What is Digg?Sponsored by Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City view!
rockstargames.com - Out Now on Disc for Xbox 360. Includes The Lost and Damned plus the all-new The Ballad of Gay Tony.
394 Comments
- fightingforair, on 05/25/2009, -6/+263Dear Massachusetts citizens.
Hope you are making phone calls. - UglyBunny, on 05/25/2009, -4/+197Good to see other states are moving to make Cannabis legal. Lets hope these bills as well as the two bills in California pass.
- MorganMghee, on 05/25/2009, -7/+118They'll need to be careful here, and by careful I mean 'check your greed at the door'. There is already a full distribution network experienced in performing outside the law, if you tax/fee it too much, people will simply revert to the old underground system and bypass your laws.
- redcolumbine, on 05/25/2009, -8/+89Gosh, Collegeville USA wants to tax pot? Wonder how much money they'll make in a place like that?
- VIrus9, on 05/25/2009, -2/+69If marijuana were legalized and you felt the taxes were too high, why wouldn't you just grow your own?
- ZhiZaki, on 05/25/2009, -5/+60I think I'm gonna move to Massachusetts and open a "small business"
- burketo, on 05/25/2009, -2/+51From the bill:
"Section 2. The following conduct is hereby excepted from the provisions of, and shall not constitute a violation of chapter 94C of the general laws:
a. Possession or cultivation of cannabis by an adult for personal use.
b. Gratuitous distribution of cannabis to an adult. Transfer directly or indirectly related to or contemporaneous with the sale or tendering for sale of any goods, services or other things of value, shall be deemed not gratuitous.
c. Possession or distribution of cannabis under a valid license issued in accordance with this act."
This means you can grow it for yourself (a) and you can even give it away (b), you just need a license to sell it (c). Which i think is the way it should be.
You'd be covered dude, it's all cool! - bannor78, on 05/25/2009, -10/+52filed on 1/16/2009 and this is the first mention of it....I smell Shenanigans!!
- 8347, on 05/25/2009, -3/+39Buy Dorritos stocks!!
- briarmoss, on 05/25/2009, -1/+35It's really surprising that no one in this thread actually read the bill at all. Oh wait, this is digg, so it's not.
The bill specifically makes provisions for the committee in charge of marijuana to be able to change the tax rate on it. They don't want to leave the black market profitable, so they would lower taxes to undercut them just like any company would. The legalization would also ensure quality control on weed which means that when you pay more money, you know you're getting good stuff. - stevets, on 05/25/2009, -1/+34"g. All cannabis sold by processors shall be analyzed and graded as follows:
(1) If said cannabis contains more than 1% THC and less than 5% THC, then said cannabis shall be labeled “C”.
(2) If the cannabis contains 5% or more than 5% and less than 10% THC, then said cannabis shall be labeled “B”.
(3) If the cannabis contains 10% THC or more, then said cannabis shall be labeled “A”.
Section 9. The authority shall impose and collect an excise upon sales at retail of cannabis. The rate of said excise is hereby established as follows:
Class C One hundred fifty dollar per ounce
Class B Two hundred dollars per ounce.
Class A Two hundred fifty dollars per ounce. "
Damn, 250 bucks of tax for an ounce for some good bud is pretty hefty tax if you ask me. Especially when considering that when paying today's retail (we all know there are better deals, so save the outcry) it would cost you $400 bucks. Ouch. - DotGet, on 05/25/2009, -1/+30I don't see what you're complaining about. Cannabis being illegal is essentially TOTAL regulation. Allowing it to be legally grown and sold is de-regulatory. Either way, you can illegally buy from some dick on the corner; the difference with legalization is his prices will be too high for him to stay in business.
Also, by not supporting legalization you're supporting drug cartels in Mexico and Southern America, which are what makes living in specific cities so dangerous. - flaminglips, on 05/25/2009, -0/+26aka a pharmacist?
- inactive, on 05/25/2009, -0/+25MASSACHUSETTS
***** YEAH - danro, on 05/25/2009, -1/+24Most likely tons. In California alone cannabis is a 12 billion dollar market. If taxed that 12 billion becomes 1 billion dollars in taxes. Anyone else see why this could be a piece to the solution of fixing this recession?
- TheTikiTony, on 05/25/2009, -1/+23The government IS a bunch of criminals.
- enevitable, on 05/25/2009, -3/+25I'd rather it create jobs, or hell, even the government subsidize their jobs. Either way it would be cheaper then keeping a person in jail for 35k a year.
- sinurgy, on 05/25/2009, -0/+21Sorry but you're not thinking it through if you're going to get all picky. They are talking about LEGALIZING marijuana. Yeah the quality might be crappy and it's going to be expensive but the whole point is to get the foot in the door here. You gotta start somewhere!!
- mrjit, on 05/25/2009, -2/+22Because this is politics, and will require a compromise?
- DemiRonin, on 05/25/2009, -3/+23California, why are so slow at legislation!! Got beaten on Gay marriage and now MJ? California is gay and cannabis capital *sigh
- v3rtex7740, on 05/25/2009, -3/+23Great, now we're all out of a job...
- happyMensch, on 05/25/2009, -2/+21Much of the $400 cost is to compensate growers and dealers for the risk involved in the business. If you eliminate risk, the cost will come way down. Even with the $250 tax, the new retail cost of an ounce may actually cost less than $400.
- urel, on 05/25/2009, -7/+26People need to realize this is a "win win". I hope five years from now it will be legal across all states!
- ruforealz, on 05/25/2009, -3/+22Cuz its not regulated now?? Throw you in jail if you have it?
- roboto212, on 05/26/2009, -1/+19one at a time
- BaphClass, on 05/25/2009, -3/+20I love smoking marijuana, gets my creative juices flowing. Sadly, as much as I want this bill to pass, if only to send us a step down the right direction, it probably won't. Reality says that there will be fierce opposition to any legislation similar to this being passed, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was struck down, or vetoed.
You can bury me, but that little voice inside your head, the one in touch with reality, says I'm right. Oh well, it's not like the illegality of marijuana ever stopped us from getting our hands on it before, right? - ruforealz, on 05/25/2009, -2/+19These comments suck.
- kefkaantakrist, on 05/25/2009, -0/+16Except that it will be legal to grow it, use the stuff you've grown and even give away the stuff you've grown - just not sell it.
Plus, you could just have a party where you sell entry and/or rolling papers and/or whatever, and give the pot away for free. (Never mind - just read the part that forbids it...) - SixChamber, on 05/25/2009, -0/+16Very low. I read in the local Western Mass. paper some quotes from the representative and senator who presented these bills claiming something like "the bills are not expected to pass, but to increase the conversation about the subject."
So it's merely a first step in the right direction... - vammirato, on 05/25/2009, -0/+15If it happens, I'm cool. Weed was a loss item just to get them though the door. Crack has much better margins.
- DiscoUnderpants, on 05/25/2009, -0/+15Bartender?
- flamincheney, on 05/25/2009, -0/+15$400 is about $50 per 3.5g 1/8 of marijuana, which is about going rate for decent bud where I come from.
If it stayed at that I could get on with it, but I think boutique bud would be closer to $600 an ounce with retailers looking to sell it by the gram (just like greedy grass vendors).
The taxes on this proposal look quite high (no pun intended), but imagine the potential revenue if every ounce of weed sold brought an average of approx $175. DAMN!!! An ounce a month consumer would contribute $2400 or more in annual taxation (depending on the grade- I never knew there was a grade as low as type C). - cygnus2112, on 05/25/2009, -1/+16Wait... 1/4 oz of marijuana from street is $60-$100, right?
1/4 oz of tobacco from farm is about $1-$2?
Marijuana plants, when properly cultivated, can produce a heck of a lot more than your average tobacco plant.
How much were you thinking they were going to tax to make it unprofitable? - CaptOblivious, on 05/25/2009, -0/+14Just because you have a sharp stick and a preference for a particular group of criminals doesn't stop it from being true.
- andersaur, on 05/25/2009, -1/+15Swift2 you are incorrect sir. intrastate commerce is out of the reach of the federal government. as long as it stays within a state the federal government should have no say in the matter in accordance with the 10th amendment of the US Constitution :)
*sigh* now if only things were done like they are supposed to be done :-/ - facespaz, on 05/25/2009, -3/+17ZooMass! ZooMass!
- lyonsban, on 05/25/2009, -1/+15Sounds like you can grow your own.
Section 2. The following conduct is hereby excepted from the provisions of, and shall not constitute a violation of chapter 94C of the general laws:
a. Possession or cultivation of cannabis by an adult for personal use. - hydro123456, on 05/25/2009, -6/+19So if I'm reading this right there would be a tax of $150 per ounce of class C marijuana, and then there would be the retailers and growers markup on top of that. We're probably looking at 200 an ounce for crappy weed. No thanks.
- AmnioticEntity, on 05/25/2009, -4/+17yay, another digger that can read. thank you for pointing this out...also, the quality of reefer will go to *****.
"g. All cannabis sold by processors shall be analyzed and graded as follows:
(1) If said cannabis contains more than 1% THC and less than 5% THC, then said cannabis shall be labeled “C”.
(2) If the cannabis contains 5% or more than 5% and less than 10% THC, then said cannabis shall be labeled “B”.
(3) If the cannabis contains 10% THC or more, then said cannabis shall be labeled “A”."
i don't think mexican dirt weed is even as low as 5% thc...heddies is supposed to be in the low to mid 20's last i checked...seems like a scam to me. - chockster, on 05/25/2009, -6/+19I'd be very interested to see what the final price is, even with huge taxes. Lets face it- how much cash do you think is spent on smuggling it in in the first place? Probably a fair chunk. I'd much rather that cash going to the government than a bunch of criminals.
First one to reply with "the government ARE a bunch of criminals!" gets a poke in the eye with a stick. - marky7186, on 05/25/2009, -4/+16Come on Mass! Make it happen!
- jcarpent, on 05/26/2009, -2/+14Can they please add shrooms to the list too?
- bannor78, on 05/25/2009, -2/+14i have to take back my comment the source is the Massachusetts web site. they would have to be a hell of a hacker
- yerdaddy, on 05/25/2009, -3/+15I hope people have enough sense to reject any "legalization" that prohibits any amount of personal cultivation.
- v3rtex7740, on 05/25/2009, -2/+13No, id rather the hardworking criminals keep that money.
- LeCrepescule, on 05/25/2009, -0/+11You say that, until you're slapped with fines and suddenly find yourself missing $1,000.
- Virgule, on 05/25/2009, -0/+10Section 10 covers it all. There is much licenses and fees attached.
(...) cultivation licenses, processing licenses, trade licenses, retail licenses, import licenses, research licenses and farmer-processor-retailer licenses(...)
* The annual fee for a cultivation license shall be $500
* The annual fee for a processing license shall be $1,000
* The annual fee for a trade license shall be $3,000
* The annual fee for a retail license shall be $2,000
* The annual fee for an import license shall be $2,500
* The annual fee for a farmer-processor-retailer license shall be $2,500 - Jough, on 05/26/2009, -0/+10SpykerSpeed: Are you completely retarded?
- Macgyrl64, on 05/26/2009, -1/+10I already emailed my Reps and Senators.
-
Show 51 - 100 of 401 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is