“Alaska’s Department of Revenue says about $15.8 million has been collected since October 2016, when the first legal sales began.”
Holy cow! That’s a lot of money in the state’s coffers, and all because a previously illegal and untaxed commodity that people consumed anyway was decriminalized by the state. It’s like the lessons of prohibition are being learned all over again.
I wonder why the local chapter of the American Temperance Society isn’t commenting?
How much of that money is going to addiction treatment for those addicted to THC? How much is going to mothers of children who were exposed to THC in the womb? Is there a fund to reimburse people hurt in car accidents by other drivers high on pot? How much of the tax money is going to fight the cartels that are widely reported to have moved up from Mexico to grow legal pot in the US?
From the article: “State law calls for half of the tax revenue to go toward programs aimed at reducing repeat criminal offenders. Legislation passed earlier this year calls for an additional 25 percent to go toward a marijuana education and treatment program.”
Life is generally a mix of good and bad, Craig. I think people should have the freedom to make their own choices, this being America and all. I realize you disagree.
I don’t smoke pot, mostly because I don’t have time for it. I do drink alcohol, however; and when I’m buying a bottle of lambic, barolo or mezcal I don’t find myself wondering what percentage of California’s alcohol tax goes to alcohol addiction treatment or mothers of children who were exposed to alcohol in the womb or a fund to reimburse (I’m guessing you meant “recompense”) people hurt in car accidents by other drivers high on alcohol, and that’s mostly because I don’t spend my every waking moment worrying about how others live their lives.
Me neither. But the scientific evidence for brain damage is pretty scary, especially for young people, and the “education” efforts don’t seem to be working at all. Nationwide, use of pot by young people has increased dramatically in the last 10 years.
Right along with legalization!
So congratulations for not caring. . . (As I always say, Google “marijuana and brain damage”. Have Fun!)
Seriously? You find a positive correlation between the legalization of a substance and its consumption to be noteworthy? Like you wouldn’t expect that?
Wow.
Google “alcohol and brain damage”, Craig. What do you know, huh? As with most things, moderation is the key.
You may now return to being overly concerned with how others, in this case young people, live their lives.
The ‘alcohol is legal’ argument doesn’t fly with anyone who has an IQ over 75. Recre-Pot is the worst example of a harmless drug comparable to alcohol. Read the most recent studies… if you can focus on them long enough.
October 10, 2018 at 9:25 am
Fair Playing Field says:
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
12
1
PolarizingBore wrote:
“The ‘alcohol is legal’ argument doesn’t fly with anyone who has an IQ over 75.”
A quick look at the IIHS/HLDI stats for traffic deaths attributed to alcohol shows you’re living in denial. Heed my advice on moderation and with time you may see things more clearly.
Really?! It’s part good and part bad? How much of each? I’d say there’s very little good to come of this, and I don’t consider tax revenues to be ‘good’ things because they are spent less efficiently and wisely by government than by citizens…. including the taxes on pot sales.
“Monthly marijuana tax revenue in Alaska hit $1.5 million in August, another new high.” I think the journalists must love legal marijuana, whether or not they use it, almost as much as the smokers and the tax collectors!
It’s amusing that the stoners report the $Ms of revenue, but not the costs of recre-pot; e.g. auto accidents, sickness and deaths, mental disorders, and the direct and indirect impacts on people related to stoners who ruin their lives.
Insurance Journal reported this story. Are you calling the whole publication “stoners” or just the staff that worked on the article? Unwarranted and irresponsible attacks such as this on the The Fourth Estate, solely because it don’t reflect your viewpoint, is an attack on one of the primary tenets upon which this great country was founded, Herr Goebbels.
Penalty flag for bringing partisan politics into this, Cap’n.
There are conservatives and liberals alike weighing in with both thumbs-up and thumbs-down votes, and they are decidedly in agreement. Why make a shi++y remark like that during a hands-across-the aisle moment, particularly when people are in agreement regarding an important issue like personal choice?
What gives you the idea Yogi, Craig, and the like are anywhere near agreeing with personal choice on this subject? They are steadfast against it.
October 11, 2018 at 10:29 am
Fair Playing Field says:
Like or Dislike:
2
0
The thumbs-up votes are decidedly in favor of posts advocating choice, with the thumbs-down votes overwhelmingly directed at posts from the nanny-state contingent. These votes are coming from conservative and alike, believe me.
October 11, 2018 at 10:31 am
Fair Playing Field says:
Like or Dislike:
2
0
Whoops.
I meant to write, “These votes are coming from conservatives and liberals alike, believe me”.
October 12, 2018 at 12:05 am
Captain Planet says:
Like or Dislike:
1
1
Nah, large numbers of votes only come from BOTS, right Yogi?
“Alaska’s Department of Revenue says about $15.8 million has been collected since October 2016, when the first legal sales began.”
Holy cow! That’s a lot of money in the state’s coffers, and all because a previously illegal and untaxed commodity that people consumed anyway was decriminalized by the state. It’s like the lessons of prohibition are being learned all over again.
I wonder why the local chapter of the American Temperance Society isn’t commenting?
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
From the article: “State law calls for half of the tax revenue to go toward programs aimed at reducing repeat criminal offenders. Legislation passed earlier this year calls for an additional 25 percent to go toward a marijuana education and treatment program.”
Life is generally a mix of good and bad, Craig. I think people should have the freedom to make their own choices, this being America and all. I realize you disagree.
I don’t smoke pot, mostly because I don’t have time for it. I do drink alcohol, however; and when I’m buying a bottle of lambic, barolo or mezcal I don’t find myself wondering what percentage of California’s alcohol tax goes to alcohol addiction treatment or mothers of children who were exposed to alcohol in the womb or a fund to reimburse (I’m guessing you meant “recompense”) people hurt in car accidents by other drivers high on alcohol, and that’s mostly because I don’t spend my every waking moment worrying about how others live their lives.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Seriously? You find a positive correlation between the legalization of a substance and its consumption to be noteworthy? Like you wouldn’t expect that?
Wow.
Google “alcohol and brain damage”, Craig. What do you know, huh? As with most things, moderation is the key.
You may now return to being overly concerned with how others, in this case young people, live their lives.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
PolarizingBore wrote:
“The ‘alcohol is legal’ argument doesn’t fly with anyone who has an IQ over 75.”
A quick look at the IIHS/HLDI stats for traffic deaths attributed to alcohol shows you’re living in denial. Heed my advice on moderation and with time you may see things more clearly.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
“Monthly marijuana tax revenue in Alaska hit $1.5 million in August, another new high.” I think the journalists must love legal marijuana, whether or not they use it, almost as much as the smokers and the tax collectors!
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Insurance Journal reported this story. Are you calling the whole publication “stoners” or just the staff that worked on the article? Unwarranted and irresponsible attacks such as this on the The Fourth Estate, solely because it don’t reflect your viewpoint, is an attack on one of the primary tenets upon which this great country was founded, Herr Goebbels.
Fair,
You’re just now figuring out Yogi and dictatorship are like Kavanaugh and beer?
Penalty flag for bringing partisan politics into this, Cap’n.
There are conservatives and liberals alike weighing in with both thumbs-up and thumbs-down votes, and they are decidedly in agreement. Why make a shi++y remark like that during a hands-across-the aisle moment, particularly when people are in agreement regarding an important issue like personal choice?
What gives you the idea Yogi, Craig, and the like are anywhere near agreeing with personal choice on this subject? They are steadfast against it.
The thumbs-up votes are decidedly in favor of posts advocating choice, with the thumbs-down votes overwhelmingly directed at posts from the nanny-state contingent. These votes are coming from conservative and alike, believe me.
Whoops.
I meant to write, “These votes are coming from conservatives and liberals alike, believe me”.
Nah, large numbers of votes only come from BOTS, right Yogi?
It looks like Alaska is open for business!