Pros And Cons Of Legalizing Marijuana

When it comes to marijuana, there will always be people who support it and those who oppose it. Some states have legalized marijuana while other states are still lacking because they feel as though it is not beneficial. Mixed feelings regarding this drug are due to the pros and cons of it, but the advantages significantly outweigh the disadvantages. Marijuana has two active components in it that help with many different diseases and health problems while also bringing in an increasing amount of revenue when legalized. Also, it will decrease the overpopulation in prisons. Many will argue well if that is the case, then why hasn’t it been entirely legalized in the U.S? In this paper I seek to show why the government should legalize marijuana.

States who legalized marijuana will obviously tax and control it in every way possible. A matured marijuana trade could bring upwards of 28 billion in tax money for federal, state, and local government. So far four states have legalized the sale and use of marijuana, with 25 states who allow the use of medical marijuana. In the states that have legalized marijuana, their expectations were significantly exceeded. Two examples of these states are Colorado and Washington. Both states expected to have about 70 million in marijuana tax money each year; each state greatly surpassed that estimate. After slow starts by each state, Colorado collections reached up to 150 million within 2016. While Washington, who had a slow start to bring their licensing system to a start, now averages 2 million a day and possibly 270 million a year in future projections. If each state were to legalize and tax marijuana, it would be the same as the tax on cigarettes, tobacco, and alcohol. With 23 dollars for every pound, it would give a revenue of about 500 million (Ekins). All that money would have to go somewhere, and indeed it is, at least for the states who have legalized marijuana. Supporters of the 64 Amendment in Colorado raised the idea they would use a percentage of their tax money on schools. And that’s precisely what they did; the first 40 million went to a school program to help give awards and grants to local schools in order build and improve facilities (Brandon Rittiman). And to add on to that, a smaller percentage of that tax money could also be used for other things such as fixing roads, bridges, and other public