Lawmaker Proposes Tax on Bongs

[Ms. RedEye]

Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, has an interesting idea for raising revenues during these tough times.

House Bill 99 would add a "surtax of 5 percent" on items described as "drug paraphernalia" in Florida statute. That includes not only "bongs" and "hypodermic syringes," but also, according to state law, common items that can be fashioned into drug tools including "a balloon," a "2-liter-type soda bottle" and "duct tape."

Rouson said that if lawmakers are going to consider increasing the cigarette tax, store owners who claim to sell tobacco-related pipes and other accessories frequently used for illegal drugs should pay more taxes as well.

"Why should they be sacrosanct and not taxed?" he said Monday. "You and I both know it's only marijuana and drugs being smoked out of the c**** pipes and bongs ... It's another tool for law enforcement for those owners of stores who profit off of drug paraphernalia."

Rouson, who was a guest at Gov. Charlie Crist's wedding last week, has openly discussed his own past c****** addiction. He represents parts of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

The bill as written would apparently extend the surtax to duct tape and two-liter bottles of soda. Rouson said it was not his intent to punish, for example, a handyman relying on the wonders of duct tape and he would amend the bill to exclude drug-free use of common items.

Section 893.145 of state law does provide an interesting clash of legal wording and the world of drugs.

Included in the definition of "drug paraphernalia" are "Separation gins and sifters used, intended for use, or designed for use in removing twigs and seeds from, or in otherwise cleaning or refining, cannabis" and "Roach clips: meaning objects used to hold burning material, such as a cannabis cigarette, that has become too small or too short to be held in the hand."


News Hawk: MsRedEye: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: HeraldTribune.com
Author: Joe Follick
Copyright: 2008 HeraldTribune.com
Contact: Contact Us | HeraldTribune.com | Southwest Florida's Information Leader
Website: Lawmaker proposes tax on bongs | HeraldTribune.com | Southwest Florida's Information Leader

 

[pvphoenix]

Duct tape? Really? Everyone knows making pieces out of duct tape makes it taste like shit. I'd rather construct an entire pipe made out of tin foil than smoke out of a water bottle bong duct taped to be air tight.

 

[wordsworm]

Maybe you should write to the turd and tell him that. That way he can add a tax to tin foil. I'd like to add soda cans are very useful. He can tax those as well. What about tobacco that goes into a joint? Plenty of people do that to help it burn well. Water? Heck, we put water in bongs. Tax bottled water and tap water! We also need air for the weed to burn. Tax the air we breathe. Then there're lighters, automobiles for hot boxing, and ice for making hippy crack from leaf. Surely we can think of more things to add.

 

[Keith Lake]

Duct tape? Really? Everyone knows making pieces out of duct tape makes it taste like shit. I'd rather construct an entire pipe made out of tin foil than smoke out of a water bottle bong duct taped to be air tight.

Man if they tax the duct tape that could put McGiver out of business, and how will the rednecks be able to afford to hang their curtains

 

[Jim Finnel]

lets not forget fruit. pipes are often made from apples.
corn - corncob pipes

 

[wordsworm]

I also forgot dirt. Pot grows in dirt. So, should people pay a pot-tax for every square meter (about 11 square feet - glad my feet aren't square) of property that they have?

You need to fertilize it, and many of us use good old fashioned poop. Now, should they tax all animal farmers based on the number of livestock? I mean, if we tax the poop, I really think they'll try to cheat the system. Tax the BS!