Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a psychoactive drug that produces a heightened, euphoric and relaxed mood. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. More the 18 million Americans age twelve and up have reported to using the drug. The war on marijuana started back in 1937 when Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act. Since then, the marijuana black market has sky rocketed and many American’s smoke every day. According to a national household survey an estimated sixty million Americans use marijuana occasionally or regularly. The legalization of marijuana would result in positive economic, medical and social benefits. The financial gain and the healing effects of marijuana would out way the negative outcomes such as, crime, effects on the brain and overall naive mindset of marijuana.
The economic benefits to society by allowing the legalization of marijuana, was once only an educated prediction. Then Colorado and Washington, took the plunge and legalized marijuana. It was estimated that with both states combined, they would bring in more than $500 million in revenue. Regardless if marijuana is legal or not it brings in money every second of every day. According to "The Denver Post" (2014), “In the U.S. alone marijuana is a over a $100 billion annual business. Marijuana licensing fees are higher than any other industry in Colorado, up to $18,000 per marijuana store, more than enough to fund regulation,” Robert J. Corry, Jr. of The Denver Post said. With the legalization in these two states we can start to see what the economic benefits can bring. Once California legalized medical marijuana, newspapers had to get more ad space just for its’ ads, allowing The Sacramento News and Time to bring on additional employees to help with the increased work load. According to The New York Times, the City of Oakland, brought in an additional $1.3 million in tax revenue from medical marijuana alone.
Now, on the other hand legalizing marijuana may bring in
The economic benefits to society by allowing the legalization of marijuana, was once only an educated prediction. Then Colorado and Washington, took the plunge and legalized marijuana. It was estimated that with both states combined, they would bring in more than $500 million in revenue. Regardless if marijuana is legal or not it brings in money every second of every day. According to "The Denver Post" (2014), “In the U.S. alone marijuana is a over a $100 billion annual business. Marijuana licensing fees are higher than any other industry in Colorado, up to $18,000 per marijuana store, more than enough to fund regulation,” Robert J. Corry, Jr. of The Denver Post said. With the legalization in these two states we can start to see what the economic benefits can bring. Once California legalized medical marijuana, newspapers had to get more ad space just for its’ ads, allowing The Sacramento News and Time to bring on additional employees to help with the increased work load. According to The New York Times, the City of Oakland, brought in an additional $1.3 million in tax revenue from medical marijuana alone.
Now, on the other hand legalizing marijuana may bring in