Tax to toke

[Thor]

Well this is bizzare. The State of Kansas believes that, regardless of it legality, marijuana and other controlled substances need to be taxed.

Link: http://www.ksrevenue.org/perstaxtypesdrug.htm#top

Apparently, the Kansas Department of Revenue is angry that drug dealers haven't been paying their taxes for illegally used/dealt drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other controlled substances, so they're striking back where it hurts most: the dealers' pocketbooks.

Now, how many drug dealers do you think will declare that they are actually dealing drugs to the government? Turnout is expected to be minimal methinks.

 

[Dreamwalker]

Yeah, I do not think that most will declare their drugs.
But the text is kind of funny

Payment of the drug tax will purchase the drug tax stamps. Attach the stamp to the marijuana and/or controlled substance immediately after receiving the substance.

You will even get tax stamps. Wouldn´t it be more logical to confiscate the drugs when they are declared?

 

[wesmorris]

I heard about this in missouri. I think there is something on the missouri government's plate to do make the stuff taxable such that when they bust someone they'll be able to confescate more of their stuff, or somehow otherwise dig deeper into the pocket of the offender.

 

[Thor]

It's just a scam to make more money when they bust a big horde of drugs. But the idea behind it is insane.

 

[Dreamwalker]

Well, it is not exactly insane. The state wants to make money. I have read the text and it looks like it is not very problematic to aquire thise drug tax stamps.

Drug dealers, as defined above, are required by law to purchase tax stamps from the Department of Revenue's Business Tax Bureau (K.S.A. 79-5204). In order to protect against any possible violation of the self-incrimination constitutional protection, a dealer is not required to give his/her name or address when purchasing stamps and the Business Tax Bureau is prohibited from sharing any information relating to the purchase of drug tax stamps with law enforcement or anyone else.

But since drug dealers are criminals anyway, why should they make their trade more legal by buying tax stamps?

 

[Dreamwalker]

Wow, looks like they want to make a lot of money.

What are the tax rates for controlled substances?
Pursuant to K.S.A. 79-5202, the tax rates are:

If customarily sold by weight (cocaine, methamphetamine, etc.) $200 per gram

Combined with the heavy fines on not taxed drugs, this may give the state possesion of quite a nice sum. (If they manage to enforce this properly)

Well, peace Kansas :m:

 

[cosmictraveler]

Drugs that are prescribed cannot be taxed.

 

[DeeCee]

Drugs that are prescribed are generally not much fun.

So if the state makes money out of illegal drugs does that make the state complicit in dealing?
No dealers=No dough
Dee Cee

 

[Tiassa]

Remeber that the government busted Capone on tax evasion.

 

[tablariddim]

Well, whatever next? Tax on stolen goods? Tax on assasins? Hitmen will have to buy special 'Hit" tax stamps, otherwise, they'd have to go to jail every time they killed someone and got caught. What this means of course, is that the prices of hits will go through the roof, not to mention the prices of knocked off DVD players. These new laws will eradicate crime and tax evasion in one hit... well done, State of Kansas, you are truly looney! I wonder if the drugs you took that inspired this idea were tax paid?

 

[StarOfEight]

Remeber that the government busted Capone on tax evasion.

Exactly ... the purpose is to establish a legal pretext for bringing someone to trial.

 

[StarOfEight]

Drugs that are prescribed are generally not much fun.

Most street drugs have been prescribed at one time. For example, ecstasy used to be given for couples therapy, and there's a study underway, dealing with trauma survivors and alcohol was available during the Prohibition from doctors.

 

[DeeCee]

Most street drugs have been prescribed at one time.

Err..
Something of a generalisation Star.
Here the UK I can easily run off a script for pharm quality heroin (Diamorphine hydrochloride) and Cocaine paste (well I could if I was heavily into ENT surgery). Prior to the first incarnation of the Dangerous drugs act, both substances were available over the counter without prescription.
Cannabis is not and has never been available on script in the UK neither has MDMA or LSD (other than with home office approval for nasty unethical clinical trials back in the 50's)

Dee Cee

 

[Nasor]

There used to be a section on the IRS forms for declaring income from "illegal sources". That way even if you were caught getting money illegally, you wouldn't have to worry about also getting in trouble for tax fraud. You didn't have to put down any other information, no specifics about how you got the money. Just “I've got some extra income that I'd like to pay my taxes on.” The IRS always swore that they wouldn't share the records with police. They got rid of it a while ago. I don't know if they did away with it because no one was bothering to use it, or if they just finally realized how silly it was.

 

[Asguard]

this IS a joke right?

 

[StarOfEight]

Err..
Something of a generalisation Star.
Here the UK I can easily run off a script for pharm quality heroin (Diamorphine hydrochloride) and Cocaine paste (well I could if I was heavily into ENT surgery). Prior to the first incarnation of the Dangerous drugs act, both substances were available over the counter without prescription.
Cannabis is not and has never been available on script in the UK neither has MDMA or LSD (other than with home office approval for nasty unethical clinical trials back in the 50's)

Dee Cee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_psychotherapy

 

[StarOfEight]

this IS a joke right?

Like Tiassa said ... the gov't prosecuted Al Capone on tax evasion. Not murder, not conspiracy to commit murder, not manslaughter, not assault, not bootlegging, not prostitution, not gunrunning, not extortion, and not anything else I'm forgetting. Tax evasion. Also how they got his brother, Ralph. Point being, this gives them another tool in prosecution.