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Making an old crime pay

August 27, 2013

pot IITaking a stab at an issue that might become commonplace in other states soon, Denver’s city fathers are laying down retail rules and tax proposals for the non-medical sales of marijuana in neighborhood settings. (Denver Post)

Colorado voters approved legalization of recreational marijuana use in the last general election, and the efforts of local governments there to quantify and regulate sales and exchanges of the weed are being closely watched by officials of other states.

A tax rate of 3.5 percent on pot sales will be assessed, which would add about $3.4 million annually to the city’s general fund — enough, say officials, to pay for regulation, enforcement and education.

Efforts also are aimed at keeping retail stores away from school premises.


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3.5% seems really low. If it’s another “recreational” way of getting high, then why not tax it to the same level as government taxes alcohol. They can use the money to set up MA (Marijuana Anonymous) encounter groups.


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It is my “understanding” that cannabis is not addictive like alcohol is; I do not have first hand knowledge of that, and I am sure that there are some who have f*cked up their lives in a big way because they want to spend a lot of their time getting high, but I don’t know that there is a chemical addiction in the same way as some have as a reaction to drinking alcohol. While your no doubt being clever with your MA suggestion, I do not believe that there is the science to back up your suggestion.

And alcohol is not taxed enough when you look at all the societal problems that arise from the consumption of alcohol; the death and destruction caused by drunk drivers, the aggression that is brought out in nationwide fights at bars or outside them every single night somewhere in America, the abuse of spouses and children of alcoholics, as well as the medical costs of those who have abused alcohol over a significant time frame; other than the comparison to driving impaired, can you really make a comparison to the ingestion of cannabis to that of the consumption of alcohol?


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Brings a whole new meaning to the John Denver song…..Colorado Rocky Mountain High…


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HS


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Very cool…zaphod.


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I guess the entire state can claim to be a mile high now. That’s cool but they will also need to set new limits on their social services before the demand gets far out.


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In reading the linked article and the comments attached to it, it appears that most citizens feel that their city council is only concerned about the tax revenue, although there does appear to be a provision for citizen input on the retail stores if they become a problem and can have that addressed. What apparently cannot be addressed by the citizens is the ability of the city council to vote to increase the tax from the initial 3.5% clear up to 15%, with no input from anybody required or even allowed. Kind of reminds me of the San Luis Obispo city council …


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it is all about taxes. 3.5% seems benign but…………


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“Efforts also are aimed at keeping retail stores away from school premises.”


Huh? If they’re worried about the children, then why don’t they go all the way and keep Catholic and Jehovah Witnesses houses of worship a far distance from the schools as well? Both of these religions have been extensively in the news of late relative to their pedophile problems and coverups!


Legislation should be enacted immediately within the Colorado Senate and House of Representatives to require that the contradicting aforementioned religions should be within at least 1000 feet of any school. This godly action will at least give the children a running head start!


Colorado should error on the side of caution, as they feel they have to do with the Mary Jane outlets. 2+2=4


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“A tax rate of 3.5 percent on pot sales will be assessed”. That 3.5% is just the start!


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Colorado voters approved legalization of recreational marijuana use in the last general election, and the efforts of local governments there to quantify and regulate sales and exchanges of the weed are being closely watched by officials of other states.

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This is so easy. It’s a liquor license equivalent.


And it needs to be sold in all liquor stores just like another whiskey or beer. That way the low lifes are spread out. Can you imagine if there were only one or two liquor stores in a city? Every low life homeless bum would make it their stomping ground.


That’s the mistake CA is making. The people legalize it and the local communities outlaw retail distribution. So the first community that allows a retail distributor is going to have every low life druggie homeless bum within 100 miles hanging out there and the naysayers are going to say “See, I told you so”.


The only way to do it is to put it everywhere at once. That way no crowds of the wrong kind are attracted to any one location.


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Really? and, they’ll spend twice that imposing the sanctions and support. They’ll come up with a new Dept. the Pot police to monitor sales. it’s a black hole (not the good kind)


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Good for Denver and it’s citizens who vote based on intellect rather than with a knee jerk. They didn’t end up with city fathers who follow the will of the people by accident.


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