Pro-marijuana ad pushes pot as Calif. budget fix
Published: July 8, 2009
Updated 4 months ago
The Marijuana Policy Project is running ads calling for California to tax the sale of marijuana.
The AP has more details here.
A pro-marijuana group is launching another television bid to legalize pot in California — this time with the pitch that legalizing and taxing the drug could help solve the state’s massive budget deficit.
The 30-second spot, airing Wednesday and paid for by the Marijuana Policy Project, features a retired 58-year-old state worker who says state leaders “are ignoring millions of Californians who want to pay taxes.”
“We’re marijuana consumers,” says Nadene Herndon of Fair Oaks, who says she began using marijuana after suffering multiple strokes three years ago. “Instead of being treated like criminals for using a substance safer than alcohol, we want to pay our fair share.”
This video is from Fox News’ America’s Newsroom, broadcast July 8, 2009.
Download video via RawReplay.com
13 comments
Printer Friendly |
Email
| Get breaking news alerts: Email/mobile |
Smoking our way back to prosperity.
A noble notion.
Those tax numbers don’t include what the state would save from just NOT screwing with people for using and growing a plant. But of course, the righties won’t like that. They are the ones, after all, who own the companies that fill our prisons for profit.
I’ve been saying for 2 decades that the right’s 100% employment plan is to throw half of us in prison and have the other half for guards. Voila! Instant 100% employment.
BTW, if you don’t screw with people for using a plant, you won’t NEED so many cops, will you? Again, a savings right there. Not to mention the unnecessary probation officers. Again, a savings. And make those people find REAL jobs that actually help society instead of leeching off of it.
Good luck, but there are still WAY too many cowardly politicians who have to show that they are “tough on crime” and soft on intelligence as well as basic pragmatism for it to pass.
Actually, that would only employ 50%, the other 50% being the recipients of tax dollars who get to live their lives free of bills for food, water, exercise equipment…paid for by the guards’ taxes.
Yes, but you’re not seeing the right wing picture. If someone is in jail, they won’t be able to claim unemployment, would they? And so they are taken off the roles. The 50% that is watching them would be the right’s full employment figure. Not to mention, they could screw the rest of society for the money to keep them “safe” from those of us who would be in the slammer. The profits would be amazing.
Medical Marijuana should now and always remain tax free. I can’t afford heathcare so what makes someone think I can pay taxes on my marijuana medicine. And, being a medical marijuana patient, a person can live in fear of losing their job if discovered by their employer.
And further more, anyone who needs the top marijuana rehab is a very weak minded individual. When will the truth finally be told once and for all about cannabis? The rehab blood suckers need to be shown the door also. Just another reason health care is so expensive.
2008 deaths from tobacco: approx. 400,000
2008 deaths from alcohol: approx. 125,000
2008 deaths from pot: 0
Any questions?
I’m a medical marijuana patient in CA… I say the state legalize MJ for all… THEN tax the sales. This God given herb is actually healthful… it has been found to be neurogenic (facilitates the growth of nerve cells), and is an actual cure for many cancers where CB1 and 2 cannabis receptors can be found on cells that are diseased. Cannabinoids create autophagy (cell death) in those cells that are diseased while sparing normal cells. The only side effects are euphoria…. God forbid!
Don’t you mean “..while sparing healthy cells…”? Normal cells are those pesky ones that crave the euphoria so dreaded by the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry. Euphoria defeats fear.
FUCK THIS!
No new taxes PERIOD. The state can fix its stupid problems by cutting the bullshit out of public spending. Let’s start by laying off all the legislators and their lackeys. Half our budget shortfall would be solved by that alone.
LEARN TO DO IT YOURSELF. Stop relying on government for everything. Goverment IS THE PROBLEM.
EVOLVE OR DIE.
FUCK YOU if you want to tax MJ. You are a sick perverted idiot who has rotten sausage for brains.
NO TAXES!!
I believe that the strategy here is to pass a tax on medical marijuana, same as the general sales tax, and start this government revenue stream flowing.
Once the bean counters in Sacramento see the dollars flowing in, they’ll start calculating and realize that this revenue stream could easily be turned into a large revenue river with legalization for all adults (just like alcohol); one that would go a long way towards solving the budget crisis.
So this move is just a first step, and a smart one at that. There is no way that the state government would ever consider legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana for any reason other than financial.
Smoking pot also removes republican polyps that leech unto the health care system that denies us coverage.
Vividly detailed as always. Classic Dennycrane.