For decades, cannabis advocates of every stripe have been telling everyone who would listen that we need to legalize and tax cannabis.

I don’t think this is what they had in mind: a Colorado legislative committee is proposing a ridiculous 30 percent state tax on cannabis, according to Huffington Post:

The House-Senate committee, which will introduce a bill this week drafted from the 58 recommendations that the pot task force issued last month with taxes being one of several issues the committee is considering, would ask voters to approve a 15 percent excise tax and a 15 percent special sales tax. Those rates plus existing local and state tax rates — for food and beverage sales in Denver, the the combined total tax rate is 8 percent — could mean a total tax rate of 38 percent on marijuana purchases in the Denver area.

I’m down with taxes – even high taxes – but this is beyond the pale. I’m not sure what these people are thinking. They’re either horribly naive or purposely trying to discourage legal sales.

In Arizona, we have no cannabis tax. Only normal sales taxes apply, which vary slightly city to city but in Tucson is 9.1 percent. Tax rates like the ones proposed in Colorado would only drive people to the black market.

It would also destroy many, many cannabis shops in and around Denver by sending their customers clamoring to either buy on the sly or grow their own, which Colorado’s new cannabis law allows. It would put people out of work.

Mr. Smith does not approve. Hmpf.

This article appears in Apr 4-10, 2013.

More fun than FarmVille, more interesting than that Facebook friend you don't really remember from high school.

2 replies on “Money, So They Say, Is The Root of All Evil Today: Colorado’s Proposed Cannabis Tax Goes Too Far”

  1. I have never understood the ethics of taxing food or medicine, Clearly, those are the most regressive taxes our ethically challenged lawgivers impose on the citizens they have promised to guard and protect. Recreational MJ should be taxed at the same rate as beer, wine, etc. However, in an equitable society no proscribed medication should be taxed. We already fleece the user of medical MJ by charging a substantial fee for the MJ Green Card. What next, a blue card for oxygen?

    MJ is a non toxic vegetable, the seeds of which many of our feathery friends need to survive but, as if we are the God of the Planet we are paying troops to eradicate this vital food source of Mother Nature. Money is not the root of all evil. Human stupidity arrogance, and the lust for power is at the root of ALL EVIL.

    If you want to really see you government in action visit http://www.pokerplayerarmy.com and .org and peruse those websites. Help break the press corps effort to stonewall the story.

  2. Wow!…..This is what happens when you elect lawmakers that want to rule you & yours.
    I don’t see how they can assess that amount of tax on something you can grow in your house. What’s next Tomatoes?

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