The world is changing. The push for marijuana legalization is in full effect in the United States. With the legalization of medicinal marijuana in California on November 5, 1996, the United States has progressed in its movements for full legalization (mbc.ca.gov). Now with 21 states, plus Washington D.C, having state level medicinal marijuana legalization laws in full effect, along with both Colorado and Washington having recreational use of marijuana legalized, the United States is on a path for full legalization (whitehouse.gov). The legalization of cannabis in the United Sates will provide the state and federal governments with increased tax revenue, save money and resources from the war against marijuana, and most importantly, benefit the people in numerous ways. The most widely discussed benefit of legalizing cannabis is the tax revenue that can be gained on the state and federal level. With the legalization and sale of cannabis in all of the United States, the local, state, and federal governments will be able to gross millions and potentially billions of dollars each year that can be used to fund schools, support communities, and provide a variety of help in multiple other areas. The medicinal marijuana sales alone in only the state of Colorado from 2011-2012 reached over $219 million dollars and earned just under $6 million dollars in state sales tax (colorado.gov). Medicinal marijuana in Colorado was without an excise tax, but was still able to reel in approximately $6 million in taxes. The medicinal marijuana laws are still in effect in Colorado, but with the addition to recreational marijuana sales, the state, local, and federal governments should be able to bring in even more tax revenue (sos.state.co.us). The curren... ... middle of paper ... ...elated to Marijuana." Whitehouse.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. "Marijuana/cannabis." Justice.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. Presse, Agence F. "Jobs, Tax Revenue and Tourism: America’s First Marijuana Stores Open in Colorado | The Raw Story." Rawstory.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. "Retail Marijuana Licensing Information." Colorado.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. "Sales 93: Sales Tax on Marijuana." Colorado.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. "States Push to Get the Most Out of Marijuana Taxes." Nytimes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. "Tobacco-Related Mortality." Cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 01 Aug. 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. "Uniform Crime Reports: Arrests." Fbi.gov. FBI, 02 Aug. 2011. Web. 18 Jan. 2014. "Who Makes More Money: Colorado's Legal Weed Dealers or Its Illegal Ones?" Slate.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2014.
Legalization of Marijuana has quickly become a controversial issue in America. In the United States, legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes is spreading to the state level. For example, in November 1996, the people of California and Arizona voted to legalize marijuana for medicinal reasons. As a result of Proposition 215 in California, patients now smoke marijuana provided their physician recommends its usage. A prescription is not required, and marijuana continues to be illegal to prescribe. The Clinton administration responded that it “would not recognize these decisions, and would prosecute physicians who recommend or provide marijuana to their patients.” Although California and Arizona are the only two states to have already passed laws regulating marijuana usage, twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have laws and resolutions regarding marijuana usage. These laws and resolutions range from establishing therapeutic research programs, to allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana, to asking the federal government to lift the ban. Despite the states’ desires to have marijuana legalized for medicinal purposes, the US National Institutes of Health examined all existing clinical evidence about smoked marijuana and concluded that, “There is no scientifically sound evidence that smoked marijuana is medically superior to currently available therapies.”
The series “High Profits” demonstrates the works and restrictions of the United States government regarding the issue of legalizing recreational marijuana. Breckenridge Cannabis Club business owners, Caitlin Mcguire and Brian Rogers, demonstrate both the struggles and profits of this up and coming industry. This series portrays virtually every viewpoint possible by including opinions from an array of political actors who discuss the influence of the government on this topic and the impact this topic has on the general public.
This legalization allowed anyone to smoke and possess up to an ounce of marijuana as long as you are over the age of 21. Colorado is not just making a difference for the people that need it medically but even a difference for the people that do not need it at all. Since they legalized the drug in Colorado, petty arrests have decreased from almost 6,000 yearly to 120 yearly. As an added bonus, Colorado made a profit of almost seventy million dollars in marijuana tax revenue . This money went towards improving schools and the community. The alcohol revenue earned grew and just under forty two million in the same year. 19.6 million will go to the education system for Colorado in comparison to the previous year when there was only 13.9 million going towards the education (Ryan). Not only did it create revenue for the community and school systems, it also created many open jobs for people of the area. It also helps provide information about medical marijuana and where it comes from .
"State Medical Marijuana Laws." Legislative News, Studies and Analysis. National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014. Web. Apr. 2014. .
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Healthy people 2020 topics & objectives: Tobacco use. Viewed at http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/TopicsObjectives2020/ObjectivesList.aspx?topicid=41#286842 .
When its comes to taxing marijuana the state can have any tax they want on it. States can profit millions of dollars off this tax. The tax is about 13 percent in colorado on weed. When legalized in colorado in january alone it made roughly 2 million dollars in taxes. This presents a huge expansion in anything tax money pays for. You can build and repair more roads and pay workers of the state more. The taxes you pay for state may go fire dept. police dept. amd many other things that may benifit you in one way or snother.
Smith, F. A. (n.d.). Marijuana Policy Project. Op-ed: A Neglected Revenue Source for California. Retrieved January 9, 2014, from http://www.mpp.org/media/op-eds/op-ed-a-neglected-revenue.html
Farrell, Michael B. "A marijuana tax as the next new revenue stream?" Christian Science Monitor 8 May 2009: 2. Student Edition. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
With an estimated twenty-five million active marijuana smokers in America that consume nearly thirty-one million pounds of marijuana each year, we are missing out on extreme revenue that this country cannot afford to go without for much longer (Krulick). Specialized government funded programs such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) cost around $7 billion and are in danger of being defunded to save money (Whitehouse). Marijuana tax revenues exceed $6 billion and would help less fortunate women in need of assistance when they are raising a child. On the state level, Alabama has a projected profit of $8.9 million in tax revenues alone from marijuana sales (Miron). States could increase pay or set up better retirement for police, firefighters, teachers, or any other underpaid public service.
Marijuana can be a benefit to our economic and the way we gain money for our states. Oregon has debated full legalization in 1973 and ending up passing the nation's first law decriminalizing possession of small amounts. Supporters of legalization in Oregon and Alaska said “that money was crucial to overcome”. Since the legalization of marijuana Oregon and Alaska has gained money in fact they both had an eighty-four percent of the $867,000 raised by legalization. It can create an increase of employment for those who need jobs and are struggling to
Let’s begin with US revenue gain that would occur from legalizing marijuana. Marijuana Offers Extreme US revenue boost in several different ways. Shouldn’t we want to collect revenue due to taxation other then criminalization? Marijuana is too expensive for our justice system and should inst...
Marijuana is the third most common leisure drug in the United States after alcohol and tobacco. Millions of Americans smoke marijuana despite the strict laws against its use. Marijuana is less dangerous compared to tobacco or alcohol. Smoking marijuana can cause breathing problems and coughing just like cigarettes and some people get addicted after using for a while. Regulating and legalizing marijuana will bring Americas greatest cash crop under law, create economic opportunities and jobs in the formal economy as opposed to the underground market. Adopting a legally controlled market for marijuana will ensure that consumers buy the products from a safe and legal source. Marijuana has been approved in some states for medical uses to ease the effects of different health challenges. Colorado and Washington legalized m...
As sales of recreational marijuana surge past medical marijuana in Colorado and Washington, many Americans are starting to wonder if this spells the end for medical marijuana, after all, medical is taxed at a much lower percent, making it the most economical choice. However, dwindling sales doesn’t mean the end, just the transformation medical marijuana needs. Yes, it means a change, but not all change is bad!
Colorado, the first state to legalize legal weed has been gaining astonishing revenants from taxes rising from 70 million to a whopping 200 million last year. Colorado has used most of that on schools, and smaller chunks have gone to drug prevention and drug treatment programs as well as regulating the Cannabis industry (Colorado passes)
For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of their lives. With the pain of the world stopping people from enjoying simple pleasures, sometimes there is a need for help. Marijuana brings millions of people relief from the pain they feel on a day-to-day basis. This completely natural plant which helped so many people has puzzled the leaders of our nation for a long time. The THC in marijuana causes its users to experience a mild-huluciginic or high. The effect that marijuana has on a person has prevented the product from being legalized. Many other details about the plant, like the speculation of it being a gateway drug, have put another blockage on its legalization. Even though there are speculations about the plant, the benefit that it brings to the table most definitely out way its disadvantages. Marijuana can also alleviate several symptoms associated with cancer and Aids treatments and disorders. While Marijuana is effective as a medicine, it is also extremely lucrative. The economic benefits that Marijuana brings to the table are endless. Upon marijuana’s legalization, the economy would experience an immediate influx. Legalization of Marijuana would also drastically reduce crime in our cities and form a more productive society through its positive uses. The benefits that marijuana brings medically and economically are considerable enough to legalize its use medically or recreational.