thunderbump

You guys are missing the point. The fact that all these states are preposing leagalazation is a landmark event. The past arguements for making marijuana illeagle are over.The fact that 13 states already allow medical use pretty much demands it be removed as a shcedule 1 drug. I think a state should take that stand first. Then it would be up to each state to set regulations. Tax and sales will work themselfs out later.The state will have to take more control over the sales and will have to either grow their own, or buy from the privite growers. Either way apermit to grow your own is on its way.

Victor_vicious

I would not vote for this bill. Its worse than the Oregon Hemp bill. In case you missed it, the figures stated are just the tax, that isn't the price. The black market would welcome such high prices, swag that sells for $250.00 an oz Plus the retail price????? What a crock of bullshit. VV

Mikeebud

This makes me so excited, im not even from MA, But just to have this as a bill is a big step in the marijuana legal history.

take note.

__________________
Religion is just a theroy, Like the goverment that's your friend.

yoman3

The cons definitely outweigh the pros on this one. Woo! Great! Legalization bill! Too bad it's going to be so expensive that no one will buy it. Everything Buzzby and the ones who agreed with him are right - this is going to halter the legalization effort rather than expand it.

It's like this bill was made so once it passed, the prohibitionists can say "oh, well look at MA! They legalized marijuana and it worked out horribly!" By that time it wouldn't matter what counter arguments anyone made to them (you know, about how the tax was too high, etc) - they just wouldn't listen, and neither would the general population that doesn't know much about marijuana or its legalization efforts. They'd just see "MA didn't work, nothing will work."

LowRider

Not sure what the status is but if MPP and Norml started now they could point it out early that way they can squash and maybe get improvements for it. Haven't heard anything out of this from either side which is sad, they could get some updates going. But it's our job to call them too, no matter what state we are from. So that we can atleast try to improve this bill and put pressure on the reps also.

claygooding

Agreed,the taxes proposed are higher than the cost of the cartels brick weed
in my region,but I have no idea what the people of Ma are paying for their weed.
The reason I think they went so high on taxes is to increase the numbers of people that will grow their own. Only if you grow your own can you control the types of fertilizers and insecticides and additives used on your marijuana.
And I believe that if you are eating your marijuana,it's best to stay away from the chemical fertilizers and nutrients.
Most people will be able to grow good marijuana in their backyard,if the ground already grows good vegetation,with very little fertilizers added,mostly worm castings at the start,natures most perfect fertilizer,and some bone meal sprinkled around the roots after the plants get 2 foot high for the flowering period. Worm castings can be turned into a tea that can be used as a foliar spray,to use up until flowering starts.
The genetics are all in the seeds,if you plant good seeds,the marijuana will be good,and potency and yield are in the genetics of the seed.
What a grower does to it will either help it a little,or kill it,and most people try to do too much. Marijuana has been growing since the start of time,and it knows how to grow. Pruning is the key to increased yield. It starts when the fourth new set of leaves appears,and continues until instead of 1 top,you have 8 tops,and instead of a christmas tree,it looks like a box.
Any person,with appx 18 sq ft of ground and starting with 12 plants,6 if feminized seeds or clones are used,can grow more marijuana than they can smoke before their next crop will be harvested. And that is for a heavy
smoker. A rec smoker that only smokes on weekends and at parties,3 or 4
females would probably do them fine.
If a person applies themselves and studies all the info they can get from the many different internet grow videos and articles,they can turn out some very good sensimilla,and if your neighbors or you miss a male plant,it will still be good marijuana.

usvinorml

Just watch what happens. Spent time with a Senator here yesterday. We have agreed on the gist for a bill he will sponsor in the Legislature here. He is the only Rastafarian Senator we have and wants to avoid the accusations that it is a self serving bill so he has asked us to write the proposed Bill and he will sponsor it. It will include Decriminalization, Personal use & cultivation for those of age and for industrial hemp cultivation and processing, and cannabis-based businesses. It will speak to fees for temporary use permits for visitors to the Territory as well as licensing fees for growers based upon levels of growing. It will bring those who want to sell into legalized business people by forcing them to register as a business or a vendor. If someone is caught selling or growing without registering or being licensed, they will be given the opportunity to become licensed immediately. Should they refuse then there will be penalties. All in the effort to legitimize the industry and reduce crime. Still working it out and putting words on paper. Should have it to him ready to go within 2 weeks. We'll see what happens. We are also including wording for inter-island transfer of limited quantities of product depending on your licensing status. (a commercial grower will transfer a larger qty than a registered personal user)

Want more information? Contact me at usvinorml@gmail.com or 269-841-4264 (skype) or 340-244-9179(cell).

dj Dozhe

I live in MA and I'd be happy to support a legalization bill, but these taxes are absolutely ridiculous. I wouldn't pay $100 for schwag from anyone, and I certainly wouldn't pay $150 + their cost their overhead + the profit margin they choose.

A tax comparable or equal to the tax on alcohol would promote the growth of small businesses, help the job market, and get lots of money for the state government. This current asinine tax proposal would not help any of those things. Morons.

You'd think with big business's dick so far up the government's ass they'd have some business sense.

Dreau Preau

I can get an ounce of schwag for less than that now!
So much for making it reasonable. They're just being greedy because they still see marijuana use as a "sin."

If they did that I'd still totally grow my own.

Even so, the fact that their even considering taxing it is exciting and i like what usvinorml is saying. All of it sounds like good sense, except the ridiculous tax.

balla617

This is just another battle between the two stubborn-minded sides of an ages old idealogical disagreement. The smokers are demanding the right to cultivate and consume a natural earth product. Every day in the streets of america the two sides clash on the basis of draconian drug laws. We are talking about a shift in attitude and law towards a certain side of the debate. there is a lot of people up on their high horses claiming we all should reject this proposed legalization measure in my home state of massachusetts; and I don't know if these detracters are neighbors of mine in Mass. but I must say you are all wrong to reject any bill of this nature.

There ARE those people that will pay marked up prices, and they aren't going to break their bank to accomplish that goal of theirs. Therefore, the government will make money and it will be a boost to the economy. The invisible hand of the market would almost certainly lead the government to lower the taxes if they want to maximize their potential profits for this product. So THATS taken care of. But this tax thing that you bunch that are high up on your pedestals were first to bring up, is BESIDE the point of whether this proposed legislation would pass any sort of cost/benefit analysis for a) your average pothead; b) your rich bud consumer; and c) those marijuana cultivaters, those in the (hopefully growing) industry, and anybody else that is on our side of the ages old opinion-difference:

This bill allows people to, legally, place marijuana seeds into the ground, grow it, smoke it, without repercussion. So before you guys affirm your stance that a low quality legalization measure isn't a good enough one, let's let the politicians do their dance, hope for what EVER concession is given, and have trust in our fellow man to let the momentum sway in the correct direction.

The people in Massachusetts have spoken. People have been waiting for this sort of thing for decades. The politicians finally are allowing themselves to openly debate this on a bigger scale than ever before.

Don't let some silly tax argument impede the accumulation of the metaphorical snowball that is descending the hill.