The economic status of New Jersey is atrocious. There have been several suggestions to attend to this problem, one being the legalization of marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the only states that have taken action by legalizing the drug. They have taken advantage of what has been staring them in the face, and have experienced great economic success by doing so. These
two states have set their own “precedent” for all other states to legalize marijuana. In their first week of sales, Colorado sold five million dollars of marijuana. The non-partisan Tax Foundation estimates that Colorado will bring in nearly $70 million in new taxes, with initial proceeds being used for school construction. Because tax revenues are expected to exceed school building needs, Colorado public officials are already thinking of additional ways to use the tax windfall. Colorado has projected nearly $600 million in combined wholesale and retail marijuana sales annually.
Why are cigarettes and alcohol legal if they are more dangerous than marijuana? Cigarettes have been linked to over 440,000 deaths per year, while alcohol has been linked to some 88,000 deaths each year. Marijuana has been linked to 0 deaths per year. This is quite a difference. Marijuana does not only used for its medical benefits, but it is also safe. You can die binge-drinking five minutes after you've been exposed to alcohol. That does not happen with marijuana, the impact o f marijuana use is much subtler. Marijuana is used in hospitals as medical treatment. The only way alcohol is in hospitals is if someone’s stomach is being pumped. Marijuana may have short term effects that may impair coordination and balance, but does not have any long term effects like alcohol.
Marijuana is too expensive for our justice system and should instead be taxed to support beneficial government programs. Law enforcement has more important responsibilities than arresting 750,000 individuals a year for marijuana possession, especially given the additional costs of going through each of these cases. Marijuana arrests make justice more expensive and less efficient in the United States, wasting jail space, and clogging up court systems. By making pot legal, police can focus their attention on stopping more destructive illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin, which are more likely to cause crime, health problems and even death. The legalization of marijuana will help put an end to the drug war, solving the problem of prison overpopulation, the violence involved, and the use of taxpayer money to fund this war.
Marijuana is safe and medically used in hospitals all around the globe. These are just two of the many reasons that marijuana should be legal in New Jersey. The legalization of marijuana will put the police where we want them, taking drug dealers off the streets. It will also help our unacceptable economy grow rapidly. It is evident from the facts stated above that marijuana should be legal in the state of New Jersey.