Drug Tax Stamps

Perhaps the politicians merely want a little of what they're spending on their drugs back. I agree, though, that the whole idea is incredibly stupid. I can just picture some politician saying, "All these drug dealers are out there making more money than me illegally. I want a cut of the deal! Who's with me?" :)

I think this whole idea started in Georgia....and you should see the taxes they put on Viagra. C'mon over here Britney...and grab me a Pepsi.

ROFL, that's the best laugh I've had all day.

taco bell.. pshh, don't you guys have a taco cabana?!

I couldn't find them again, but I've actually seen statistics on how much money these tax stamps bring in. I was quite shocked at how much it was, given selling drugs is illegal and all. It seems some dealers want to be ethical, or something like that...

Doesn't it seem as if the state could make sure they get taxes from many illegal drugs by legalization of that drug? Oh but that wouldn't work, the police wouldn't have enough to do, and prisons wouldn't be overflowing. At any rate, the whole idea of charges taxes for an illegal activity is really stupid.

seriously.. i heard this exact same story, but not just from the State of Kansas.. I believe I saw it on an actual Federal IRS form for businesses. It boggled me then, and it boggles me now. Your rant made me smile, though, because I doubt I could say it much better.

There was a similar law in Nebraska, I believe, but it's not for collecting legitimate taxes from drug peddlers as you suggest, but rather to turn the screws that much tighter on convicted drug felons by slapping them with tax evasion charges (which will bring a monetary liability rather than just time served) on top of their drug penalty. A way of convicting them twice for the same crime.

I don't think this is stupid at all -- there's really no expectation of revenue. It's, as Scott said, just a way of getting dealers on a different charge. Remember, this is how Al Capone ended up getting nailed -- tax evasion on his illegally-gotten gains. This also isn't new -- it's been around for at least the better part of a decade.

That is the funniest thing I've ever heard. But I agree with Nate, if they really want to make some money and boost our economy — legalize it.

Actually, if you look through the IRS instructions for Form 1040, it says you must report income from illegal activities and embezzlement...

Also, it's likely not the "tax and spend" politicians (Dems) who are creating these laws (since they won't generate real revenue anyway, but are a nice way around the double jeopardy protections in place) but the "punish and suffer because there are no insinuating circumstances" politicans (Reps).

I'm stunned. This one just floors me.

We have a government that is so hungry for money, they cannot see straight.

This week, my wifed called the goverment agency responsible for issuing passports to complain. We applied for a passport for my daughter and they sent this us a letter indicating errors in our application (which was incorrect).

As the call began we were told that we would be charged .55 per minute! Now they want to charge you to complain about their 'service'. What? You have to pay to be mad?

I'm waiting for the DMV to charge you for standing in line. What a freakin' cash cow that will be.

They should also give the dealers who come in for the stamp a free "I'm an idiot dealer" button too. If there's ever an excuse to cheat taxes, being a drug dealer is one. LOL! :)

Scott made the points that first came to mind when I read it as well. This has been in effect in Iowa for some time now. And this is mostly another way to punish the criminals when they get caught, and help recoup some of the costs of convicting them. In some ways, it probably helps reduce the taxes the rest of us pay.

This is of course, not just limited to Kansas. You have been blindsided by the emotions caused by this ridiculous logic. You should have focussed on the graphic design of the different stamps, it will make you much more happy.

http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/stamps.htm

(Scroll down if you just want to see the stamps)

I doubt that they expect drug dealers to actually purchase these things. The politicians just wanted a way to slap convicted drug dealers with a big fine.

The question that interests me here is why did the politicians have to go to these lengths? Why not just make existing drug dealing laws stricter?

Todd asked: "Why not just make existing drug dealing laws stricter?"

Because those laws are already some of the most vicious, mean and strict laws there are. And they've done nothing to solve the problem, and certainly aren't bringing in more money.

I've heard of this also, and like Scott said above, it's a way to charge drog offenders with multiple crimes.

It's not stupid, it's brilliant. It's a catch-22. If they don't tax their drugs, then it's an additional crime when they get caught. If they go to pick up drug stamps, then they'll be picked up for dealing. It's a lose-lose for them either way.

They've done the same thing in Idaho for at least 10 years or so .. just a scam to add monetary fines to dealers at the time they're busted.

I think it's a great idea. Shut the hell up, fool.

Actually, this is completely unconstitutional, and there have been court cases about similar laws. A law that forces someone to pay taxes on drugs is a law that forces someone to admit to illegal activity, which is unconsitiutional. Just my 2 cents.

I know there's lots of 'ooh, federal goverment is the bane of western civ (even though it brought you, um, the Internet) but simply look at it this way: revenue collection and defining illegal activity are seperate processes in goverment. Revenue collection is not some vast conspiracy: it's simply how the goverment pays the bills. Economic actitivty is regulated so that transactions are taxed fairly (meaning equitably as defined by tax law). If large sums or money are being moved around (thus depleting the revenue potential of a region: state, city, country), then the ability of the region to enforce laws (that define illegal activity) is depleted. Since sizeure laws have been in place for some time, and often involve the federal goverment (since the DEA funds more large scale interdiction), the states lose the taxable portion of a large deal (sale, laundering, etc.), even though they may end up housing the criminal or funding the trial. These laws are intended to claim their fair (as defined above) share of economic activity in their area. Since, after all, dope may be legalized, and then the states won't have to ruch legislation in place (unlike being blindsided by ecommerce, which still avoids taxation).

I have seen "the idiocy of money-grubbing, tax and spend politicians" and it is us. Everybody want something from the government, but no one wants to pay for it. Just mortgage the future -- what the hell.

this is a fairly common thing. in some places selling drugs is technically legal, but only with the tax stamp, which you can't actually. so in effect there is no legal way to sell the drugs. it's just a bureaucratic way of going about making drugs illegal and providing for the most penalties.