Poll: What do you think would happen if pot were legalized?

[nobodyknows]

People would get high.

Everybody's smoking and no one's getting high
Everybody's flying and never touch the sky
There's a UFO over New York and I ain't too surprised

Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Strange days indeed -- most peculiar, mama

I don't think that "nothing" would happen, but I don't think it woule be a big change.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Increased tax revenue
Increased strain on the health system with new smokers (should be offset by the increased tax revenue)
Decreased crime (less revenue for gangs, fewer people in jail for MJ)
Overall slight decrease in worker productivity (if you are allowed to smoke in the same areas as tobacco smokers)

 

[jman19]

Increased tax revenue
Increased strain on the health system with new smokers (should be offset by the increased tax revenue)
Decreased crime (less revenue for gangs, fewer people in jail for MJ)
Overall slight decrease in worker productivity (if you are allowed to smoke in the same areas as tobacco smokers)

1) People already are smoking MJ, which puts a strain on the health system, and currently aren't paying taxes. I would think the tax revenue would more than offset the impact to the health system, if taxed appropriately.

2) NO way would you be allowed to smoke this like tobacco... I can't currently drink booze outside or in the workplace

 

[ebaycj]

Knowing my luck, I would probably end up getting hit by a stoned driver trying to drive to the grocery store to get more munchies.

Oh, and state governments would tax the hell out of it (just like tobacco), to the point where people would start growing their own to avoid the Pot Tax when they buy it at the smoke shops.

Because people grow their own tobacco due to high taxes on it. Right.

 

[nobodyknows]

Because people grow their own tobacco due to high taxes on it. Right.

If tobacco cost as much as pot you better damn well believe they would grow their own.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

reduction in the number of inmates who are jailed only for pot possession and dealing. Reduction in the amount of gang activity that revolves around the sale of pot.
Potential windfall of money via taxing of pot.

 

[manimal]

Stock prices of snack food companies would skyrocket!!!


Orly Tates would launch a investigation into weather Pot is a natural citizen or a secret foreign national.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Worst poll ever!

 

[Fear No Evil]

Why do people assume that if pot was legalized that drug cartels would simply pack up shop and cease to exist? They will simply switch to other drugs (Which they already are involved with). If you legalize them all, they will find another way to make money. Crime won't go down because of the legalization of drugs, it will just shift to something else.

If the drug users aren't being jailed for use, they will be jailed for other things relating to drug use.. robbery, assault, prostitution.. etc.. and those will likely increase if its easier to get drugs. They will still need to find money to pay for it.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Oh, I forgot to mention the study The Army conducted a while back on Item 9 (MJ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH81LYECptE

 

[rudder]

Overall I'm for drug legalization. We should tax it and profit from it.

What do you think? You can vote for multiple options.

I think that if it were legalized and taxed that a large black market would be created. although less of a mess than the war on drugs we have now... there would still be crime associated with pot use.

Look at distilled liquor... it is taxed heavily. There is a market for black market liquor. Two things keep this under check... namely the size and weight of the product.

How much would this tax be? Would the government be okay with foreign grown marijuana? A large revenue source for the cartels would be potentially removed... although there would still be massive violence trying to corner the legal market. Would the now cash reduced cartels increase the flow of cocaine to compensate?

Depending on the amount of taxation over cost to produce the product... there could still be quite the mess on our hands. Not only do we have to deal with the mexican cartels... but there are a lot of domestic gangs whose bottom line would be affected. Gangs that produce and distribute meth. Would we need to make these legal as well?

I don't think it is as easy and flipping a switch and suddenly there is world peace in the drug war.

 

[manimal]

Oh, I forgot to mention the study The Army conducted a while back on Item 9 (MJ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH81LYECptE

Made me lulz at work




In regards to the FNE's argument that drug cartels would move onto greener pastures I look at history. Did the mob's influence after the end of prohibition cease? No.. Was it marginalized? yes


Prostitution, slave trade, protection rackets, and the rest will not go away... Doesnt mean we shouldnt attack their main money makers... I do see a big upswing in the meth trade if pot is legalized....

 

[rudder]

Because people grow their own tobacco due to high taxes on it. Right.

people go through a lot more tobacco than they would marijuana. And it is a lot easier to dry out some pot and smoke it than make some chewing tobacco.

Plus there is a burgeoning black market for cigarettes. States vary wildly on taxation rates... then you throw in the Indian reservations... and there is a good incentive to smuggle cigarettes across state lines and other boundries.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I can't vote because the option I want is unavailable:

"The government would have more money to spend on other things because it wouldn't be wasting billions of dollars prosecuting and jailing people for non-crimes and it could increase its revenue through taxes."

 

[DaveSimmons]

FNE > They will simply switch to other drugs (Which they already are involved with)
manimal > I do see a big upswing in the meth trade if pot is legalized....

If the pusher on the street is now offering meth and you are a pothead, why would you switch to buying meth?

Answer: You would not. You'd go to the nearest mini-mart and pick up a pack of pot cigs along with your munchies.

The pusher and cartel gets $0, the $20 for the pack goes to the mini-mart, state and federal taxes, and the California Pot Grower's Co-Op.

 

[woolfe9999]

Why do people assume that if pot was legalized that drug cartels would simply pack up shop and cease to exist? They will simply switch to other drugs (Which they already are involved with). If you legalize them all, they will find another way to make money. Crime won't go down because of the legalization of drugs, it will just shift to something else.

If the drug users aren't being jailed for use, they will be jailed for other things relating to drug use.. robbery, assault, prostitution.. etc.. and those will likely increase if its easier to get drugs. They will still need to find money to pay for it.

Why would the crime "shift" to anything else? As you point out, the cartels obviously produce and traffic in other drugs, and they will continue to do so if pot is legalized. However, the legalization of pot isn't going to have any effect on the supply of or demand for other drugs. It's more accurate to say it will cut down on drug related crime but not even come close to eliminating it.

- wolf

 

[DaveSimmons]

If anything, demand might shift from illegal, still-expensive coke, crack and meth to much cheaper and now-legal pot.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Lots of "Criminals" would need to be freed.
Police could spend more time investigating real crimes instead of busting dumb teenagers
More money would be paid in taxes to state/local/federal governments. Most likely it would be taxed at a very high and unfair rate (just like all the other "Sin Taxes" that are out there.) A lot of people who smoke tobacco would probably switch to pot, so, there would likely be much less lung lung and heart disease. Overall, the country would be a lot better off.

 

[preCRT]

If there's no tax, the correct answer is nothing.

Marijuana was decriminalized in MA as of 1/2/2009. I haven't noticed any changes. No Sister Mary Elephant running loose down the streets.

"As of January 2, possession of an ounce or less of marihuana or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) will be a civil offense, punishable by a civil penalty of $100 and forfeiture of the marijuana under a new Section 32L of chapter 94C of the Massachusetts General Laws. Additional provisions apply to violators under the age of 18. Records of this new civil offense (a “Section 32L violation &#8221 will not be entered into the criminal offender record information, or “CORI,” system. "

 

[MovingTarget]

I can understand why MJ is illegal, but in the final analysis, making pot illegal has caused more harm than good.

Besides, localities should be screaming bloody murder over the potential revenues that they are losing and the extra expenses they incur due to the "War on Drugs" policy towards MJ.

 

[Linflas]

Not much, the big effort in the so called war on drugs is going after cocaine/crack/meth. Pot is a sideshow.

 

[Zedtom]

The hysteria and misinformation would eventually be ignored and the politicians would scramble to turn the tax revenue stream into a cash cow. Liquor taxes were the dominant tax generator before income tax laws were instituted. Legalization would allow the government to free up revenue for drug enforcement to concentrate on heroin and cocaine.

The biggest fear is not drug use but loss of tax revenue.
Users who grow their own would generally not purchase commercially grown taxed marijuana. The government would probably try to require a license to grow your own, but it would be difficult to enforce.

 

[bamacre]

Why do people assume that if pot was legalized that drug cartels would simply pack up shop and cease to exist? They will simply switch to other drugs (Which they already are involved with). If you legalize them all, they will find another way to make money. Crime won't go down because of the legalization of drugs, it will just shift to something else.

If the drug users aren't being jailed for use, they will be jailed for other things relating to drug use.. robbery, assault, prostitution.. etc.. and those will likely increase if its easier to get drugs. They will still need to find money to pay for it.

Look at Mr. Small Limited Government go. :thumbsup: