guys you forgetting that the gov want to make money
so they start running around charing people tickets here and there instead of placing them in jail , thats smart
they dont want to legalize it or whatever, you'll still be fined for carrying it so... get ready to pay serious cash when you carry some around:P

quote:

Originally posted by occrider So should smokers be forced to pay more for health care? Or should there be an increased 'health' tax on cigarrettes?

As a smoker, I must say I'm sick of this "but we pay for your healthcare when you get sick" argument.

In Australia, the price of a deck of cigarettes is about $10. At least half of that is tax (more like 60-70%, but we'll say 50% to keep the estimates conservative).

So, a pack a day smoker for, say 35 years pays $5 tax on every pack of cigs he buys. 5 * 365 = 1825. 1825 * 35 = 63875. That's $63875 he's voluntarily giving to the government - wouldn't that just about cover health care when he contracts lung cancer?

Besides, if you start taxing smokers for clogging up the health system, perhaps you could also start taxing other people who enter the health system only because of the ill-fated undertaking of a voluntary activity? All sportsmen perhaps? Afterall, they didn't have to play sport so it's their fault they have a broken leg, why should I pay for it? Or perhaps we should tax over-eaters? After all, they clog up the health-system as bad KFC clogs their arteries, right?

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The reason its been decriminalized there, and in some states here its only a misdemeneor is because as much as most public officials frown upon the use of marijuana it creates a huge burden on the already overburdened court system. I don't think it has anything to do with them changing their opinion on it, or trying to reduce the use of it or anything else.

Go Canada

quote:

Originally posted by Nadi creates a huge burden on the already overburdened court system

for sure, and as one TA said early...it's money, fines will help bolster coffers!

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they should just make it legal, its illogical to "decriminalize it" while "decriminalizing" it encourages its use pretty much, raising the penalties for trafficking larger amounts doesn't makse sense. Why encourage use and discourage growing? The 2 go together like white on rice. Just make like Tiesto's home country and legalize. I don't care if its bad. So is alcohol, and you already have to be stupid to get addicted to marijuana and become a pothead. What happened when the prohibition stopped? The infamous Al Capone and all the other gang operations ceased. It causes more crime than prevents. Marijuana in my opinion, is not harmful enough to be completely illegal. It's not like crack or coke or all the other club drug favorites (E, crystal meth, Special K etc.). Whereas these drugs cause a lot more harm.

marijuana is not "Legalized" in Holland
Canada is basicaly doing the same thing what Holland have done long time ago, decriminalizing it. It will never be legalized, but it doesn't make you a criminal to carry it around for personal use only (less than 15grams), but you will be penzalized for carrying it.
As I mentioned before, its another way for government to save on Legal Services and make more money

however in Holland they don't fine you do they? And if you are growing it they don't put u in jail do they? I'm not too familiar with how Holland does it, but I do know for a fact that many people go on vacation there to smoke their marijuana and have no worries about getting caught.

i'll get back to you about this but i am pretty sure there is fines to pay for possession and you might need permission to grow your own...

YAY FOR POT!

now i can finally make those baskets i wanted to make... legally! in canada of course...

As the rules on Marijuana are being discussed overhere, but not right, and I'm from Holland i'll explain them:

Officialy nothing is Legal! So if the police really wants to nail your ass, they can, but it almost never happens...

You're allowed to smoke your weed if you're 18 years old.
You're allowed to buy your weed at a Coffeeshop when you're 18 years old, but no more than 5 grams a day.. This should be enough as he quality of the weed is much better than in most other countrys.
The "coffeeshops" are allowed to sell the weed BUT: they are not allowed to buy it....
Everybody is allowed to have 5 plants to grow your own weed, if you have a couple of hundred or more they will give you a "workingpenalty " and sometimes a Fine.
If you just smoke your Joint you'll never get problems with the Police... you can just walk to them with a joint in your mouth and start talking to them....

I Hope this will make it more clear.