Imagine how much more money could be made if marijuana became legal. The extra tax revenue would help society because there would be an extra income that could be used towards health care or other things that benefits society. Drug dealers cause a threat to society and if marijuana was decriminalized drug dealers would lose most if not all of their business and crime would decrease. (SASTISTIC PG 4 5 OF RESEARCH NOTES) if marijuana were to be controlled by the government people would more likely to buy from a store than a shady drug dealer. Thousands of job opportunities would be made available if marijuana were to be decriminalized.
In 2009 an estimated 858,408 individuals were arrested for marijuana violation. Out of those whom were charged approximately 89 percent were only charged for possession. Depending on the state, the government spends 1 billion to 10 billion dollars annually on the prohibition of marijuana. According to economics professor Jeffery Miron of Harvard University the statistics prove that the American government is further crippling the U.S. financially. After endless amounts of research it has been concluded that legalizing cannabis would be the best financial decision for the United States.
This is because the federal government would regulate and tax Marijuana, similarly to alcohol and tobacco. The federal government on average collects close to 7 billion dollars a year just from tobacco. If Marijuana were to be legalized the taxes would be projected to be the same. This means an extra 7 billion dollars a year for use on programs and could be used to prosecute criminals for harsh crimes such as murder and robberies. An estimated 1,663,582 arrests were issued in 2009 alone, this is an extreme amount of arrests, and it’s aiding to the overcrowding of jails.
Miron of Harvard University stated the government could save $7.7 billion dollars a year if the prohibition of marijuana was replaced with a system of taxation and regulation. Around $2.7 billion dollars a year could be made off of tax revenues if marijuana was taxed the same as regular consumer goods. However, if marijuana was taxed the same as alcohol and tobacco it could make the United States around $6.2 billion every year. According to the Federation of American Scientists' Drug Policy, 60,000 individuals are behind bars for marijuana offenses at a cost to taxpayers of $1.2 billion per year. Instead of losing money on the prohibition of marijuana we should make money on the regulation and taxation of marijuana.
Also, it would allow the sale of marijuana to be taxed like alcohol and tobacco as well as taxing those selling it with income taxes. In the state of Washington, the Huffington Post stated that Washington has predicted the state’s revenue due to the legalization in the next 5 years will be about $1.9 billion. The Cato Institute projected that the revenue from taxes on legal marijuana would equal $8.7 billion for the United States, which is the same amount that expenditures would decrease. Taxable income would increase since it will have a larger base of taxable workers, those who sell the drug. Eventually, the country’s deficit would begin to decrease, allowing the taxes of all items to decrease.
Others, like me, think that the government shouldn’t have the power to outlaw if it’s not harming or endangering others. There are many reasons why I believe marijuana should be legalized. Marijuana could generate billions of dollars to use for more serious problems, prohibition doesn’t help anything, and legalization could possibly reduce drug use by teens. Our government currently spends billions of dollars annually to lock up marijuana users. These people are normally very peaceful, relaxed, and non-violent.
While some people are fighting for Marijuana still illegal or illicit, others are fighting for it to be legal as cigarette and alcohol are. Although some people believe that Marijuana is a gateway and access to others drugs, others believe that Marijuana is a great beneficial for our society such as social, economical, and medical benefits. One benefits for our society is to prevent fewer deaths among civilian and drug dealers. Drug dealers are people who did not have opportunities in their lives or choose the easiest way to make money. Civilian are people who work every day for having their money with honest.
The government’s most recent drug survey, the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, “over 800,000 adolescents ages 12-17 sold illegal drugs during the previous 12 months preceding.” (NSDUH). Marijuana has damaged and brought chaos to lives of many young Americans. Medically, it is not addictive, but some people say that they begin to form a habit, and it becomes a psychological, rather than physical, addiction. Although marijuana is less harmful than other substances that are legal, chances are that if more people smoked marijuana because it became legal, there would be an increase in health problems. A study was done by the DEA in 2004 in which 19.1 million Americans aged 12 or older used illicit drugs in the 30 days prior to the study.
They say that marijuana is not as harmful as alcohol or tobacco products so why shouldn’t it be legal? One of the biggest things on people’s minds is the money that can be made from the growing and selling of marijuana and how much the government wastes each year trying to fight a losing battle on the war against marijuana.
The Golden State says “sellers of marijuana are required to hold a seller’s permit and file and pay sales tax, sellers who sell without a permit face up to eight year sentences in jail.” Legalizing marijuana can mean billions of dollars for the government. The average consumer pay $10 dollars per gram for illegal marijuana .That could raise about $40 billion to $100 billion in new revenue. The marijuana act in 1937 levied a tax equaling roughly one dollar on anyone who dealt commercially in cannabis, hemp, or marijuana; but the act was overturned in 1969. If the federal government legalized marijuana it would offer a large revenue that could be taxed similar to alcohol and tobacco. That income earned will be subject to standard income and sales taxes.