The report also details interesting changes in how much Americans are paying for drugs: Every year, Americans spent upwards of $100 billion on marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. Most of that amount is spent by what the report identifies as the “minority of very heavy users,” who get high 21 or more days per month. By comparison, Americans spent a comparatively paltry $21 billion on bars in 2010.
Good thing all that revenue's going to the black market.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Flip side of that is that in Colorado they aren't getting nearly as much from the taxes on pot as they'd projected. Not sure if that's the usual incompetence of politicians or what,
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Vince wrote:Flip side of that is that in Colorado they aren't getting nearly as much from the taxes on pot as they'd projected. Not sure if that's the usual incompetence of politicians or what,
Do you have a source for that? Haven't seen that anywhere.
Vince wrote:Flip side of that is that in Colorado they aren't getting nearly as much from the taxes on pot as they'd projected. Not sure if that's the usual incompetence of politicians or what,
Yep. They're hurting. $2M just this January. They're planning for about $50M per year. Which isn't enough to say, bail Detroit out of debt, but it's fifty million they didn't have before.
Economic forecasters in Olympia predicted that the state's new legal recreational marijuana market will bring nearly $190 million to state coffers over four years starting in mid-2015. Washington state sets budgets biennially.
Edited By Malcolm on 1394568599
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Malcolm wrote:Yep. They're hurting. $2M just this January. They're planning for about $50M per year. Which isn't enough to say, bail Detroit out of debt, but it's fifty million they didn't have before.
I'm sure in the usual political fashion, they spent twice that ($50 million) already in anticipation of the new possible revenue.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Malcolm wrote:Yep. They're hurting. $2M just this January. They're planning for about $50M per year. Which isn't enough to say, bail Detroit out of debt, but it's fifty million they didn't have before.
I'm sure in the usual political fashion, they spent twice that ($50 million) already in anticipation of the new possible revenue.
Corruption and overspending is a separate issue from getting the income.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Vince wrote:I agree. I just think the partial solution to government ills is to give them less to do damage with instead of more.
I agree. The ~12% tax they have on bud in Colorado is too high. *rimshot*
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Vince wrote:Flip side of that is that in Colorado they aren't getting nearly as much from the taxes on pot as they'd projected. Not sure if that's the usual incompetence of politicians or what,
Apparently they have to refund taxes if they collect too much.
Colorado is authorized to collect about $70 million in recreational marijuana taxes. But estimates show how the state could easily collect far more in the fiscal year that begins in July.
If initial calculations end up being accurate, the state could owe taxpayers a $67 million. Another estimate puts the amount at $107 million. But it's also possible the state will collect less than $70 million, or that voters could allow the state to keep any extra money.
Pretty sure most of that's going to get plowed right back into more bud.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Heh... I don't think anyone can agree on how much they're supposed to get from this. Egg heads on one side coming up with a number and the stoners saying, "Nooo dude! We're going to make WAY more than THAT! Wait... where's the decimal? Are you going to eat that?"
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Vince wrote:Heh... I don't think anyone can agree on how much they're supposed to get from this. Egg heads on one side coming up with a number and the stoners saying, "Nooo dude! We're going to make WAY more than THAT! Wait... where's the decimal? Are you going to eat that?"
Actually, they've collected so much revenue that it blows away the tax limit set by a previous law. It's not a matter of how much they've made, it's how much they're going to keep.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
I wish marijuana were legal everywhere. I have no desire to smoke it, but I'd be interested in the drinkable/eatable forms, like beer/alcohol is to me today.
More and more I care less and less one way or the other. I'm okay with states making their own choices on it. On the federal level, there's way more important stuff to deal with.
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
Yeah, some days I wonder if I would try LSD again... but I'm guessing it's purely a theoretical question at this point. Even if I wanted to try it, I have no idea how to get it. Not like I can visit a Grateful Dead show.
