LEGALIZE, REGULATE AND TAX POT TO ADDRESS SEVERAL SOCIAL ILLS

Since our state seems intent on raising the cost of owning a vehicle
based on weight, not miles driven, and officials also seem convinced
they need to find a way to tax fatty fast food, how about they
combine the efforts? They can weigh us while we sit in the car, then
they can tax, er, uh, fee us based on the total weight. Obesity will
have a price tag, just as the power mongers want.

If, as some claim, marijuana is a tens of billions of dollars per
year industry, and we spend hundreds of millions a year to fight
something that is essentially a dandelion with a bad reputation, why
not instead, legalize it, run it through the ATF and IRS, control it
like alcohol and tobacco, and tax the heck out of it?

We could then use part of the money for drug abuse education, and
part of the money for infrastructure repairs. For that matter, why
not do this with all vice? It is easy money for the taxers, it
completely eliminates the black market in these products, and it
will instantly eliminate the overcrowded-jail issues. For those who
try to peddle the crap to children, once would be enough, and there
would be a wonderful use for the death penalty.

This plan would create a simple, significant revenue stream in a down
economy. Only those interested in running your life, for your own
good, will complain.

Chuck Christy

Colorado Springs