marijuana and drug tax

[Herbal Remedy]

I apologize if this has already been posted, i searched but came up empty so i thought id put it here. I am a little confused as to the purpose of these stamps (purpose for those who use and are suppose to purchase them, im not worried about the governments reasons) so if you could just give this a quick read and post your thoughts it would be greatly apprciated... also, if posting this info is in any way a violation of the rules please delete or edit this post as needed, peace...

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EVEN ILLEGAL DRUGS ARE NOW TAXED
by Ken Studer, Herald Democrat, (Source:Herald Democrat)
21 Dec 2005

United States
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Taxes has never been on top of the list for favorable conversation for most. Our food is taxed, or income is taxed, but now they've started taxing people's illegal drugs.

Arizona started the ball rolling by coming up with the marijuana and drug tax. Since that time, more than 20 other states have passed various marijuana and drug taxes. There are tax stamps for marijuana, controlled substances, LSD, psychedelic mushrooms, and others.

In those states, people who possess cannabis or other illegal drugs are legally required to purchase and affix state-issued stamps onto their contraband. The total cost of the tax is determined by the quantity of contraband one has. Unlike typical criminal laws prohibiting the possession and sale of controlled substances, drug tax stamp laws primarily assess financial penalties on the defendant for not having the stamp. On occasion, criminal sanctions may also be imposed.

The stamps range in price from 35 cents to $4,000. The State Revenue Department said some of the expensive stamps have never been purchased. For the first 10 years, of the Arizona stamps, 83 sheets of the one gram cannabis stamp were sold, and three sheets of the cannabis one ounce stamp were sold. No one has ever purchased any of the cannabis one kilo, ( $352.74 ) or any of the three controlled substances ( one gram, $8.80; one ounce, $250; and one kilo, $4,000 ). Keep in mind, you have to buy a whole sheet at a time.

Nearly half of the U.S. states have the marijuana tax stamp laws on their books, few citizens observe them. Most of the citizens of these states don't even know that such a law exist in their state. Others fear that complying with the law will get them busted. The legislative intent of drug tax laws is to impose an additional penalty, tax evasion, upon drug offenders after they are arrested and criminally charged with a drug violation.

In some states such as Georgia, failure to comply with the state tax law may result in a nominal misdemeanor penalty. However, in other states, such as Minnesota, failure to comply with the state's drug tax law may result in a defendant facing an additional fine of up to $14,000 and seven years in jail.

In one recent case in Arizona a man was arrested for selling marijuana, and he had a license and had the tax stamps on his product. A judge decided that if the state sold him a license, they shouldn't arrest him for selling the product so licensed. The judge dismissed the charges against the fellow. The state appealed and the case is still going on.