06 May 2005
Marijuana Tax Stamps

Kansas Marijuana Tax StampI couldn't make this shit up! The bureaucratic logic here is nothing short of breathtaking - this clearly shows exactly how a system overgrown with legalisms actually operates.

Several states require drug dealers to purchase tax stamps for their products, even though said products are illegal! The picture at the left is the Kansas stamp - I wonder what that strange brown object depicted in it is supposed to represent? Here's the spiel from the website:

The fact that dealing marijuana and controlled substances is illegal does not exempt it from taxation. Therefore drug dealers are required by law to purchase drug tax stamps.

The drug tax is due as soon as the dealer takes possession of the marijuana or controlled substance. Payment of the drug tax will purchase the drug tax stamps. Attach the stamp to the marijuana and/or controlled substance immediately after receiving the substance. The stamps are valid for 3 months. Drugs seized without stamps or having expired stamps may result in criminal or civil penalties which may include fines, seizure of property or liens against real estate.

A dealer is not required to give his/her name or address when purchasing stamps and the Department is prohibited from sharing any information relating to the purchase of drug tax stamps with law enforcement or anyone else.

Purchasing drug tax stamps does not make possession of drugs legal.

The main market seems to be collectors: there's even a whole site devoted to this "hobby" at marijuanastamps.com. The gentleman who runs the site has several other sites devoted to his main interest: revenue stamps. It seems as though drug tax stamps are but a smaller eddy in a greater stream.

Revenue stamps are a fine old tradition in this country. Most folks are familiar with the stamps printed on packs of cigarettes by the various states, showing taxes paid, but revenue stamps have been used nearly everywhere a tax was collected, even on decks of playing cards. I wonder how many drug warriors have ever heard of the original Stamp Act and where that ultimately led?

00:00 /Politics | 2 comments | permanent link