Should drugs be legalized?

[TheQ]

No.  Why would you suggest that ??

Why would you suggest it on the sale of one thing and not another?

[Pond Scum]

Why would you suggest it on the sale of one thing and not another?

A couple of reasons.  1.  I suspect that Drug dealers and traffickers are getting huge margins.  I expect that the pharmaceuticals could produce a quality product for a lower price ... this would leave room to tax the sale & production without raising the price to consumers.  The tax revenue could be used for drug education and rehab programs.  Much like the DNR uses revenue from the sale of hunting & fishing licenses to fund wildlife preservation and fish planting.  2.  I would consider the tax on drugs a "sin" tax .... same as the taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, lotto tickets, & casinos.   I don't believe that firearms and ammo fall into the same category.  Of course there are liberals that think that guns should be taxed more than other products. 

I also have some thoughts on business and personal taxes but this is a thread about drugs.   

[TheQ]

Some ppl think shooting guns is a "sin". Who are you to decide.

If it were legalized and supply went up to meet demand, do you think the high prices would continue?

How do you plan to contain the black market that will come from people selling and skipping the tax? If taxes are too high it has the same effect as outright prohibition.

[CV67PAT]

A couple of reasons.  1.  I suspect that Drug dealers and traffickers are getting huge margins.  I expect that the pharmaceuticals could produce a quality product for a lower price ... this would leave room to tax the sale & production without raising the price to consumers.  The tax revenue could be used for drug education and rehab programs.  Much like the DNR uses revenue from the sale of hunting & fishing licenses to fund wildlife preservation and fish planting.  2.  I would consider the tax on drugs a "sin" tax .... same as the taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, lotto tickets, & casinos.   I don't believe that firearms and ammo fall into the same category.  Of course there are liberals that think that guns should be taxed more than other products. 

I also have some thoughts on business and personal taxes but this is a thread about drugs.   

Another "tax and spend" solution. Isn't that how we've ended up with the onerous government we have? This seems to be the standard reply in any discussion of the de-criminalization" of any activity. "let's legalize it and charge a tax (or a fee as the repugnicans call it).

An what makes things a "sin" to be taxed?

"And the Lord found that the plant of the tobacco to be not one to be subject to fire. Therefore thou shalt be cast upon the rocks for all eternity if thou shall puff." Spartacus 4:17

"Whosoever shall make the wine not of water, but of berries and fruit, shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." Spartacus 4:22

"The malt is vile. To consume it in mass quantities, along with tubes of beeflips (and other meat byproducts), in the coliseum while idolizing gladiators is unclean." Spartacus 9:6

[Pond Scum]

I didn't say anything was a "sin" .  I called it a sin tax and even put it in "  "  to make it more like a quote.      Here is a quote from wiki:   

A sin tax is a kind of sumptuary tax: a tax specifically levied on certain generally socially prescribed goods and services, for example alcohol and tobacco, candies, soft drinks, fast foods, coffee, and gambling.

[jgillmanjr]

A couple of reasons.  1.  I suspect that Drug dealers and traffickers are getting huge margins.

The only reason they get huge margins is because it's illegal. It also doesn't justify the reason for taxing a particular product.

I expect that the pharmaceuticals could produce a quality product for a lower price ... this would leave room to tax the sale & production without raising the price to consumers.  The tax revenue could be used for drug education and rehab programs.  Much like the DNR uses revenue from the sale of hunting & fishing licenses to fund wildlife preservation and fish planting.  2.  I would consider the tax on drugs a "sin" tax .... same as the taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, lotto tickets, & casinos.   I don't believe that firearms and ammo fall into the same category.  Of course there are liberals that think that guns should be taxed more than other products.

And why should drugs, or any of these other "sins" be taxed more?

[CV67PAT]

They're called "sin" (notice that I too put sin inside " ") taxes because it easier to get the non-sinners to go along with passing the "sin" tax on the "other guy".

[Pond Scum]

They're called "sin" (notice that I too put sin inside " ") taxes because it easier to get the non-sinners to go along with passing the "sin" tax on the "other guy".

Exactly.

[jgillmanjr]

Exactly.

So you advocate the practice?

[Pond Scum]

So you advocate the practice?

No.

[jgillmanjr]

No.

Oh really?

I'm leaning more and more to legalization..  Tax the hell out of it like alcohol and tobacco.

[Pond Scum]

Oh really?

So?

[91 whiskey]

I don't think I have any authority to tell another person what they should be doing with their lives or bodies.  Whether that activity could be dangerous to their health or not is irrelevant in my opinion.   Theft involves taking your fist and actually punching my nose instead of stopping short.   If people resort to it then punish them for that instead of the drug use.

Tax the hell out if it, should we do that with gun sales too?

I can't understand that mentality for the life of me.   If you legalize something only to tax the bejesus out of it then there still will be a black market.

[CV67PAT]

I will add a caveat to complete legalization and a free market. The crap that is being manufactured out of toxic waste is not what I'd consider to be legalized. There is a whole side effect on our community from that. Heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, should only be available from what would be legitimate manufacturing facilities. Toxic meth labs is not what I have in mind when I think of legalized drugs.

[hevymetal]

Legalize pot. It's a natural herb that has been around for thousands of years.

[CV67PAT]

Legalize pot. It's a natural herb that has been around for thousands of years.

So have the coca and poppy plants.