MMJ: It's Taxing

These weed taxes are killing me. I mean, not literally. Still, what can I do? - Bill Yonaire

I feel you. After the excise tax, the cultivation tax, the state tax, the city tax and the weed tax, a $40 bag of weed can end up costing damn near $60. Why buy from a dispensary when someone from the “traditional” market will sell you a $40 bag of weed for $40? It seems that a few state lawmakers, including State Treasurer Fiona Ma, have finally started to figure it out. Lawmakers have introduced AB 286, the Temporary Cannabis Tax Reduction Act, which would reduce the excise tax from 15 to 11 percent and eliminate the cultivation tax. If this bill passes, legal cannabis should be a bit cheaper, although probably not cheap enough to compete with the black market. Still, this is a step in the right direction. Call your representatives and tell them to support this bill.

However, high taxes aren’t the only reason for California’s cannabis sales are not meeting projections – the latest report shows they were short by about a $100 million. The biggest problem is that too many cities and counties are still refusing to allow cannabis-based businesses. According to recent reports, such businesses are allowed in only 25 percent of California cities and counties. This is especially hard on the people who had businesses in places that are continuing with outdated prohibitionist policies. If you had a small but profitable medical grow in Placer County, for instance, you are now an outlaw. Apparently, we still need activists.

Shoutout, bro. I’m a licensed pot grower. I have got top-shelf cannabis and shrooms. I disguise my packages for shipping, 100-percent safe. Would you like to place an order to get some? - Name redacted

Bruh. What? Don’t do this. Offering large amounts of drugs to strangers on the internet is a bad way to make friends, and a good way to get arrested. Shipping cannabis across state lines (even if both states have legalized weed) is a federal crime. Possessing magic mushrooms is a felony in most states, although Oregon is working to decriminalize mushrooms as we speak.

Besides, I’m guessing you live in Colorado. Why would I want to risk a federal indictment over some Colorado mid-grade? California has the best weed in the world.