SENATE BILL: The "Cocaine Should Still be Illegal" Act (Failed)

[Napoleon]

The law should stand and the fact that people are misunderstanding what it does says a lot more about them than the actual law.

[Napoleon]

How so Senator? Is it that much harder to write a law striking out a few lines from a big bill then it is to write a law saying such and such is repealed?

None of his logic in this thread makes sense. I'm not sure its supposed to, honestly.

[Napoleon]

At 25 cents per gram, the tax will cost more in enforcement than it will bring in revenue, and it won't dissuade anyone from selling or using it.

So what price would you propose an alternative?

I don't think a sin tax is a great idea in the first place with something that is as addictive as cocaine.  If you make it the tax high enough to discourage use, you'll be making it high enough to provide an incentive for people to have a black market to avoid the tax. And since people are addicted they will try to get it even if it is more expensive, which could lead to crime to get the money.

From what I can find, street price for powder is generally close to $100/gram and for crack closer to $150/gram, so use that to think about what kind of tax could affect behavior.

$40 a gram for the good sh**t man. Any more and its a middle finger and a different phone number. I'm not sure about crack but...I've seen crackheads and I don't think they are paying $150 for anything. I can't make any assumptions about the effects of decriminalization.

[Napoleon]

I'd be fine with a higher rate, and that's something we can address with a subsequent amendment should this one pass.

You should just make it a 15 or 20% excise tax on the value of the Cocaine sold. There is a 15% excise tax on Marijuana so I think a 20% tax on Cocaine should be good.

It shouldn't be sold period.

Well I hate to be Mr Obvious but your bill won't do anything to stop it except allow minorities to be tossed into prisons more easily.