Truly Bizarre Taxes: The Tax on Illegal Drugs

One can never underestimate the enthusiasm that politicians have for trying to hunt up tax revenues. The creativity of some politicians can lead to bizarre taxes and unfortunate results.

Taxes on Illegal Drugs

One argument for the legalization of various narcotics is that massive tax revenues would be created. Interestingly, a few states already are trying to collect such taxes!

More than 10 states have tried to tax people that possess illegal drugs. For example, Kansas levies a drug tax on dealers as soon as they take possession of the substance. To avoid prosecution for failure to pay the drug tax, individuals possessing the drugs are supposed to purchase "drug tax stamps" and attach the stamps to the drugs in question. The stamps are valid for 3 months.

In an apparent attempt to promote compliance, the Kansas Department of Revenue promises:

"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."

The tax is levied on cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and other hard drugs. Interestingly, the state collected over $300,000 in such taxes by going after individuals that were charged with criminal activity. This is better known as the "Al Capone Theory", which is derived from the fact that authorities were able to put away the famous mobster on tax evasion charges. Alas, criminal prosecutors have not always welcomed the illegal drug tax.

Drug Tax Foils Prosecution of Drug Dealers in Texas

The 5th Amendment of the Constitution protects Americans from being punished twice for the same crime. This concept, known as "double jeopardy", caused prosecutors in 1989 to literally beg the state comptroller's office to stop accepting tax payments by drug dealers. The reason? A Texas Criminal Court of Appeal ruled that the state law assessing taxes on illegal drugs constituted a "punishment". As a result, requiring the payment of the tax constituted double jeopardy if the taxpayer had already been charged criminally.

In an attempt to get their clients off on drug charges, criminal attorneys began advising them to rush to pay their drug-related taxes. The theory was that once the taxes were paid, the drug dealer could not be prosecuted because doing so would constitute a second punishment! The appellate court agreed with the theory and the state comptroller immediately stopped collecting the Texas drug tax.

Richard Chapo is CEO of http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com - Obtaining tax refunds for small businesses by finding overlooked tax deductions and credits through a free tax return review.

MORE RESOURCES:

2009 CHICAGO BUDGET | Mayor wants to hike event, parking taxes to ... - Chicago Sun-Times

As the Economy Sinks, So Do Odds of a Tax Cut - U.S. News World Report

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/World/article/122958cid=1256027098ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNGjfDZxxtkYy0STcRaeTa-8TnxjBQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=sz_IVIVDWZMJimgurl=media.metronews.ca/images/45/7d/dc95255445cc84f8282037e90063.jpeg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Metro Canda - Edmonton/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.usnews.com/blogs/flowchart/2008/10/9/as-the-economy-sinks-so-do-odds-of-a-tax-cut.htmlcid=1256027098ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFJnCH8VaySNfjHVSOV8j_GtK2aLgAs the Economy Sinks, So Do Odds of a bTax/b Cut/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fU.S. News World Report,nbsp;DCnbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1One of the riskiest financial moves you make this year could be listening to the presidential candidates—and banking on a btax/b cut after the November b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-1fd=Rurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D3ShDaWICNZ4cid=1256027098ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFq04CziG5BQMqJ6uYAdDOfV7HznwVideo: VP Debate - Tax Policies: Why are your tax policies not .../a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCSPAN/nobr/fontobject width=448 height=356param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/3ShDaWICNZ4/paramparam name=wmode value=transparent/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/3ShDaWICNZ4type=application/x-shockwave-flashwmode=transparentwidth=448height=356/embed/objectbr/fontfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-2fd=Rurl=http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/10/10/lower-taxes-fix-the-economy/cid=1256027098ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNEc1Xc8a2C-gQ_3xSSbasQvvWajpwCan Lower bTaxes/b Fix The Economy?/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBlackvoices/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-3fd=Rurl=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6048058.htmlcid=1256027098ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNH5DaEEs3GNXnay82ZBNQ2M9SWTCABoth candidates mum on effect of crisis on spending, btaxes/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrHouston Chronicle/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-4fd=Rurl=http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/obama.mccain.taxes.2.836041.htmlcid=1256027098ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNHag1BWMZNghIUvZaaVwf-ttYl70gnobrcbs4denver.com/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-5fd=Rurl=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/09/fact-check-obama-tax-plan-and-small-businesses/cid=1256027098ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNGMLLSJHWNa5t88dYAiICi-6rRvUwnobrCNN Political Ticker/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1256027098hl=ennobrall 562 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Mayor: Homeowners#39; taxes to drop - Indianapolis Star

Meeting on Crisis, Executives Say High Taxes Hinder City’s Economy - New York Times

Economic decisions involve more than reducing taxes - Lexington Dispatch

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20081010/COLUMNISTS/810100295/1053/sportscid=1254644376ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNE7TrogUgGiZ19Ch4Ifx1nuQu5QFwEconomic decisions involve more than reducing btaxes/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLexington Dispatch,nbsp;NCnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Over the past few months, I have been following the policy debate between Republicans and Democrats over the idea of cutting btaxes/b. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-1fd=Rurl=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm%3Fc_id%3D280%26objectid%3D10536917cid=1254644376ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNEWn6iB7JFfuop37dJqNeFCfHKatgPublic at odds with parties over deficit/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNew Zealand Herald/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-2fd=Rurl=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/2184525cid=1254644376ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNH4nRdUs_H68xhcUW5J69Pg5zF6SwBrash has recipe for recovery/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTVNZ/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254644376hl=ennobrall 211 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Some real differences on carbon taxes . . . - Vancouver Sun

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html%3Fid%3Df867a11a-be0d-411e-833f-355d7644afa0cid=1256409194ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFq71Q5Af1JWtP9YaaEYQeCDiueBASome real differences on carbon btaxes/b . . ./abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fVancouver Sun,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The carbon btax/b issue -- or, more broadly, carbon pricing -- should be a key focus of debate in the federal campaign. It#39;s the one btax/b policy area where b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/513650cid=1256409194ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNETbxQpCXnXOpgGH8KO6OEqjbyeVgRating the parties#39; plans to put a price on carbon/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrToronto Star/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1256409194hl=ennobrall 4 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Tax experts suggest ways to close $300 billion gap - The Associated Press

The Problem With Tax-Exempt Health Insurance - New York Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/10/09/report_both_candidates_increase_health_coveragecid=1252219486ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNF3cm7bMkcDx949bIgde9tqgpomMAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=ABO7kvmnubcJimgurl=cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/AP_Photo/2008/10/09/1223526034_7510/539w.jpg width=80 height=79 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Boston Globe/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/the-problem-with-tax-exempt-health-insurance/%3Fref%3Dopinioncid=1252219486ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNErOG_9uwdaDP_KfONucPv9VmFJBwThe Problem With bTax/b-Exempt Health Insurance/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Ezekiel Emanuel In this installment of Health Care Watch, Stuart M. Butler and Ezekiel Emanuel talk about what the candidates are saying about btaxes/b and b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-1fd=Rurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DerspfMkqLN4cid=1252219486ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFXh-55OfPLMhJLu0uRV_2_ThycxQVideo: McCain, Obama Differ Dramatically on Health Care/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAssociatedPress/nobr/fontobject width=448 height=356param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/erspfMkqLN4/paramparam name=wmode value=transparent/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/erspfMkqLN4type=application/x-shockwave-flashwmode=transparentwidth=448height=356/embed/objectbr/fontfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-2fd=Rurl=http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/10/06/mccain-i-m-not-raising-taxes-i-m-cutting-medicare.aspxcid=1252219486ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNHdzRVBNKQwjykOAA-ayCCG6TSzSwMcCain: I#39;m Not Raising bTaxes/b. I#39;m Cutting Medicare!/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Plank on TNR.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-3fd=Rurl=http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20081010/OPINION01/810100369cid=1252219486ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNGZSc8c63EBlsm_eDhCaH-pcik-MwWatch McCain speak for himself/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrHattiesburg American/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-4fd=Rurl=http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm%3FDR_ID%3D54846cid=1252219486ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNG6BsgfEsjaOdFLrXSdki3ifzrBGAnobrKaiser network.org/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-5fd=Rurl=http://www.galen.org/component,8/action,show_content/id,68/category_id,0/blog_id,1095/type,33/cid=1252219486ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNHFGSpzS966q9YUXzPLVuD5rpyKQgnobrGalen Institute/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1252219486hl=ennobrall 1,648 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Oakland split over raising taxes for more cops - San Francisco Chronicle

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi%3Ff%3D/c/a/2008/10/09/BA5B13DUSA.DTLcid=1256067753ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFVRTlXLY-xbKfrp04ODkJ2_IiQvAOakland split over raising btaxes/b for more cops/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Francisco Chronicle,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-14 ballot that would boost the size of the police force by raising property btaxes/b, with supporters saying more money is direly needed to fight crime while b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi%3Ff%3D/c/a/2008/10/10/BA5113F4LB.DTLcid=1256067753ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFbUDxpTP1U3wNLuau1gzEGpVMQTwOakland weighs cutting police overtime/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSan Francisco Chronicle/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1256067753hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Don’t raise taxes - Buffalo News

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/Economy/wireStory%3Fid%3D5991550cid=1255823033ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFfoCE24eGD0zbpgido9s8IavlBxgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=YoJpSGJsACMJimgurl=a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/tax_fraud_081009_mn.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2ABC News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/459635.htmlcid=1255823033ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNHmFIPpaPeuLL0n9c8DZieZfP71JQDon’t raise btaxes/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBuffalo News,nbsp; United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1If the hint from the administration of Erie County Executive Chris Collins that a property btax/b hike may be in the offing for 2009 is just a trail balloon, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-1fd=Rurl=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIK6KCg908gehZTEDOQCbHnauzOwD93MSISO0cid=1255823033ei=bX7wSILuKabgyQSRvMnMBwusg=AFQjCNFpBUXCqxyusR7anmCcEvcp24DUMwStates to zero-in on btax/b cheats as economy sags/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Associated Press/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255823033hl=ennobrall 229 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Taxes - Google News

RELATED ARTICLES

How To Set Up A Tax-Saving Bookkeeping System
One of the most important, but least understood or appreciated aspects of any business is its bookkeeping or accounting system. And, because very few people know much about the reasons for a bookkeeping system, most people are frightened by the thought of the work involved in setting up such a system, and the drudgery of daily maintenance.

Seven Key Tax Deductions for the Self Employed
As a sole proprietor, it's wise to familiarize yourself with the some key deductions that may reduce your tax bill for 2004.Small-business consultants generally recommend that you hire an accountant to prepare your tax returns, payroll and financial statements.

Send Your Kids To Summer Camp and Write It Off
If you paid someone to care for a child so you could work, you may be able claim a tax credit for child and dependent care expenses on your federal income tax return. This credit is available to people who, in order to work or to look for work, have to pay for child care services for dependents under age 13.

Correspondence From The IRS - Yikes!
It's a moment every person dreads. You pick up the mail and there is an envelope from the IRS.

Furnishing Evidence in E-Tax Compliance
Self-assessment relies on taxpayers voluntarily meeting their tax obligations. This concept is recognised in all tax statutes, which sets out taxpayers' primary obligations, and clearly spells out that taxpayers are required to determine the amount of tax payable correctly and to pay it on time.

How to Check the Status of Your Tax Refund Online
So, you were pleasantly surprised to learn that you are getting a refund on your taxes. Congratulations! The question for most taxpayers expecting a return is, "Where is my refund?"Check Your Refund Status OnlineThe easiest way to check on your refund is to ask the IRS through IRS.

Requirements To Produce Tax Information (Whats Up With That?)
"What we've got here is a failure to communicate." --Strother Martin in Cool Hand Luke Statutory Law Governments pass laws, it's what they do.

Rearrange Your Affairs For Maximum Tax Savings
One way to maximize your business profits is by reducing your taxes.Frequently, income and other taxes could be lowered significantly if only the taxpayer were willing to plan ahead.

Tax Trap #4 -- The Quagmire of Depreciation
If you are a Small Business Owner or Self-Employed Person,there's one especially lucrative tax break that not onlyputs money in your pocket, it also makes the filing ofyour business tax return much simpler.What am I talking about? It's called the Section 179deduction, and if there's one tax break you need to understand, this is it.

Military Reservists, Enlistees May Get Deferral of Back Taxes
Reservists called to active duty and enlistees in the armed forces may qualify for a deferral of taxes owed if they can show that their ability to pay taxes was affected by their military service.The deferral covers active duty members of the military services - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard - and commissioned officers of the uniformed services - Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

I Havent Filed a Tax Return with IRS in Years, What Do I Do?
In elementary school, kids come up with creative excuses why they did not bring in their homework. "My dog ate it" or "It was stolen by invisible space aliens" might be given as a reason why something was not turned in on time.

Tax Jokes and Quotes
Do you realize that some tax forms ask you to check a box if you are BLIND?Quote: "Two years ago it was impossible to get through on the phone to the IRS. Now it's just hard to get through.

Tax Help Secret: Avoiding the Entreprenuers Curse
Your days as an entrepreneur and businessperson are consumed with one primary activity; making money. Whether you think in terms of growing your business, getting the word out there, or some fancy new marketing technique, your days and weeks and months in business are focused on that one group of activities.

Truly Bizarre Taxes: The Tax on Illegal Drugs
One can never underestimate the enthusiasm that politicians have for trying to hunt up tax revenues. The creativity of some politicians can lead to bizarre taxes and unfortunate results.

Tax Deduction for Alimony Payments? - Yes!
Over 50% of marriages end in divorce in the United States. Many divorce decrees include provisions for the payment of alimony.

Tax Tips for Home-Based Business Owners
As tax time approaches, many home-based business owners begin completing their forms or paying their accountants with trepidation. This nervousness comes from two sources: a fear of being audited and a fear of having to pay a lot.

Tax Investigation - What You Need To Do
The knock on the door from a Tax Inspector is something that every taxpayer fears. Your immediate thoughts will be "Have I been honest with my tax returns or not".

Small Business Tax Deductions for Year End 2004
As a small business owner, it's wise to familiarize yourself with some key deductions that may reduce your tax bill for 2004.Employee Benefit Plans - You may deduct contributions to employee benefit plans (such as health insurance plans and retirement plans).

IRS Reports Tax Gap of $300 Billion
The Internal Revenue Service is reporting that the difference between what U.S.

Small Business Tax Credit - Americans with Disabilities Act
Many small businesses complain when confronted with the expense of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Most do not realize that there are a number of tax incentives available to offset the costs.