There was a meet-n-greet today for hopefully our next guv Steve Lonegan.  He was running late from an earlier pre-primary campaign stop and there were a bunch of pro-2A guys standing around talking.

One posed the what-if :
The US does a 180 by ending the war on drugs and turning those assets (DEA) into a tax and collection mechanism on the sales of a retail (personal ) quantity of a handful of presently-illicit, naturally-occurring plants and long-ago-formulated pharmaceuticals to be dispensed on the word a simple medical need statement.

It is sold as "compassionate care", but spun so the government gets its cut of the drug trade (which it can't stop anyway, and already produces some, but not a huge amount, of revenue.) This would turn the DEA into the new IRS. So now, the authority for the agency is to collect tax revenue, not just stop traffic.  Let the traffic through, but regulate and tax it. Alcohol prohibition really worked in the US, didn't it?

The tax numbers could be huge, and cover his $10 Trillion 10 year deficits.  And you know, the adoring masses might just eat this up ... or not!

What do YOU think?

What drugs are we talking about here?  Legalizing pot im all for - so much tax potential, and its already decriminalized in NY and many other states.  Other drugs like cocaine and heroin should remain illegal.  I feel the long term effects of these drugs on the human body really outweighs the earning potential on them.

I think its a great idea for only certain products. I mean alcohol is no different compared to some drugs (or so imho). Just make restrictions and laws similar to drinking and whats the problem? If there was a tax on retail drugs, thats an epic FUCK ton of money collected by each state. No matter what they do they will never stop illegal trafficking so whats the lose? It MAY even diminish drug involved crime if done CORRECTLY since access will be alot easier. I guess there are difference ways to see it. Personally i would make it a federal thing from the start, maybe start with a few states to see how it works out.