A bill is being introduced in the
state of Washington that would tax marijuana brand names and trademarks. This
bill was heard by the House Finance Committee and it calls for a marijuana tax
of $3.60 per $1,000 on all trademarks, trade names, patents and copyright
marijuana strains. This would be in addition to the 25% tax that will be
assessed at each stage of the marijuana process, including the selling,
growing, and processing of marijuana.
"I
think that this reflects the uniqueness of the situation. What was the value of
Marlboro as a trade name back when it was filed as a trade name or brand name?”
---Jeff
Morris, Washington Democratic Representative
The bill specifies that this
specific tax revenue would go into a special fund for agricultural research,
specifically research for health benefits. Some of this research includes
research that is currently being done at Washington State University to create
plasma from wheat to make gluten-free wheat. Although Morris was quick to point
out that this tax was not meant to replace state funding of research, only to
enhance it.
At the present time, the amount of
this tax's potential revenue is unknown, mostly due to the fact that this
industry does not yet exist and the federal government may still block
Washington's pot law from actually taking effect.
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