This Is Bureaucracy On Drugs
April 1, 2010
I had to read this Economist article twice to make sure I hadn't missed something that actually made sense. Then I double-checked the calendar to make sure the date didn't read April 1.
Nope, it's apparently true - some 20 of our U.S. states tax illegal drugs, and print stamps, like the one shown here, that illicit drug dealers and users are supposed to affix to their contraband.
Doing so would of course likely bring a swarm of cops upon any druggie who for some unfathomable reason might attempt to comply with this law.
Yet our politicians have trouble finding ways to cut government spending while printing presses continue to churn out these stamps. A small expense compared to the size of our state budgets to be sure, but don't you just know there are thousands of similar boondoggles out there that add up to megabucks.