Would legalising weed slow the economic downturn?

javaboy

Overblood wrote: »

I still smoke the odd weed jay at parties though, as does EVERYBODY.

Everybody? Bullshít.

Overblood

javaboy wrote: »

Everybody? Bullshít.

Ah you're just nitpicking! Have you ever been to college/uni by the way?

Captain-America

Overblood wrote: »

I still smoke the odd weed jay at parties though, as does EVERYBODY.

I think you'll find that's bollocks.

javaboy

Overblood wrote: »

Ah you're just nitpicking! Have you ever been to college/uni by the way?

Nitpicking? You said everybody smokes weed sometimes. That's just plain not true. It's hardly nitpicking to say so. And yes I've been to college.

speedboatchase

Even if it was freely available in bars or wherever I think people would still buy from dealers for cheaper and/or stronger weed

My name is URL

speedboatchase wrote: »

Even if it was freely available in bars or wherever I think people would still buy from dealers for cheaper and/or stronger weed

It would not be sold in pubs, it would be cheaper and it would be purer.

Overblood

I still smoke the odd weed jay at parties though, as does EVERYBODY.

Captain-America wrote: »

I think you'll find that's bollocks.

I have actually found that it is the case most of the time, in my experience. If you want to disagree with that, that's fine.

Javaboy the reason I asked about being to college is, when I was at uni I can only think of a handfull of people who never touched the stuff. Out of the hundreds of people I must have partied with over the years. (I was in galway so that might explain it...:pac:) I was exaggerating when I said everybody.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Terry wrote: »

Yeah, but how would that help the economy?

I think, not 100% sure, that you can purchase seeds in some head shops.

This is where they could get their tax from. Plus the equipment to grow the weed. Have a special tax for the seeds? Not sure exactly how that would work. Charge cheaper than the drug dealers but still charge enough to make a nice amount of tax from it.

Drug dealers may not risk bringing in the weed if it is cheaper to grow or buy from a legal coffee shop.

It's not something that could be done over night, guess it would take a long time to build up the infastructure for it.

Upward spiral, if it was sold legally it would get rid of the crap that you can get now. The stuff you get legally would be stronger too.

D.Q

Overblood wrote: »

I think for the sake of this thread that it would be useful if people told us whether they are a smoker or not before giving their opinion. We all know the 'ol "don't knock it before you try it" adage.

Call me paranoid.... BUT....

JC 2K3

I don't think it'd slow the economic downturn, no. The issue is still to do with denial of personal freedom to put what you like in your body, and the ideas and which anti-drug propaganda, filled with exaggerations, myths and downright lies has managed to shape the opinions of a huge amount of people.

magick

maybe......maybe not

one thing is for sure,

it would make this recession go a lot more happier

wait...................wat1?

ceegee

Given that the price of a box of fags looks like it may rise above a tenner, the arguement that legalising it would bring down the price is a bit naive. If it were legalised the govt would tax it just as highly as cigarettes. The health argument is one thats often trotted out but doesn't hold up. If there are medical benefits from it that doesn't mean we need to legalise it, rather we should isolate the ingredients that give benefit so they can be used without the other side effects of hash. We don't give patients pure opium for pain: we use morphine, the same theory should apply to hash

30txsbzmcu2k9w

Originally Posted by Overblood
I still smoke the odd weed jay at parties though, as does EVERYBODY

.

Captain-America: I think you'll find that's bollocks

.

I'd say your in the minority there Captain
I think coffee shops can only be beneficial. From a social point of view mainly. Any economic upturn as a result is a bonus.

Snowie

if a stoner's on the dole, and buying weed if it was legal he be paying tax on it which means hed be giving money back to the country so how is that, so wrong... If he buys a pack of smokes its the same, the government is yet again getting tax back...

I dont really see it doing all that much to change things....

mardybumbum

Upward Spiral wrote: »

Would legalizing weed slow the economic downturn?

Weed slows everything down

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

apart from you're heart, speeds that **** right up. its freaky sometimes

el_tiddlero

I don't know that slowing the recession as a reason to legalise is quite the right idea - it's more that, in these times where the government is looking to maximise all its revenue streams and cut costs, could there not be an argument made for legalisation based on economic grounds - that is, aside from health, societal, or other arguments, is there now an opportunity to employ a more pertinent financial argument in the case for legalisation.

To that question, the answer is yes.

Whether legalisation should/will happen, well, I doubt it, although I do support it.

Taking a global view, the following outlines a report that is going to the UN this year - the authors are doubtful that their recommendations will be heeded, but as one of them said in a New Scientist article: 40 years ago a report like this would never have seen the light of day - that's progress of a sort..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/oct/02/drugsandalcohol.drugspolicy

biko

I am for a state controlled selling of weed. If the junkies could smoke it hopefully they'd stay off heroin and other crap. If scumbags could smoke more weed/drink less it'd bring down domestic violence and alcohol related accidents/attacks.
Instead of breathalyser you have to accept a blood test at roadside.
Tourism revenue would shoot through the roof.

Let the losers smoke themselves into oblivion.

drunkmonkey

I don't see how leglisation would help the enconomy..

If it's legal and I can grow it myslelf, I will be taking the money out of the drug dealers pockets but I won't be putting the money anywhere else, maybe the local co-op for some miracle grow but that's about it....

I think by keeping it illegal it has a positive effect on the economy by keeping billions of cash circulating, with legilisation your taking the cash out of a lot of peoples pockets, the crime rate would spiral (bank robbing, mugging, petty theft, kidnapping etc)...

Keep it illegal, the system works, in a trypical Irish way...

I wish they'd ban bunny rabbits, those fookers make it very hard to grow in the wild, they love the stuff....little fluffy ****:mad:

Tech3

Upward Spiral wrote: »

There's been alot of talk in the US about how legalizing marijuana may reduce the effects of the recession, by creating jobs and taxation etc. Do you think this is a viable idea that could be adopted in Ireland or is it just stoners trying to get everyone else to chillax about it?

It might introduce jobs but then the government would need to introduce more gardai into the public sector to handle the extra crime thus more money going out than coming in. I disagree strongly with what you propose.

Smart Bug

tech2 wrote: »

It might introduce jobs but then the government would need to introduce more gardai into the public sector to handle the extra crime thus more money going out than coming in. I disagree strongly with what you propose.

Extra crime? Huh?

ScumLord

You could grow your own but your looking at at least a 3 month wait, plus if your a consignor of weed your going to want to try out other blends and new strains. Just look at the Cannabis cup in Amsterdam, it's as competitive as any other horticultural gathering. Growing weed is a hobby/passion it's not for everybody.

There is a huge industry in cannabis, not only in recreational use but medical and commercial/industrial applications. If Ireland was exclusively able to grow cannabis we'd have many different markets to sell to and it would give our poor farmers something that isn't controlled by monopoly's that drive farming towards the lowest possible quality.

There is a huge industry in cannabis that goes beyond just getting stoned.

Capt'n Midnight

pffft

it's money for old rope

Bottle_of_Smoke

I don't know, used to be a legalisation supporter but if it was legal I'd use it regularly and more than likely be failing college. Its the hassle of having to go to a dealer that means we just go to the off licence in the evening. Weeds different you can smoke it any time of day.

As for the economy. Would help with tourism from the UK and maybe a few Americans might come here instead of London if they were planning a European trip. THis would help a lot as Northern IRelands gonna rape our tourism industry in the summer with their cheapness.

Tigger

Snow-Monkey wrote: »

if a stoner's on the dole, and buying weed if it was legal he be paying tax on it which means hed be giving money back to the country so how is that, so wrong... If he buys a pack of smokes its the same, the government is yet again getting tax back...

I dont really see it doing all that much to change things....

would it be cheaper in the north?

knoximus

think about the millions flowing thru the black market that could be pumped into the economy if prohibition would end and cannabis was regulated. anything u make illegal will be run by a criminal element e.g. Alcohol prohibition
in the u.s. produced gangs and gang leaders like Al Capone which resulted in many deaths. just like the u.s's failed war on drugs.
(im gonna keep goin with this because it really p**ses me off.)

Its like this, Without regulation anyone can get their hands on weed. even a 6 yr old. Dealers dont ask for ID. Infact you are exposing ur children to higher class drugs.(would u like something a little stronger?) dealers dont care as long as the make the deal and make their money.

The state of California is heading for legalisation because they are solid broke. taxed at $50 dollars an oz.

Annual Causes of Death in the United States

Tobacco435,000
Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity365,000
Alcohol85,000
Microbial Agents75,000
Toxic Agents55,000
Motor Vehicle Crashes26,347
Adverse Reactions to Prescription Drugs32,000
Suicide30,622
Incidents Involving Firearms29,000
Homicide20,308
Sexual Behaviors20,000
All Illicit Drug Use, Direct and Indirect17,000
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Such As Aspirin7,600
Marijuana 0

Grow it, Tax it, Regulate it!

Nature will provide.
march on May 9th!--Legalise!! Garden of rememberance. would be a great day to rage against the machine. (peacefully)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjQlHfYvPK0

carlmango11

I think it would help alot. As long as its not taxed so much as to deter people buying it legally. Think of all the criminals who get their money through drugs, all that would go to the goverment instead

Dave!

FYI Labour's Emmett Stagg suggested in the Dail that marijuana should be legalised and taxed
It's mentioned briefly here (towards the end)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0411/1224244447594.html

He was on the radio defending his comments too.

It seems that nothing more will come of it though

Ostrom

Mortality figures are meaningless, marijuana use needs long term mental health and quality of life data for a reasonable assesment

daveharnett

I'm going to attempt some rough figures. I wouldn't make much of the cost savings to the state - guards tend not to waste time on weed, and not much organised crime is funded primarily by it.

but...

Lets say that 100% tax allows legal weed to undercut the price of black market weed. Lets say 2% of the population are regular to heavy (chronic:pac:) users - average E50 per week spend.

so thats E25*80,000 users*52 weeks = 104,000,000 per anum, plus lets say another 50 for occasional users. Not a huge amount, but hardly chicken feed either.

Oh, and that's assuming that legalisation has no effect on consumption/demand, which many people here seem to think it will. I am inclined to think that it wouldn't.