Debate of the Week: Legalize Marijuana?
Posted by Mr. Pink
Check out this infographic from SloshSpot about the projected tax revenue the government would gain from legalizing the sale and use of marijuana in the United States.
The bottom line is that more than $778,000,000 in revenue could be gained but instead we spend more than $14,000,000,000 (18x that amount) trying to stop people from using it.
Now, I’m not a pot smoker but I did go to college and I do have a lot of friends who smoke. All but one of them holds a steady, respectable job. One of them is actually a lawyer.
I don’t see any big issue with legalizing its use so long as the same basic rules that currently apply to alcohol consumption also apply to weed. In other words, I think there should be a minimum age restriction, jail time and heavy fines for those who get behind the wheel while under the influence, etc.
What do you guys think? Legalize it? No? And why?
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It’s a tricky one :/
Other more harmful and dangerous drugs are much easier to obtain (like alcohol and tobacco)and the revenue would, as you pointed out, be quite high (bah-dum-tish) and, in the current economic slump, very useful. You’ve pretty much said everything else I was guna so so I wont write much more
I just wanted to point out that the value of legalising it, revenue wise, would be $14,778,000,000 because the money that was used to stop it wont be used and the money it makes is a whole lotta extra cash that could be put into drug rehabilitation and education systems.
I’m sure the tourism would increase a fair bit too
Interesting thing to note:
Brittan’s top drugs advisor got sacked recently for bringing out an up dated list of the most harmful drugs which placed alcohol
5th and tobacco 9th. Cannabis, LSD and ecstasy, are ranked at 11, 14 and 18 respectively.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5230006.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/29/nutt-drugs-policy-reform-call
Comment by Squirl — 11/15/2009 #
I think it’s only a matter of time before it’s legalized. Maybe not under the current president, but soon enough. The thing is that people will keep on buying it and the market will grow further, so eventually, to keep the people behind the distribution of the weed from becoming too rich or powerful, the government will most likely legalize it as a means to improve the economy.
But what do I know, I live in Europe.
Comment by Mr. Blank — 11/15/2009 #
Agreed, this is just like prohibition all over again minus Al Capone.
Comment by mamono — 11/15/2009 #
I don’t think its that simple. Legalizing it its a huge step not to be taken lightly, laws are easy to twist and pretty soon after, ecstasy, coke, heroin, crack, meth…whatever, will follow.
I think the best option its to make not much of it. Keep it illegal, dealers and users should be more discrete about it in exchange law enforcers should not go too hard on them.
I have to assume the $14 billion it’s not spent exclusively on MJ?
Taxing it…might as well tax abortion, gay marriage, prostitution, coke, muggers and stuff. Any community needs some moral boundaries, hypocritical as they may be, in order to function, stepping over such boundaries can’t be wise…or can it?
Keep it illegal, don’t make much of it, devote your attention towards education and eventually things will fall into place.
Comment by doccal — 11/15/2009 #
I am all for the legalization of weed. I am not a smoker because my job does random testing but would be smoking it up if not for the random testing. I agree with applying the same rules on it as alcohol.
Comment by Jeff — 11/15/2009 #
Legalize it! Simple, direct – to the point, DO IT!
Comment by Mr. Gamma — 11/15/2009 #
I’m a regular smoker, pot’s not even really considered a drug in southern california anymore. It’ll happen eventually.
Comment by Julian — 11/15/2009 #
I definitely think that marijuana should be legalized. I love what California has done in regards to cannabis laws. I definitely agree that previous prohibition of alcohol is a comparable situation.
Comment by badlotus — 11/16/2009 #
Only thing about marijuana being legal would mean the potsmokers would be happy. Then you would have to deal with people wanting to legalize cocaine or trying to push it. Then the drug dealers would try to fight back to get thier money for the weed then crime would go up and a whole circle would begin. In my opinion it’s not worth to legalize anything, but hey its just my opinion
Comment by Orlando — 11/17/2009 #
Are you kidding me? People would want to legalize cocaine? No way, pot smokers don’t want to legalize cocaine or any other harmful drug. They just want to smoke weed. You don’t do weed, you smoke it. You do drugs, but you don’t do weed.
Comment by rockstartim — 11/17/2009 #
My point is it all falls under the category of drugs. So once pot is legal other drug users are gonna want to legalize there drugs as well
Comment by Orlando — 11/19/2009 #
yeah but hi, no one’s going to take “I want to legalize Cocaine because Weed is legal” seriously
Comment by taithus — 12/06/2009 #