Legal pot

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

3 hours ago, Texas Joker said:

Re lottery: the money went to school funds. The old money in the general funds for schools got re allocated elsewhere. 

 

Co pot money for estate article from 2021

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthoban/2021/05/23/the-success-of-colorados-marijuana-tax-dollars/?sh=40fc11cc529d

 

1.6 billion taxes collected. As of 2021 article.

 

You talk about homeless: social services for them has improved. $$ comes from somewhere.  Schools $$ scholarships $$  

 

Cash is being generated but is it being used well?

Thanks for your link. Article is from May 2021. As stated in the article politicians can invent new programs to spend the revenue as they wish. Just using their numbers of the $1.6 BILLION in revenue received about $25M went to kindergarten day care, another $20M went to councilors,  anti bullying programs etc.  At the same time $29M went to regulation and enforcement programs with another $16M for youth intervention. In other words more was allocated to deal with issues arising from legal pot than the purposes it was passed for. Additionally the original legislation of Prop 64 said a minimum of $40M up to 90% of the tax collected (about $1.4 BILLION) would fund a capital construction fund for schools, renovations, upgrades etc. Those two words “up to” were taken very seriously by the politicians and the funding that was promised is currently completely allocated to the state general fund and redistributed as part of the general budget process. No additional money, no major projects (at least on the western slope). We have been dealing with our school issues with local bonds and self taxation as the state has declined our grant requests for the last 10 years, deeming them non essential. 
If you have a program regarding sexual identity, free needles, safe places for drug addicts, housing for illegals ad nauseum almost guaranteed to be funded, if your school needs foundation work, windows or books, better equipment for LEO well just get in line, someday we’ll get to you. 
Regards

    

Gateway Kid

BTW this gap between revenue and allocation is what our state treasurer is supposed to be reconciling, if I live long enough I will let you know how that turns out. 

[Gungadin]

When they sell localities on legalized gambling they only talk about what good the $ will do.  They never talk about the crime, corruption and the fact that way to many of the people that are statistically challenged and being voluntarily taxed can't afford to be playing.

 

But hey, I had an uncle that still smoked pot that died before his lottery 'system' came thru.  I wonder, is there a correlation??

 

I told him once he had a better chance of winning at the roulette wheel playing black every time and letting it ride until he lost.  He said there is no way I could get black that many times in a row.  NOW YOU GET IT but you might have more fun trying.

 

My statistics professor was right when he said almost everyone that goes to a casino loses because they have a lower limit (losses) but no upper limit to stop at when they are winning.  They go with the goal of losing X amount.....

 

 

[watab kid]

ohio seems to have taken a couple blue turns lately , im not happy to see it but living here i cannot throw any stones , we too are into the hemp era , when folks start dyeing of cancer from inhaling hemp products we shall see how the libs react 

[bgavin]

Smoking and cocaine are the #1 and #2 causes of heart disease.
Tobacco and CA forest fires are high on the list for lung cancer.

 

IMO, every high school kid should be required to attend a lung autopsy, so they can see it in person.

[Texas Maverick]

I just read an article that Colorado wants to be known as Pot Country like California is known as Wine Country. Not sure that is a good thing in my opinion but that is what they are working towards.

 

TM

[John E. Law]

For those of you wondering about gun laws and the use of state legal marijuana just read the new 4473 and/or Form 1 or 4 questioners. It now specifically states ....

 

WARNING: The use or possession of Marijuana remains unlawful under Federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state that you reside.

 

Per the ATF if you use Marijuana either medicinally or recreationally regardless of its legality in your state you are PROHIBITTED from purchasing a firearm.

 

 

JEL

[Rye Miles #13621]

56 minutes ago, John E. Law said:

For those of you wondering about gun laws and the use of state legal marijuana just read the new 4473 and/or Form 1 or 4 questioners. It now specifically states ....

 

WARNING: The use or possession of Marijuana remains unlawful under Federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state that you reside.

 

Per the ATF if you use Marijuana either medicinally or recreationally regardless of its legality in your state you are PROHIBITTED from purchasing a firearm.

 

 

JEL

Correct, they changed the wording this past summer. That’s what my LGS told me. 

[bgavin]

We have been to the local Indian casino many times.
I go for the buffet, my wife goes for the same, plus playing the cheap slots.

I don't remember anybody sticking a 38 in my ear and forcing me to gamble.
I'm a firm believer in Free Will in all things, and also owning the consequences of my decisions.

Those addicted to gambling, drugs, tobacco or ice cream made their own free will choices.
It is not up to the gov't nanny to protect them from themselves.

Firecrackers were legal in the 60s when I was a kid, and I still have all my fingers cuz my Dad taught about firecrackers and guns.

[John E. Law]

On 11/10/2023 at 1:38 PM, bgavin said:

Those addicted to gambling, drugs, tobacco or ice cream made their own free will choices.
It is not up to the gov't nanny to protect them from themselves.

That's good in theory but just watch the documentary on Vancouver. They legalized all drugs and it's a cesspool now. The law abiding can't even walk down the street. There are people overdosing everywhere and while they're ODing the other junkies are robbing them of anything they have. It's a horrible state of affairs. I don't care what people do to themselves or the repercussions of their bad decisions, it's the law abiding taxpayers that have to deal with the outcomes of this mess that have their lives disrupted that I care about. 

 

JEL

[John Kloehr]

Years ago I saw a documentary on Amsterdam. They legalized drugs.

 

This did actually get rid of organized crime. They did not tax thereby not creating an incentive for smuggling.

 

But petty crime exploded. In order to buy drugs, users broke into cars to steal radios or any sellable contents. Anything not bolted or chained down "grew legs" and went away. The streets glitter from broken car windows.

 

Part of this was due to the concentration of users from all of Europe or even the world going to Amsterdam. The petty crime would be spread out if it was not drawn to Amsterdam (in theory).

 

But by contrast in the US, not only are there concentrations of users and the associated petty crime, there is also heavy taxation of the "legalized" businesses so organized crime is still present. A tax difference of as little as 4 cents on a pack of cigarettes across state lines is enough to draw organized crime, and territories in the higher-tax state are violently defended.

 

I have read illegal pot is much cheaper than legal products and also generate more profit. And illegal products do not generate taxes, they suck up tax revenue due to enforcement costs. The legislators are greedy idiots and they did not get the results they envisioned. So no wonderful public works projects, no great employment programs. Just a bunch of low-life petty thieves and organized criminal enterprises providing what they seek. And at least a few law-abiding citizens getting too stoned to understand the actual problem.

[bgavin]

As noted above, when Man follows Free Will it usually goes sour.
Where it goes wrong is when those bad apples encroach upon the lives of others.
At that point it is time to put them down.

Petty crime occurs because it is ALLOWED to occur.
Bums are present because they are ALLOWED to be present.

Those choosing to become rotten apples should also choose to accept the consequences.
Except today, there are no consequences.

How about a real consequence for that all time favorite:  the DUI.
There are never-ending stories of drivers tanked up on legal alcohol that kill an entire family by being drunk behind the wheel.
How about a blood alcohol test, and shooting the drunk son of a bitch at the scene of the accident?
Put some TEETH into the consequences of driving drunk.  (a legalized product).

 

[John Kloehr]

29 minutes ago, bgavin said:

As noted above, when Man follows Free Will it usually goes sour.
Where it goes wrong is when those bad apples encroach upon the lives of others.
At that point it is time to put them down.

Petty crime occurs because it is ALLOWED to occur.
Bums are present because they are ALLOWED to be present.

Those choosing to become rotten apples should also choose to accept the consequences.
Except today, there are no consequences.

How about a real consequence for that all time favorite:  the DUI.
There are never-ending stories of drivers tanked up on legal alcohol that kill an entire family by being drunk behind the wheel.
How about a blood alcohol test, and shooting the drunk son of a bitch at the scene of the accident?
Put some TEETH into the consequences of driving drunk.  (a legalized product).

 

Aside form due-process considerations for your DUI resolution, there is no test to determine if someone is under the influence of pot. There is a test to determine if it has been used in the last couple of weeks, but no test to determine actually being under the influence..

 

Agree DUI needs more teeth, with escalating penalties for driving on (after) a suspended license post DUI conviction (how can one drive on a suspended license anyway, there is no longer a license!).