Danny Danko

Danny Danko
Location
New York City, New York, USA
Birthday
July 04
Title
Senior Cultivation Editor
Company
High Times Magazine
Bio
I write and edit articles as well as take photos of marijuana gardens and cannabis luminaries for High Times Magazine. Check out my links in the bottom left corner for more info...

MY RECENT POSTS

APRIL 15, 2009 3:14PM

Stoners Throw A Different Kind of Tea Party: Please Tax Pot

Rate: 5 Flag

What would America’s 25 million regular marijuana consumers do with $14 billion? How about pay taxes – gladly.

AllenPLusLoRez

America's Cannabis Consumers Want to Stimulate the Economy 

That’s the message the Executive Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) delivered this morning, on tax day, during a press conference on the steps of the General Post Office in Midtown Manhattan, along with an oversized $14 billion check made out to the US Treasury Department.
 
The check total is a conservative estimate of what American taxpayers spend every year to maintain marijuana prohibition. According to the report "The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition in the United States," Americans spend some $6 billion annually on marijuana-related law enforcement. Taxing and regulating the production and sale of cannabis like alcohol products would eliminate these costs, while raising an additional $8 billion in new tax revenue each year, according to the report, which was endorsed by Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman and over 500 other accredited economists.
 
Supporters of a “tax and regulate” approach to marijuana will gather at the General Post Office (441 Eighth Ave) again today at 4:20 PM to formally present the check.

Fox News interviews Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of NORML

Fox News interviews Allen St. Pierre

 Allen with the 14 billion dollar check
Allen with the 14 billion dollar check
 
QUOTES:

"On a day when so many Americans lament having to pay state and federal income taxes, we're representing America's millions of otherwise law-abiding cannabis consumers, who're ready, willing, and able to contribute this huge sum to our struggling economy, while providing truly 'green' jobs and allowing police to focus on more important priorities. All we ask in exchange for our $14 billion is the right to enjoy pot responsibly and in peace.” – Allen St. Pierre, NORML's National Director

“I would like to ask all Americans to stop for a moment on tax day and ask themselves if this $14 billion could be better spent than on an endless, pointless, counterproductive ‘war’ against a largely harmless plant. We’re eager to start a rational, reasonable debate about changing the marijuana laws, because that’s a debate we know we’ll win.” – David Bienenstock, author of “The Official High Times Pot Smoker’s Handbook”

“Marijuana is unquestionably America's number one cash crop. At a time when millions of Americans are out of work, we need to legitimize this multi-billion dollar per year industry and help families get back on their feet, instead of arresting over 800,000 of our own citizens every year for possessing a plant far less harmful than alcohol.” – Danny Danko, Senior Cultivation Editor, High Times Magazine

 

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Comments

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Awesome. monkey fingered.
Excellent article, Danny!

(I also wonder why those other “tea-baggers” who have been getting so much press lately, don't object to big-government telling them what they can and cannot put into their own sovereign bodies. Shouldn't we somehow harness rage?)

A thumb for you.
Such a great day Tax Day....and one day ti will be a whole lot greener. Thanks Danny!
Yes Yes Yes Legalize it dont criticize it-What do we have to do? Seriously, I know some things improve with age but this negative view towards marijuana is such a scam people. The warped ones ARE profiting from the imprisonment and prosecution and ticketing of weed smokers. I bet they sell the prison uniforms and paint and cement and all that stuff that we pay for. The cops and govt. officials' salaries are paid with the court costs and fees, hell I put some douchebags kid through community college at least. This country's people should not settle for what we call freedom in america-I'm not gonna leave you guys to fight this on your own, If I knew where the front lines were I would be heading that way! the spliff is mightier than the sword!!!