Can Legalizing Pot Boost the American Economy?

AOL: The report shows that marijuana legalization--replacing prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation--would save $7.7 billion per year in state and federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement and produce tax revenues of at least $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like most consumer goods. If, however, marijuana were taxed similarly to alcohol or tobacco, it might generate as much as $6.2 billion annually.

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February 25, 2009 at 2:55 pm - Fox News
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[...] original here: Can Legalizing Pot Boost the American Economy? Filed Under: Latest News VideoTagged: pcu [...]

KINKS   February 25th, 2009 - 6:57 pm

It might boost revenues in the short term, and also possibly save on expenses incurred in imprisoning offenders, but what will it do to society when we have potheads running around loose, having their “trips” in public, and driving the freeways the wrong way, or running people down on sidewalks?

If they would make it legal to smoke/sell pot, but ILLEGAL TO BE HIGH OUTSIDE YOUR OWN FRONT DOOR, then maybe it might (??) make sense… Even then, you’re going to have nitwits on BAD TRIPS who will cost the city and state $$$$ because of their grass-related problems and/or ensuing accidents/violence…

Till they get the KINKS out, better not legalize it…

However, legalizing marijuana for MEDICAL PURPOSES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY is certainly a reasonable thing to consider. Jailing people who are using grass to try to alleviate pain or nausea from chronic or terminal illness, or who are trying to lower eye pressure from vision-damaging eye-diseases, is just plain STUPID & INHUMANE. As long as they are not bothering anybody, leave them alone.

Arjuna   February 25th, 2009 - 7:08 pm

It is the people collecting that eight billion dollars a year who most fiercely oppose legalization.

Kinks, “Bad Trips” is a 50 year old reference to a bad LSD experience. Try keeping up.

James K   February 25th, 2009 - 7:17 pm

Wow, the large kid’s arguments are ridiculously illogical. Did he even do any research in medical/scientific journals? I actually agree with the chick.

revhatchell   February 25th, 2009 - 8:27 pm

“till they get the kinks out…”

rotflmao.

idiot.

Obsidian   February 25th, 2009 - 8:45 pm

Kinks: You know it really bothers me when ignorant people pen their mouths. Who are you to make such sensational and idiotic comments about something that you have obviously never experienced. People who are “High” do not “Trip”. There is no hallucination involved in being high, nor does smoking weed make you stupid (in reference to your comment “… having their “trips” in public, and driving the freeways the wrong way, or running people down on sidewalks?” I implore you to try it for yourself once before you make an ass of yourself any longer.

On a side note it’s about time that they actually have a good long realistic though about legalizing a completely natural substance to begin with.

twice baked   February 25th, 2009 - 9:53 pm

slippery slope……..

James   February 25th, 2009 - 11:03 pm

Ask the American Drug Lords:

http://madcowprod.com/

It seems to work quite well for them!

anamerican   February 26th, 2009 - 8:54 am

US is in the ice age about grass …………………….everyone smokes it …….well at least our last 3 presidents . legalize it

Far Right Wing Wacko   February 26th, 2009 - 9:01 am

Hey Kinks you moron,

You must have had a brain fart while hung over from all the moonshine and Redman you’ve been indulging in. It’s the booze that causes folks to have “bad trips” and “drive the wrong way” on the freeway.

You either work for the Liquor industry or the DEA and thus feel your livelihood is threatened, huh? I mean after all, if it’s legalized (as it certainly should be), then sales of alcohol would be lower and we would no longer need to dump billions of much needed $ to fund your ideology (or idiotology in your case)

The only trip I’ve ever noticed from pot smokers is to get up off the couch and go to the fridge for a quart of milk and a box of Captain Crunch. And I’ve NEVER seen them get violent and beat up their spouses, siblings, friends, or cops like they do when they’ve had too much Budweiser while watching Nascar!

What a ideological far right wing wacko moron!

Hrmmm   February 26th, 2009 - 9:46 am

@Far Right Wing Wacko

I couldn’t agree more. Bottom line for me is if you take ANY drug, alcohol, caffine, and every thing the Dr. gives you sorry, you are a flat out hypocrite if you have a problem with marijuana.
Legislating taste…makes me sick.

I bet my last dollar if one Sunday at any football stadium they said “no alcohol but you can smoke pot” there would be ZERO fights. The only problem there would be is maybe running out of snacks!

To KINKS   February 26th, 2009 - 3:58 pm

Despite some smart-a$$ed responses to your post, it is true that people CAN have “bad trips” on grass. (Just GOOGLE “bad trip marijuana” and you will find many descriptions of personal experiences.)

And despite the snotty responses of some, your post was not opposed to the concept of legalizing pot; it just said “go slowly.” Nothing wrong with that.

The idea of legalizing *MEDICAL* marijuana is a good one, and it’s time USA realized it.

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