A Recent Drug Policy Alliance Report Essay

A controversial topic often being advocated for by sitting governors is whether the legalization of marijuana is more beneficial or harmful to the economy. Marijuana, also known as weed, is a mixture of the dried and shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant. It’s the most widely used illegal drug in the United States, even though studies have shown results that the benefits of using marijuana for medicinal or recreational reasons far outweigh the negative matters that may be associated with its use. While marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law, thirteen U.S. states currently have compassionate use laws in place, which allow for regulated medical marijuana use. By legalizing marijuana, the government is helping the economy by reaping medical and financial benefits, not only at the state level, but also at the federal level. Taking into account the numerous studies done with marijuana on whether it is for recreational use or medical purposes, the government cannot go wrong in legalizing marijuana because of such an impact it will have. Marijuana should be legalized for recreational purposes because it will help society economically and socially.

Eight states (plus Washington D.C.), have legalized recreational marijuana, and twenty-nine states (plus Washington D.C.), have legalized medical marijuana. The marijuana

In the preceding years, when ferocious battles were waged over the wisdom of legalization, both in direct conversations and of course, on the internet, marijuana proponents made boasts about what a major positive impact on government budgets making pot legal would have. To people familiar with economics, basic math and tax policy, these arguments seemed very weak, and that is exactly what they have been proven to be in the first years of Colorado’s new drug era.

Need a quick fix to the current economic crisis? How about opening thousands of marijuana dispensaries, supplying tens of thousands of Americans with jobs, and bringing in billions of tax dollars to the government. Is marijuana a threat to our society and our youth? Or is it a plant, capable of easing the pain of the sick, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, rejuvenating the weary, and bringing ease to our stressful lives. The war on drugs has been a failure and it affects us all! The current cost of the war on drugs is 51 billion dollars annually and not only has marijuana use risen but it has become cheaper and easier to get. A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center stated that 48% of adults in America have tried marijuana and 40% had done so in the past three years. Legalizing marijuana would benefit the country in many ways.

As of 2012 Canada’s national debt has reached over $1.2 trillion dollars (Lammam et al, 2014). The state of our countries financial situation is as important to one Canadian as it is the next. Whether a person is retiring, applying for a mortgage or a student loan the Canadian economy affects everyone. Legalizing marijuana in Canada opens the door to a boost in taxation dollars that the Canadian economy and country as a whole could utilize. If, for example, marijuana was taxed like tobacco, there would be increased revenue from federal and provincial taxes as well as HST (Latif, 2014). Not only would the legal sale of marijuana boost the economy, but the jobs that would be created in the process would also have a positive effect. Canada currently has an unemployment rate of 8.1% nationally, with rates even higher in some provinces (Sen & Pierard, 2011). The legal sale and distribution of marijuana would create jobs in the transportation, growing and processing sectors but also areas such as marketing, advertising and serving. Marijuana users would contribute economically by purchasing the product and paying taxes. Not only users, but new businesses would also add to the Canadian economy including workers who run these businesses by paying taxes on their pay checks. Legalizing marijuana creates a new supply-demand market that the Canadian government could

The legalization of marijuana will bring in much needed revenue to the US economy through tax revenue, the creation of jobs, decrease in the number of those incarcerated for marijuana possession, and help treat various health conditions that would otherwise cause an enormous amount of pain. Although marijuana is often looked down upon as a Schedule I illegal drug, this medicinal plant has been around for more than a decade and has been used for more than the "get high" purpose. Marijuana is non-toxic compared to multiple types of medications now on the market and it has never caused an over dose. It is also less expensive, if legalized than most of the overly priced medications provided by

The article “Should Marijuana Use Be Legalized” states, “Supporters say regulating and taxing marijuana will bring in much-needed revenue to state coffers” (2015). In the state of Colorado, where the drug is now being sold for both medicinal and recreational use, tax revenue has shown a flourishing increase. A Denver Post article from October 2015 states, “Colorado racked up $700 million in sales of recreational and medical pot last year- nearly $76 million dollars in tax revenue, including $13 million dollars in licenses and fees. The industry is expected to top $1 billion dollars this year” (Bunch). The legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado has had an enormous financial effect on the state. There has been an increase in sales of real estate and a boost in tourism for the state. While many opposed the recreational sale of the drug because of a fear of increased crime, traffic accidents, and teen use, there is no evidence to support an increase in any of these potential problems. While many citizens and politicians continue to oppose the legalization of marijuana in other states, it is proven that in Colorado, the recreational sale of marijuana is a profitable money-maker for the state.

Recreational marijuana is legal in Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington D.C. Many bills have been brought forth in other states to legalize the substance. In October, 2017, 64% of Americans believed recreational marijuana should be legalized. The debate about legalizing recreational marijuana is argued from moral and economic standpoints. From a purely economic standpoint, the US should legalize recreational marijuana, because it would create many jobs, bring in more tax revenue, and would save tax dollars by keeping many out from being arrested.

interest groups are activity involved in the legislature process (on the national level) seeking to

Since Washington and Colorado have legalized Cannabis it is estimated that it will bring in billions of dollars annually. A study done at Cato institute predicted that Colorado would generate $8.7 billion in federal and state tax

The United States has been involved in a failing battle versus marijuana since the execution of the Uniform Narcotic Act in the 1930's. Americans are not only squandering almost eight billion a year, Americans are losing probable income. Americans could be in a position to gain a profit of a significant amount of revenues if marijuana were to be legal and structured by the Department of Agriculture (Norml, 2014). Revenue from the tax system of marijuana purchases would extend from about two and a half billion for each year if marijuana were taxed like conventional inventory products to six billion if it were taxed like tobacco or alcohol.

Colorado alone raised about 100 million in tax revenue. This is much more than it was expected. The marijuana industry helps create new jobs, this means the economy is better. All the money that is collected from the sale of the plant creates new schools, makes roads safer, and overall it makes the state better. Bob Marley once said “herb is the healing of the nation, alcohol is the destruction” This makes sense because cannabis makes a person feel relaxed and have more appreciation of ones surroundings unlike alcohol which makes a person very

Well, the legalization of Marijuana would bring an unprecedented flow of money into the economy that can be used to build new schools, infrastructure, and highways. The regulation and taxation of this plant can create even more jobs and stimulate a healthy market; one that is absent today. Just to place facts into perspective, one source states, “Decriminalization will also do nothing to eliminate the lucrative underground market for marijuana, estimated to be worth $40 billion or more in the U.S. This immense market is completely untaxed, a source of revenue that federal and state governments can ill-afford to neglect” (Drug Policy Alliance, 2015). A market that is worth up to $40 billion is one that belongs in the light, not

Positive Visualization There is no need for me to paint you some wonder picture of what will happen if marijuana is ever legalized in all 50 states because we evidence right in front of us. In Colorado revenue has gone up and the crime rate has gone down. There has been a 6% decrease in fatal accidents since marijuana was legalized, a 10.1% decrease in the number of arrests being made, and Colorado’s economy has been thriving every since.

One of the biggest reasons the United States should legalize marijuana is the boost in the economy it would create. While growing and selling marijuana is a fairly quick process, it takes a lot of hands to get it done. Over eighteen thousand jobs were created in just one year in the state of Colorado alone. As well as adding nearly 2.4 billion dollars to the state’s economy (Allen Pike). The industry is huge, “Experts say sales could reach $35 billion by 2020 if all 50 states and the District of Columbia legalize the drug” (CQ). That is $35,000,000,000.00 in just marijuana sales. Another thing to think about is the money it will save tax payers. Every year the government