In Arcata, California, in the heart of that state’s marijuana growing region, “Measure I on next week’s ballot would impose a 45 percent electricity tax on households — with medical and other exceptions — that use three times the amount of power a typical family home does.” Jeff Bernard, AP, http://www.redding.com/news/2012/nov/04/arcata-targets-industrial-marijuana-growers-measur/
If you can’t measure output, maybe you can measure grow area. If you can’t measure that, thanks to federal prohibition, here’s a different tax base. Clever. During a recent drought, my town cut down on lawn watering by setting an amount of water a family might reasonably use, then charging a super premium for amounts way over that base. It’s the same idea.
The Center for New Revenue 