Comments on: Could Marijuana Follow The Tribal Gambling Route? http://www.chrisweigant.com/2015/02/03/could-marijuana-follow-the-tribal-gambling-route/ Reality-based political commentary Wed, 13 May 2026 04:47:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: TheStig http://www.chrisweigant.com/2015/02/03/could-marijuana-follow-the-tribal-gambling-route/#comment-56897 TheStig Fri, 06 Feb 2015 16:16:31 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=10266#comment-56897 The really shameless part is that selling weed within a specified distance from a school currently exacts extra penalties!!! I can handle a lot of irony, but that pushes my limits. The really shameless part is that selling weed within a specified distance from a school currently exacts extra penalties!!! I can handle a lot of irony, but that pushes my limits.

]]> By: Chris Weigant http://www.chrisweigant.com/2015/02/03/could-marijuana-follow-the-tribal-gambling-route/#comment-56876 Chris Weigant Fri, 06 Feb 2015 07:57:32 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=10266#comment-56876 TheStig - It shouldn't. The initiative in CO (not as sure about WA) passed specifically on the promise that the tax dollars would go to the schools. In other words, it's already happened. And it's going to happen again. This is a winning formula for the pro-reform forces, so it'll be a recurring theme, the same way it was in the legalization of gambling (lotteries, mostly) political fight. The problem, as with the gambling promises, is that state governments are absolutely shameless. They get a bonanza of millions of bucks for education, and they immediately react by pulling the same amount of money out of the education budget and spending it on other things in the general budget fund. This has already happened in many states with lotteries, and I expect it will happen for weed revenues as well. -CW TheStig -

It shouldn't. The initiative in CO (not as sure about WA) passed specifically on the promise that the tax dollars would go to the schools. In other words, it's already happened.

And it's going to happen again. This is a winning formula for the pro-reform forces, so it'll be a recurring theme, the same way it was in the legalization of gambling (lotteries, mostly) political fight.

The problem, as with the gambling promises, is that state governments are absolutely shameless. They get a bonanza of millions of bucks for education, and they immediately react by pulling the same amount of money out of the education budget and spending it on other things in the general budget fund. This has already happened in many states with lotteries, and I expect it will happen for weed revenues as well.

-CW

]]> By: dsws http://www.chrisweigant.com/2015/02/03/could-marijuana-follow-the-tribal-gambling-route/#comment-56811 dsws Thu, 05 Feb 2015 05:24:25 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=10266#comment-56811 I think the idea with "riverboat" casinos is that the rivers in question are on the border between two states, so both can pretend the boat isn't really in their state. I suspect the casinos won't want to be involved with marijuana, at least initially. A lot of their business depends on keeping the idea of vice at bay, and passing themselves off as relatively wholesome entertainment. I think the idea with "riverboat" casinos is that the rivers in question are on the border between two states, so both can pretend the boat isn't really in their state.

I suspect the casinos won't want to be involved with marijuana, at least initially. A lot of their business depends on keeping the idea of vice at bay, and passing themselves off as relatively wholesome entertainment.

]]> By: TheStig http://www.chrisweigant.com/2015/02/03/could-marijuana-follow-the-tribal-gambling-route/#comment-56796 TheStig Wed, 04 Feb 2015 14:14:16 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=10266#comment-56796 Interesting parallels between gambling and pot. Gambling is often justified as aiding (and abetting?) education, but at least where I live, it looks more like a form of tax redistribution, with (inflation adjusted) dollars going to the school systems remaining fairly constant. The real winners (and promoters) seem to be the industries running the casinos, plus the restaurants, hotels and advertising campaigns associated with the casinos. Would lawmakers go so bold as trying to promote marijuana as a means to fund education? The mind boggles on that one! Interesting parallels between gambling and pot. Gambling is often justified as aiding (and abetting?) education, but at least where I live, it looks more like a form of tax redistribution, with (inflation adjusted) dollars going to the school systems remaining fairly constant. The real winners (and promoters) seem to be the industries running the casinos, plus the restaurants, hotels and advertising campaigns associated with the casinos.

Would lawmakers go so bold as trying to promote marijuana as a means to fund education? The mind boggles on that one!

]]>