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I frequently wondered during my time on leg staff what kind of drugs Dickerson was on, and now we get a clue.
She's one of those pie in the sky types who voted to jack up taxes on cigarettes... a brilliant ploy that has only resulted in $10 million LESS per month going to the state.
And now she wants to follow up THAT bit of genius by legalizing, taxing and selling pot thru liquor stores.
The leftist battle cry of "legalize and tax" is bizarre to say the least... with the same foreseeable result as jacking up the cigarette tax, a plan that has certainly enriched the state coffers of Oregon and Idaho.
Taxing pot, which is, after all, a weed (thus the name) will only result in an explosion of home grown operations which, when taken in their entirety, are likely to be much cheaper to the user then the proposal Dickerson and her buds (heh) want to foist on us now.
So the issue won't be the matter of local enforcement of drug laws, since this law will be thrown out by the Feds as soon as it's signed, presuming Queen Chrissy WOULD sign it.
No, instead it will result in major issues concerning revenue enforcement. And also, certainly, you can't legalize pot without full legalization of the head shops, right? We can see the headlines now: "Major Bust by State Revenue Agents shuts down untaxed pot grow."
With the fiscal suicide confronting this state and nation, you'd expect state representatives to be engaged in the more important, mundane issues of the day... like where and how much to cut the budget while leaving a functioning government in place.
Hit the bong too much, however, and you get silly bills like Dickerson's... who, as I recall, was a real yuckfest when I was there.
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Just don't light a cigarette, cigar or pipe.
ReplyDeleteBut pot? That's okay.
I keep wondering if "medical" marijuana smokers will be allowed to smoke inside buildings, to take their "prescription," while tobacco users are ushered outside 25 feet away?
Great point! My guess is that issue isn't discussed in the bill... much like pot's harmful medical/physical effects.
ReplyDeleteAhh, the "Huff & Puff Brigade" is back trying to get their scratch and sniff seal of approval tax stamps to make their grove operations even more legal than they are now.
ReplyDeleteHonestly and personally, I may not agree with the benefits or decadence of the drug and do not use it personally but its still illegal at the Federal level. It might not be as illegal at the state level but until these guys deal with the federal rules, all of this commentary at the sate level is still all up in a puff of smoke.
And to lew's comment, don't forget to include all of those puffing away at the C-tran bus stations and bus stalls all over the county. (and there is a huge IGNORE the vinyl label signs plastered all over the bus shelters by the cigarette smokers.)
Also I would to see them use that argument for the prescriptive relief that they would have to use that stuff in a building. Watch what happens if they are in a building with sprinklers? :)
Precisely. And, of course, it's difficult to see through the haze.
ReplyDeleteHeh.
Hey, where'd all you comedians come from?!
ReplyDeleteMe? I got my start at Swedish Hospital in Seattle... just north of the Bardahl sign in the Ballard area.
ReplyDeleteHeh.
I doubt that I have such an issue with the small time operators as long as within the state law, which by the way right now is HUGELY not understandible to state law enforcement agencies about the medical marijuana smokers & distributors.
ReplyDeleteAnd as I said in my previous post, as long as some does not hurt anybody and they keep to themselves and its not a serious job like professional truck driving, airline pilot or air traffic controller, leave them be.
And if their pot smoking is interferring with their omployment, I don't care if it is a medical or not, you are out on your keester. Now there might be sympathetic employers but in this day and age and the how bad the economy is, I doubt many are going to make such a sacrifice.
It is all about personal responsibility and lack thereof in our society. You can't keep your situation to youself, then you attract negative attention....