Should Governments Legalize and Tax Marijuana? The war on drugs is an expensive battle, as a great deal of resources go into catching those who buy or sell illegal drugs on the black market, prosecuting them in court, and housing them in jail.
These costs seem particularly exorbitant when dealing with the drug marijuana, as it is widely used, and is likely no more harmful than currently legal drugs such as tobacco and alcohol. There's another cost to the war on drugs, however, which is the revenue lost by governments who cannot collect taxes on illegal drugs. In a recent study for the Fraser Institute, Economist Stephen T. Easton attempted to calculate how much tax revenue the Canadian government could gain by legalizing marijuana. Marijuana Legalization and the Revenue From Marijuana Sales. 17 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC. Waiting to Inhale (2005. Stirring the Pot: Could Legalizing Marijuana Save the Economy? Medical Marijuana May Become Decriminalized in 7 States. Toking-up on medical marijuana may be legal in seven states after the November election.
As of June 1, Ohio, Illinois, New York, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire included medical marijuana decriminalization amendments on the fall ballot or before the state assembly, according to the Pro-Con website. The regulated use of organic cannabis would allow patients the ability to opt for natural rather than synthetic medications created in a laboratory environment.