T
The420Guy
Guest
Legalizing cannabis would boost taxes, cut prison costs
It seems that the main topic in Michigan is the state budget. I have an easy
way to greatly relieve the state's financial stress:
End the prohibition against cannabis and release all prisoners whose
convictions are for cannabis violations only.
Marijuana laws are more harmful than marijuana. The "weed" is already
everywhere because the laws don't work. Countries that have legalized
smoking pot have reported diminishing problems with drug traffic and
corruption.
Legalizing cannabis might sound more crazy than easy, but it really would
help with the budget problem.
When you ask people if marijuana has hurt them, they only say yes if they've
been charged with a violation. Those who feel smoking hurts them ... quit
smoking.
But if you ask someone how marijuana laws have hurt them, get ready for a
big response. As a cannabis reform activist, I get to hear everyone's "drug
bust story." Entrapment, corruption, theft, wrongful death; these
well-intended laws are destroying people's lives.
Of course, if marijuana is legalized, it would be available to everyone and
that's bad, right? Wrong! It would not be available to everyone unless
lawmakers were willing to write laws to guarantee that everyone get a
personal supply.
More likely, legal cannabis would be taxed and regulated. Right now any high
school kid can get a bag of pot without too much trouble, but it's difficult
for them to get alcohol because it is legal. So if prohibition isn't
working, why are we spending so much money on it? We could get relief from
our substance abuse control problems and help Michigan's budget to boot!
We are fortunate to be able to look at countries that have legalized
cannabis to see what happens. Substance abuse decreases. Violent crime
decreases. Families are restored, which has tremendous positive
repercussions. Corruption in law enforcement almost disappears, while
respect for the law comes back.
If we could end cannabis prohibition, we would save that thousands of
dollars per year that it costs to keep one prisoner in custody. Now,
multiply that figure by the thousands of prisoners who could be released.
Those people being with their families would help us at the welfare office -
and they'd be taxpayers.
Maybe we should take a lesson from the experience of governments that have
legalized cannabis.
Nah, that's just crazy talk!
Pubdate: Thu, 13 Feb 2003
Source: Lansing State Journal (MI)
Webpage: Lansing State Journal - Home
Copyright: 2003 Lansing State Journal
Contact: https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/contactus/newsroom/letter.html
It seems that the main topic in Michigan is the state budget. I have an easy
way to greatly relieve the state's financial stress:
End the prohibition against cannabis and release all prisoners whose
convictions are for cannabis violations only.
Marijuana laws are more harmful than marijuana. The "weed" is already
everywhere because the laws don't work. Countries that have legalized
smoking pot have reported diminishing problems with drug traffic and
corruption.
Legalizing cannabis might sound more crazy than easy, but it really would
help with the budget problem.
When you ask people if marijuana has hurt them, they only say yes if they've
been charged with a violation. Those who feel smoking hurts them ... quit
smoking.
But if you ask someone how marijuana laws have hurt them, get ready for a
big response. As a cannabis reform activist, I get to hear everyone's "drug
bust story." Entrapment, corruption, theft, wrongful death; these
well-intended laws are destroying people's lives.
Of course, if marijuana is legalized, it would be available to everyone and
that's bad, right? Wrong! It would not be available to everyone unless
lawmakers were willing to write laws to guarantee that everyone get a
personal supply.
More likely, legal cannabis would be taxed and regulated. Right now any high
school kid can get a bag of pot without too much trouble, but it's difficult
for them to get alcohol because it is legal. So if prohibition isn't
working, why are we spending so much money on it? We could get relief from
our substance abuse control problems and help Michigan's budget to boot!
We are fortunate to be able to look at countries that have legalized
cannabis to see what happens. Substance abuse decreases. Violent crime
decreases. Families are restored, which has tremendous positive
repercussions. Corruption in law enforcement almost disappears, while
respect for the law comes back.
If we could end cannabis prohibition, we would save that thousands of
dollars per year that it costs to keep one prisoner in custody. Now,
multiply that figure by the thousands of prisoners who could be released.
Those people being with their families would help us at the welfare office -
and they'd be taxpayers.
Maybe we should take a lesson from the experience of governments that have
legalized cannabis.
Nah, that's just crazy talk!
Pubdate: Thu, 13 Feb 2003
Source: Lansing State Journal (MI)
Webpage: Lansing State Journal - Home
Copyright: 2003 Lansing State Journal
Contact: https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/contactus/newsroom/letter.html
