April 20, heh...

My old state just took the first step today towards becoming the 14th state to legalize medical marijuana -

The state Senate voted today to legalize marijuana for medical use, despite warnings the drug would fall into the hands of recreational users instead of the chronically ill patients who suffer from debilitating symptoms.

[JayinPortland note:  yeah, yeah, "reefer madness", blah blah blah...]

The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act targets patients suffering from a debilitating disease defined as cancer, glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, and other chronic illnesses that cause "wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, seizures and severe and persistent muscle spasms," according to the bill.

Good on 'em, it's about time.

It's up to the State Assembly in NJ now, but it'll pass there when it comes up later this session.

But back to California -

That's a world of difference from this CA law!

(applause...)

Here in Portland, possession for use is de facto decriminalized, for all intents and purposes.  Of course, that's certainly nowhere near as good as the 'Real Thing'.

It's a great idea, and sensible legislation.  And Ammiano comes from the perfect district to push this...

:)

I hope it passes, too!

I mean, come on - it's just insane to keep up this ridiculous war on a 'drug' that doesn't even come close to tobacco and alcohol in terms of damage done to society...

"The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks." - Christopher Hitchens

---

by: JayinPortland @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 06:24:32 AM UTC

hell yeah (4.00 / 2)

honestly, why deny weed to sick patients? When you've got bigger problems to deal with, a little bit of weed for some relief from pain or nausea is just the least of your worries. If it brings relief when nothing else does, and does so without compromising the patient's life overall or hurting society, it should be legal.

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

---

by: Jill Richardson @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 18:49:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

revealing my ignorance (4.00 / 3)

what is $50 per ounce as a percentage of the going rate for marijuana in CA now?

---

by: desmoinesdem @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 06:27:07 AM UTC

I've never bought any (4.00 / 2)

let me check with my sources.

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

---

by: Jill Richardson @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 06:30:33 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

An ounce... (4.00 / 2)

An eighth back in my high school years (93-97) was known as a "30 sack" for a reason...

:)

Bulk gets you a discount, just like at the bins in your co-op.  Heh...

An ounce of "banging s--t" from somebody I knew in Queens about 15 years ago would have run you about $250.  With the deep 'personal' discount...

These days, I'd have no clue.  I haven't smoked in 2 years, and probably won't ever again.

I'd say $300 or up is probably a safe bet, on average...

"The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks." - Christopher Hitchens

---

by: JayinPortland @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 06:45:57 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Whoops! (4.00 / 2)

Screwed up...

I meant $150 on that back then.

I'd still say $300 these days is probably about right...

"The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks." - Christopher Hitchens

---

by: JayinPortland @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 06:47:27 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wow. Prices have really gone up (4.00 / 3)

since my days, lol!~

---

by: nycstray @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 08:25:32 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Heh... (4.00 / 1)

Well, what were "your days"?

;-P

I shared mine, lol...

"The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks." - Christopher Hitchens

---

by: JayinPortland @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 10:11:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Heh, let's just say you could get (4.00 / 3)

good northern CA smoke in the Bay Area in the 70's at what today would be a mega steal (and that's not using my "personal" discounts!, lol!~)  ;)

I haven't smoked in years, but it still pains me to see them tearing up the "illegal" crops in NoCal. I'm moving back that way, and if pot becomes legal, hopefully it will cut back on the raids. Earthquakes, wildfires, mudslides, drought . . . who needs drug wars!  ;)

So, is the AG state of CA going to start bumper crops of "industrial" hemp for food and clothing now? If they can get some water that is . . . . Does this open up that area?

---

by: nycstray @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 10:51:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

OK got an answer for you (4.00 / 2)

apparently it's gonna come out to about $1/joint in tax.

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

---

by: Jill Richardson @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 19:25:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

$50.00 an ounce tax? Holy Crap.. (4.00 / 3)

whoa, dude, like, I used to get a quarter pound for like, uh, $125.00.  

Last word I heard was an eighth oz was going for $125.00 which is waaaay up from my day, but that was for some like truly gnarly late model stuff.

Just FYI, I totally deny any absolute personal knowledge of what current prices might be should any feds be lurking about.

---

by: Farmboy @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 15:47:16 PM UTC

Last I saw in Amsterdam (4.00 / 3)

it was 15 Euros for 3 joints. No idea how that translates into ounces.

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

---

by: Jill Richardson @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 18:47:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Was that Euros to Ounces? (4.00 / 2)

Or joints to oz's?  Sorry,  I should take this seriously, and I do wish they would just get this legalization out of the way already...  Tax it and create revenue, instead of a fiscal black hole in terms of eradication programs and the taxpayer expense of incarceration.

As far as being serious goes, I do not advocate the casual use of Marijuana, a la Michael Phelps.

I advocate the serious use of marijuana. This is not an arena where I suffer dilletantes gladly.

And to be honest, I don't even remember how much I paid last trip to Amsterdam. It was that good.

---

by: Farmboy @ Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 19:14:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

last i (4.00 / 3)

heard (i have No real knowledge.. _cough) the really niiize stuff- the one-hit wondermous, was going for $100-$150 per quarter ounce.... so $400-600/ounce. $50 tax would not be grossly out of proportion, especially if you knew you wouldn't get busted!
but.
because they would legalize it, more people would grow it, causing the price to go down.... the tax might seem exorbitant then.

come firefly-dreaming with me....

---

by: RiaD @ Wed Feb 25, 2009 at 00:32:29 AM UTC

I wonder... (4.00 / 3)

how much a barrel of beer is?

A keg is half a barrel (I think?), and the tax on barrels of beer vary by state but I've heard they average around $9 / barrel in the states around Oregon (it's a recent news item here, the Oregon Legislature wants to raise our beer tax from the current $2.60 or so a barrel to something like $48.00 a barrel)...

So it would be interesting to compare this proposal to state beer taxes, maybe?

"The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks." - Christopher Hitchens

---

by: JayinPortland @ Wed Feb 25, 2009 at 01:00:59 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

My hunch? (4.00 / 2)

If the price gets cut in half from $600/oz to $300/oz after it's legal... and then you pay $350/oz with a tax - is that so bad?

Even if it was $300/oz now and went to $150/oz + $50 tax, you're still saving big bucks WITH the tax. Talk about a win/win!

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

---

by: Jill Richardson @ Wed Feb 25, 2009 at 03:10:07 AM UTC

[ Parent ]