Pubdate: Thu, 09 Apr 2009
Source: Independent  Florida Alligator, The (FL Edu)
Copyright: 2009 Campus Communications, Inc
Contact:  http://www.alligator.org/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/760
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

TOBACCO TAX OK, BUT FOR POT: NO TAXATION WITHOUT LEGALIZATION

I disagree with Tommy Maple's column that addresses how the increased 
tax on cigarettes is wrong.

According to the American Cancer Society, 440,000 people in the 
United States die every year from cigarette-related deaths and many 
more suffer from cardiovascular complications due to their habits. 
These health problems caused by cigarette smoking serve only to place 
a huge burden on the state's health care system. During times of 
economic recession, it makes sense to tax those who choose to buy 
cigarettes, as they are the ones who may need to utilize the state's 
health care system once their tobacco habit begins to cause serious 
health problems. Why should nonsmokers pay for the health problems of 
those who make the conscious decision to light up?

However, I do applaud Maple for raising awareness about the excessive 
taxes levied on cigars, wraps and rolling papers that aim to unfairly 
tax marijuana smokers.

Taxation without legalization is certainly wrong and the government 
could easily generate tax revenue if the state decriminalized 
marijuana and allowed the passage of medical marijuana laws. Unlike 
cigarettes, no one has been able to prove that marijuana use leads to 
death, cancer or any other malady associated with tobacco smoke. In 
fact, marijuana has been shown to kill cancer cells and prevent 
Alzheimer's disease.

Additionally, although Maple claims that "organizing smokers to do 
anything other than listen to music or play video games is a 
Herculean task," he should be informed that Gainesville's chapter of 
People United for Medical Marijuana was organized solely by UF 
student smokers and non-smokers who hold strong political beliefs 
about our state's current drug policies and wish to see them changed. 
Many of these students are currently volunteering to collect 
signatures on a petition in hopes that Florida will vote to allow 
medical marijuana in our state. Clearly, these hardworking students 
demonstrate that people who support marijuana reform are not lazy, 
apathetic stoners who care only about eating Funyuns.

But rather, they are responsible young adults who wish to change the 
oppressive and archaic laws that demonize nonviolent marijuana smokers.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom