10/02/2017
Starting today, October 1, 2017, all Medical Ma*****na Dispensaries are required to charge sales tax on all medicinal purchases.
Now, don't misunderstand me, I don't have a problem with paying the government their 'protection money', but what I DO have a problem with is a two-fold.
1. Govt wants tax from grower, to presser, to delivery, to Edibles to end user. That's five dips into the same cookie jar. NO OTHER BUSINESS IS TREATED THIS WAY! IT IS IMMORAL, ILLEGAL & HIGHLY REPUGNANT TO ANYONE WITH 1/2 A BRAIN!
Normally, each vendor down a chain does not charge sales tax through their seller's permit because the next person down the line also has a seller's permit...and so on...that means the tax is only paid once at the end transaction because the normal patient is not also a reseller.
Do you see where our community is not being treated equally under the law? This violates the basic principals of capitalism itself.
Problem #2: I survived a very bad motorcycle accident, hence my long absence, and am prescribed a laundry list of medications from pain killers, to ones that help prevent those nasty PTSD nightmares. NEVER, NOT ONCE, NOT A SINGLE TIME in the almost 6 years since my accident has the pharmacy EVER charged me sales tax. In fact, meds for migraines I've been taking,!as long as I can remember, and once again through thousands of transactions did the cost EVER INCLUDE SALES TAX!
Medication is not taxed. Medical ma*****na should also not be taxed...adult use, however, should be taxed. ...and therein lies the real issue no one dares mention: how to segregate / differentiate one type from the other. This is also why I do not think it is wise for MMD's to open their doors to anyone over 21 come 1/1/2018.
THESE SHOULD BE SEPARATELY LICENSED BUSINESSES! There is no logical reason to group them together under one umbrella except for pure, unadulterated greed.
As I said, adult use is a privilege, so feel free to tax it....not f'n 15%...but something fair and reasonable to both parties involved. Medical use, however, needs to (1) be better regulated (I have a laundry list of issues I've personally seen) and (2) be treated as a medication. Unlike adult use it's not a privilege, it's a manifest necessity for those suffering from several ailments, (and that list will continue to grow as more research is published), including chronic pain, insomnia, side-effects from chemotherapy, nausea, depression, MS, PTSD, and so many more.
Once again, taxes are now being added to your medical purchases and you, the patient, have to pay this. Of course the most clever of dispensaries will have 'rewards programs' or other similar tax credit programs.
One last thing...why aren't my meds covered by medi-cal? Why can't I get reimbursed from them? Will I be allowed to deduct this under medical expenses on EITHER my federal or state tax returns, (most definitely should to FTB...including issue mentioned above about selling to someone with a sales license because they may be a reseller and, therefore, non-taxable.
THESE ARE THE WORRIES THAT KEEP ME AWAKE AT NIGHT...I WORRY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND IS BEING TREATED FAIRLY AND EQUALLY UNDER THE LAW!
This is why I advocate for myself and for all of you! When you're ready, I will be too. Contact me through the contact system here or email to: [email protected]
-Scott
