Basic drug economy: Except for the obvious supply/demand relation, the price is made significantly by the fact that a drug goes through many hands till it reaches the consumer, and an "illegality surcharge", which represents the risks that the sellers/smugglers have - the latter defines the huge margins and is the most important price factor.
So if you legalize it, it would become significantly cheaper, this is where a sensible taxation (
as if there was ever any) could come into play. An example: the glorious and wise government of Germany raises tobacco taxes on a yearly base. However if draw a diagram, with tax level and tax revenue, you get a curve. At one level, the revenues decrease, as it becomes more profitable to smuggle untaxed cigs which lead to less tax income.
If the price after taxation would be reasonable, nobody would buy from illegal sources, not only regarding the legal risk but also regarding the health risk. Yes, even weed gets cut with toxic substances, for example lead dust to increase the weight.
And I'd prefer to have Philip Morris making their profits with Marlboro Green than supporting (more
) criminal organizations, like the Cartels or the Taliban.
The argument that people only smoke to get stoned is void. Most people here certainly know alcoholics, the guy who starts the day with a hit from the bong is the same guy who opens his first beer after getting up. However there is also a drinking culture that exists. A culture to have a wine with diner or a glass of whisky to relax after work. Same goes for weed, just like people have a few beer to have a little buzz, people smoke for recreation, for this little buzz. It is not a drug like heroin that is only made for a total bang.
Quote:
Originally Posted by August
The good sheriff misses the whole point. Those problems are all the direct result of the drug being illegal, not the drug itself. If anything he should be advocating its full legalization if he wants to eliminate those problems.
Legal crops are just not grown in secret patches and fields by criminal cartels. When will we learn the lessons of Prohibition?
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first you show a sensible view of the death penalty, now this: I'm concerned are you becoming a lefty?
Seriously, I am pleasantly surprised.
