very chilling social thermometer.Relax, enjoy life, love one another, live in peace, and let everyone else do so too, in their own way. If the production and sale of marihuana were licensed by government, its use would still be controlled in two ways: first, by a programof research and education, and secondly, by a tax. Theoretically, there is no limit to the amount of control you can exercise by simplyadding a tax. The use of gasoline, alcohol, and cigarettes are all severely modified by aggressive taxation, and marihuana could be dealtwith in the same way. So here is the proposal: allow marihuana to be cultivated and sold under license, but collect a tax of $100 per ounce sold, with the taxrevenue used for drug research and education. That would set up a simple machine that would become self-regulating. The exactamount of the tax could be modified as needed. At one stroke, this would stop a "war" on peaceful American citizens who are just trying to live their lives. This whole slice ofAmericas people who spend time in jail for marihuana related offenses would be relieved of this oppression, and an ineffective andvery costly military opposition to marihuana cultivators would be laid to rest. If you want to play war games, go to Afghanistan. In its place, the Government quietly moves onto the other side of the pay window, and instead of spending billions of taxpayers dollarson a drug war (in which it turns out that about 98% of the takings are industrial hemp with no THC anyway, a crop which Canadianfarmers are once again allowed to farm for their profit), the Government starts collecting a tax that could not only fully fund theeducation and research program mentioned above, but could replace the income tax, and retire the national debt into the bargain; andall of this as a voluntary tax just like the lottery. If you dont buy lottery tickets or smoke marihuana, you can enjoy a free ride, with allexpenses paid. The buses will run for fre...
