Could legalising marijuana help save the US economy?
JMCC
2012/12/06 12:08:07
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Four decades ago, President Richard Nixon officially launched America's "war on drugs". Generations of US politicians since have continued to crack down on illegal substances, including marijuana.
Now that two states have voted to decriminalise marijuana, it may be that they have tapped in to one of the "fastest growing" economies going...
In his new book, Too High To Fail, author Doug Fine argues that the campaign against cannabis has been expensive and counterproductive.
Critics of the law have questioned both the effectiveness and the morality of it, but Mr Fine - a strong advocate for legalisation - makes an economic case against it.
The illegal marijuana market is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars each year. Mr Fine argues that is money that should be taxed and contributing to the legal economy rather than benefiting criminals.
He travels to Mendocino County, California to see how an effort to legalise the drug at the local level boosted the economy and infuriated the federal authorities.
LINK TO VIDEO BELOW,,,
Now that two states have voted to decriminalise marijuana, it may be that they have tapped in to one of the "fastest growing" economies going...
In his new book, Too High To Fail, author Doug Fine argues that the campaign against cannabis has been expensive and counterproductive.
Critics of the law have questioned both the effectiveness and the morality of it, but Mr Fine - a strong advocate for legalisation - makes an economic case against it.
The illegal marijuana market is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars each year. Mr Fine argues that is money that should be taxed and contributing to the legal economy rather than benefiting criminals.
He travels to Mendocino County, California to see how an effort to legalise the drug at the local level boosted the economy and infuriated the federal authorities.
LINK TO VIDEO BELOW,,,
Read More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19336816
Top Opinion
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Kirby 2012/12/06 13:29:01Yes...
+8I don't think that it will cure the financial mess that we are in , but it would give us more income. Which along with NOT spending the ludacris amount of money we spend now on the failure that is the war on drugs! Problem is someone has to get the lobbist from Big Pharma,Prison, DEA, and Police Unions to stop influencing our mental midget politicians!
Black tar heroin is my favorite. Has been known to kill users in an instant. Then there's crack and crank .............. and oh so many others.
Time to lift the limits on the age of use too. 7 or 8 year olds hopped up on cocaine courtesy of they're progressive parents would bring the economy quickly out of the doldrums.
Also it would decrease if not get rid of the black market for it, decreasing violence and keeping the money for it out of criminals hands.
People will buy marijuana whether it is legal or not - why not tax it?
Make it mandatory for politicians and see all our problems dissolve in a haze of smoke! XD
1. Make drugs legal, prescribed - regulated, and taxed.
2. Especially marijuana, regulate it. Sell it, Tax it.
3. LEGALIZE industrial HEMP!! as well. IF we aren't to late, we can make this the single largest crop value wise in the US. The uses of Industrial HEMP are nearly endless. Regulate it Sell it Tax It.
4. and it will relieve tremendous pressure on local, state and federal prisons reducing costs there as well.
OVER ALL it will lower crime, increase tax revenue and CREATE JOBS!!! IN THE USA
Opium and hash from the ghan's, coco from the first peoples of S America. It is quite despicable really,
The biggest problem with the NWO is that it doesn't exist as such. What we are looking at is a few families who have been able to agree on most things - but NEVER all.
Had I fallen to parental pressure, I would have been 5th gen.
No one should ever drive under the influence of *any* drugs (including many prescription drugs like vicoden and anti-anxiety drugs).
I would rather be in a room with a stoner than a drunk any day of the week.
I'm not psychic, but seems reasonable! And there is precedence in the...
Repeal of Prohibition
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/p...