I don't even know if that is how it is spelled. Oh well. So what do we do guys? Do we make it legal and put a hefty tax on it. Make growers get licensed and sell it like liquor is sold at liquor shops? I don't know. I think I would say yes! Not to condone the use of it because that is still bad for you and against my religion. However, I do think we are waisting money when it comes to putting people away for simply caring and using.
In an article by Rob Kampia on alternet.org, he throws out some numbers. I am not exactly sure where he got them, but they make sense. Correct that, Rob is quoting a Jon Gettman, Ph.D. He said that taxpayers are spending approximately $42 billion per year on the war on pot (maryjane). That would be $10.7 billion on direct law enforcement costs and a whopping $31 billion in lost tax revenue. In 2006 alone, the FBI made a total of 829,627 marijuana related arrests. So, that is $42 billion, that the nation spends trying to track down, catch and "change" their ways, every Cheech and Chong that lights up a doobie. I think our money can be spent better in other areas of the country. http://www.alternet.org/drugs/64465/
In an article by Rob Kampia on alternet.org, he throws out some numbers. I am not exactly sure where he got them, but they make sense. Correct that, Rob is quoting a Jon Gettman, Ph.D. He said that taxpayers are spending approximately $42 billion per year on the war on pot (maryjane). That would be $10.7 billion on direct law enforcement costs and a whopping $31 billion in lost tax revenue. In 2006 alone, the FBI made a total of 829,627 marijuana related arrests. So, that is $42 billion, that the nation spends trying to track down, catch and "change" their ways, every Cheech and Chong that lights up a doobie. I think our money can be spent better in other areas of the country. http://www.alternet.org/drugs/64465/
I think if marijuana became legal, its value would go down and so would its demand. It would definitely help the economy. Early 2009 Assemblyman Tom Ammiano announced legislation to legalize the drug and said it would perhaps earn $1 billion annually by taxing it. 
So, in the end we could save somewhere around $42 billion and earn revenue from taxes. Sounds good to me. Not to mention clearing some of the prisons!
So, in the end we could save somewhere around $42 billion and earn revenue from taxes. Sounds good to me. Not to mention clearing some of the prisons!
1 comments:
You've got some good points babe. That's a lot of money. But there's just that one thorn in my side when it comes to legalizing it. The whole having another smoke in the air that we'll have to walk through, anytime, anywhere, going to the store to get groceries, *walking to the car in labor to go to the hospital. It's a tuffy.
-Kenz
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