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-
-
- One device for encouraging
- marijuana legalization:
-
- Following this introduction is the text of a flier FOR
- STRAIGHT PEOPLE. It is designed to suggest to them that if
- marijuana were legalized, THEIR taxes could stay down AND the
- public safety could be maintained. Without their support,
- marijuana will NEVER be legalized.
-
- Following the flyer is the text of a MOCK license and
- application for growing and possessing marijuana. This would be a
- result of a very restrictive legalization scheme.
-
- This mock license represents a very limited proposal. It is
- a very limited form of marijuana legalization. Libertarian,
- computer-nerd, marijuana users will consider it outrageously, and
- probably unacceptably restrictive. After all, why should they
- have a license FOR ANYTHING?
-
- Repeat, this is a political document designed to convince
- non-libertarian, ordinary citizens that it could be in THEIR
- interest to support some form of marijuana legalization. This
- proposal is not designed to create more libertarians, or to simply
- make libertarians feel good.
-
- Page 1 of the flyer follows:
- ********
- ATTENTION TAXPAYERS:
- LOOKING FOR A WAY TO KEEP YOUR TAXES DOWN?
-
- DO YOU KNOW ANY ADULTS WHO SMOKE MARIJUANA?
- MAKE THEM PAY TAXES FOR THE PRIVILEGE!
-
- Federal, State and local governments are broke. Our economy
- is staggering.
- Government programsimportant to you -- schools, ambulances,
- police, etc. face cutbacks. Lack of revenue endangers America's
- health and safety. We need new revenue sources. ADULT MARIJUANA
- USERS CAN BE TAXED, instead of overcrowding our prisons. Put
- violent criminals in prison instead!
-
- In 1933, a major reason to end alcohol prohibition was to
- raise taxes to fight the depression.
- In 1933, tens of thousands of legal jobs were created almost
- instantly. In 1933, the violent crime rate started a steep
- decline, and organized crime
- started losing.
- Now, the U.S. government gets $12 billion in alcohol &
- tobacco taxes annually.
- Shouldn't we learn from history?
-
- THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ACCEPT TAXES FROM ADULT
- MARIJUANA USERS.
- * MARIJUANA TAXES WILL HELP BALANCE OUR BUDGET AND
- REDUCE OUR TAXES.
- * MARIJUANA TAXES WILL MAINTAIN NECESSARY GOVERNMENT
- SERVICES LIKE SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND HIGHWAYS.
- * MARIJUANA TAXES WILL HELP PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY!
-
- THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD STOP WASTING MONEY FIGHTING
- ADULT MARIJUANA USERS.
- * ANNUALLY, OVER 300,000 MARIJUANA USERS OR GROWERS ARE
- JAILED.
- * ANNUALLY, OVER $10 BILLION IS WASTED FIGHTING
- MARIJUANA.
- * MARIJUANA PROHIBITION IS A MISTAKE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO
- IGNORE.
-
- On the other side of this sheet is a mock marijuana license.
- It is an example of
- a restrictive-type of marijuana taxation for adults that could
- raise billions in taxes for state and Federal government.
-
- The Office of National Drug Control Policy at the White House
- estimated the value of the U.S. marijuana business as $10 - 20
- billion in 1989. A more recent report estimated $67 billion per
- year. Hundreds of thousands of people work in this
- business. But none of this business is taxed. No one in this
- business pays taxes. Let's start taxing "pot" and put those
- billions to work!
-
- There are reasonable ways to raise marijuana taxes and to
- control marijuana use and cultivation. Imagine if adult marijuana
- users sent this mock application to the President, the Treasury
- Secretary, and Congress, telling them, "I'm a responsible adult.
- Let me pay marijuana taxes and grow my own marijuana legally --
- without hurting the balance of trade, patronizing criminals, or
- endangering the public."
- Imagine thousands of American marijuana users carrying this
- mock application, with thousands of checks for $200 payable to the
- "United States," chanting at the IRS office, "Take my money!"
-
- By the way, know anyone with cancer? The Bush Administration
- blocked persons with cancer, many of whom medically benefit from
- marijuana, from legally getting marijuana that half of America's
- oncologists say they would prescribe if it were legal. And
- marijuana is also valuable for treating paraplegic veterans, AIDS
- sufferers, epilepsy and glaucoma. Encourage President Clinton to
- help cancer patients with marijuana.
-
- For more information on marijuana policies, contact the
- National Organization for the Reform ofMarijuana Laws (National
- Office 202-483-5500) or the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics
- (202-483-8595).
-
- This mock license was developed to help educate taxpayers,
- and government officials, about one approach to reduce
- prohibition-related crime. (If you think the qualifications and
- conditions are inadequate to protect public health and safety,
- please let the Foundation know.) If you would like information
- about other
- crime-fighting strategies, please contact:
-
- THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY FOUNDATION
- 2000 L St., N.W., Suite 702
- Washington, D.C. 20036
- 202-835-9075 January 20, 1993
- ******
- page 2 of the leaflet is the mock license itself
- *****
- United States of America
- MARIJUANA POSSESSION AND
- CULTIVATION LICENSE
- APPLICATION
-
- Lloyd Bentsen
- Secretary of the
- Treasury
- Type or print legibly.
- DATE
- ( ) License to Possess $ 50.00 per year ( ) License to
- Possess & Cultivate $ 200.00 per year Name of Applicant
- Date of Birth Address City
- State Zip
- STATEMENT OF
- QUALIFICATIONS
- I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I am 21 years old; and that WITHIN
- THE
- PAST TWO YEARS -- (a) I have not operated a motor vehicle while
- under the influence of marijuana, alcohol or any other drug. (b)
- I have not committed any crime of violence while under the
- influence of marijuana, alcohol or any other drug. (c) I have
- not committed any assault against any person while under the
- influence of marijuana, alcohol or any other drug. (d) I have
- not committed any crime involving theft, destruction of property,
- endangering public safety, or dishonesty while under the influence
- of marijuana, alcohol or any other drug. (e) I have not
- illegally distributed alcohol or any other drug to a person under
- the age of 21.
-
- Signature of Applicant (under penalty of perjury)
- Date
- ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONS
- Upon issuance to me of a license for marijuana possession
- and cultivation by
- the United States of America, I hereby ACCEPT, AND SHALL BE BOUND
- BY, the following conditions:
- (1) I shall not operate any vehicle of any kind, any
- boat or vessel, or any
- aircraft, at any time while under the influence of marijuana or
- any other drug.
- (2) I shall not distribute marijuana or any other drug
- commercially to any
- person (except as otherwise licensed).
- (3) I shall not distribute marijuana or any other drug
- to any person under
- the age of 21 years except as necessary for medical, ritual or
- educational purposes, and then only under my personal supervision.
- (4) I shall not commit any crime while under influence
- of marijuana or any
- other drug.
- (5) I shall not distribute any marijuana or any other
- drug that has been
- adulterated.
- (6) I shall not engage in any cultivation of marijuana
- in any manner that
- creates a nuisance, or that is harmful to the environment.
- (7) I shall make the best effort to assure that
- marijuana and other drugs are
- used safely, with maximum benefit, and with minimum risk to the
- public and any individual.
- (8) I shall comply with the regulations of the Secretary
- regarding marijuana
- applying to me.
-
- Signature of Applicant (under penalty of perjury)
- ____________________________________________Date___________
-
- UNITED STATES MARIJUANA
- LICENSE
-
- [ ] POSSESSION [ ]
- CULTIVATION
- DATE PAID____
- METHOD OF PAYMENT____
- TOTAL FEE PAID [ ] $200.00 [ ] $50.00
- I, LLOYD BENTSEN, SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, United States of
- America, hereby certify that __________________, applicant, has
- paid the indicated fee for marijuana possession and/or
- cultivation. The applicant shall be exempt from prosecution by
- the United States, or any subdivision thereof, for possession,
- cultivation or distribution of marijuana for one year from the
- date of payment so long as applicant remains qualified and
- complies fully with the above conditions.
-
- ______________________ _________
- FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY DATE
- Lloyd Bentsen, Secretary of the Treasury, 15th & Pennsylvania Ave,
- NW, Washington DC 20220 (202) 622-1100, FAX (202) 566-8066
- (Application not yet authorized by law) January 20,
- 1992
-
-
-