Sheriffs: Raise Massachusetts Pot Tax, Use Money for Addiction Treatment

By | April 26, 2017

  • April 26, 2017 at 2:26 pm
    Agent says:
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    Hey Sheriff’s, did you not know that Marijuana is not addictive and everyone who does it recreationally are fine members of their community?

  • April 26, 2017 at 3:01 pm
    Jack Kanauph says:
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    This is a great idea. As Agent points out, pot is a gateway drug. I believe the gateway is opened because, using the “underground” distribution network, many times those dealers also can supply heroine, coke, opioids’,… It is not that pot makes you have a need to move on to stronger drugs. You can be solely a wine drinker, but wine doesn’t make you crave scotch. However, you may try or buy a scotch at a bar or liquor store (your dealer).

  • April 26, 2017 at 3:41 pm
    dulles says:
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    I don’t disagree with anything in this measured article — legislature has the right to raise taxes, and the sheriffs have a right to petition for funding. I’d hope for two caveats. (1) use the fund for all substance abuse: Alcohol and opioids are a much more urgent problem, and marijuana taxes can help address them. (2) place the funds under some reasonably neutral state agency to supervise its use.

  • April 26, 2017 at 4:21 pm
    Rosenblatt says:
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    Putting aside the dangers of marijuana and if it is or isn’t a gateway drug — if you want to talk about that, PLEASE reply to Agent or Jack’s post instead — what rights do a little more than half of the Sherrifs have to overturn the will of the voters?

    The voters approved 6.25% sales tax + 3.75% excise tax + an additional 2% if local communities want it. Elected officials should be enacting laws as voted on by their constituants.

    The people of MA voted for a certain tax level on the drug and that’s the level the state should apply. If a higher tax rate is requested, the citizens of MA should be able to vote on it before the officials decide to give the voters something they did NOT vote for.

    • April 27, 2017 at 10:29 am
      Agent says:
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      Rosenblatt, did you know that Drugs (of all types) now exceed alchohol in car accidents resulting in death? 43% for drug related, 37% for alcohol. That is how drugs whether it be Marijuana, Crack, Meth or Heroine has taken hold of this country.

      • April 27, 2017 at 10:35 am
        Rosenblatt says:
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        I did not know that Agent. Those are bad numbers. Driving while intoxicated on any substance is bad!

        I’m curious if you know what part of the 43% is attributable to marijuana versus other drugs?

        I ask because I honestly don’t think driving while stoned is as bad (again – it’s still very bad!) as driving while being blasted on heroin or bath salts.

  • April 26, 2017 at 6:11 pm
    charles says:
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    The taxes are plenty high enough. 6.25% state tax + 3.75% excise tax + 2% local tax = 12% total
    Given that alcohol is only taxed 11 cents a gallon for beer 12% is plenty enough for cannabis.

    The legislature had over 8 years since cannabis decriminalization to write a legalization bill, they chose not to. Now they can implement what the voters voted on or lose their jobs the next election.



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