Radical Rant: Why Is Marijuana Being Sin-Taxed?
As we continue to legalize marijuana, state by state we see widely differing schemes of taxing the herb. From a low of Massachusetts’ proposed 3.75 percent state tax to Washington State’s 37 percent state tax, every state has come up with something different.
Besides the obvious answer, “Because they can,” it’s interesting to consider how we apply taxes to other agricultural goods. No matter how you look at it, marijuana consumers are bearing an unfair burden of taxation.
Take Washington, the nation’s highest statewide marijuana tax, at 37 percent. In Vancouver, WA, just across the border from Portland, OR, the state and local sales taxes add up to an additional 8.4 percent. So, if you went and bought an eighth of Sour Diesel for $27, that’s about an $18.57 base price + $6.87 marijuana tax + $1.56 state & local sales taxes... and yes, they’re selling marijuana for...
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