Legalizing Pot in Washington State Could Add $1.9b in revenue

[Azure]

"Assuming a fully functioning marijuana market and the assumptions following in this summary, estimated total revenue generated to the state could be as high as $1,943,936,000 over five fiscal years," the statement says. That sort of money would help shore up a state budget plagued for years with shortfalls, resulting in cuts to health care and education. There are other costs and revenues, including those from enforcing rules for driving under the influence of pot, expanding the liquor board's scope, and administering the revenues into the correct departments. The statement doesn't account for savings to law enforcement from stopping approximately 10,000 pot arrests annually.

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/arc...ver-five-years

I would imagine not arresting 10,000 people annually would save a lot of money and resources. Not sure how this will turn out, but adding $1.9b in revenue over 5 years is pretty good. Alberta could probably fix any spending problem they COULD have in the future, and Canada could probably balance the budget if they legalized it.

[Hemi-Cuda]

BC would instantly become one of the wealthiest provinces in Canada if it is ever legalized

[Azure]

I find it mind boggling that a naturally grown plant is illegal for sale, and yet we can by Advil off the shelf.

[Vulcan]

Whether you agree with the morality of smoking pot or not, the facts and common sense says it should be legalized and taxed. I think that an American state has a better chance of legalizing it than Canada does. If Canada tried to legalized pot the US government would come down hard on us.

[Azure]

Well a state trying to legalize it doesn't mean the US government won't take them to court over it.

IF they win however, lots of states will probably follow suit.

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Whether you agree with the morality of smoking pot or not, the facts and common sense says it should be legalized and taxed. I think that an American state has a better chance of legalizing it than Canada does. If Canada tried to legalized pot the US government would come down hard on us.

Tourism would get a nice jolt up here in Canada.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Canada has a better chance of seeing pot become legal than America. America has too many forces fighting to keep it illegal, namely pharma and alcohol companies. Can't be having no competition, especially better, safer competition.

[MarchHare]

I suspect if marijuana were to be legalized, consumers would spend less on other recreational drugs such as alcohol and/or tobacco. Does the report make an estimate for this lost tax revenue?

[Azure]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

I suspect if marijuana were to be legalized, consumers would spend less on other recreational drugs such as alcohol and/or tobacco. Does the report make an estimate for this lost tax revenue?

Is there any research that backs that up? Just wondering.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Azure

I find it mind boggling that a naturally grown plant is illegal for sale, and yet we can by Advil off the shelf.

This argument gets presented every time the legalize pot debate comes up, and it has to be the most ######ed argument ever.

Seriously, what difference does it make where it comes from.
Heroin, and cocaine both come from "Naturally grown plants", is that a valid argument for their legalization?
If you want to make a case for legalizing pot please for the love of god use rational, suportable, and relevant arguments to do it.

I really don't care either way if pot is legalized or not, actually that's not true, I really want pot to be legalized so I can stop hearing the same completely ######ed reasoning from the pro-legalization crowd.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Alcohol sales will slide, that much I can guarentee. Alcohol is far too destructive and pot offers similar effects at a substantially less destructive rate. Also several studies show marijuana is great for overcoming addiction to other drugs, most significantly alcohol. I actually think alcohol companies are more opposed to pot legalization than anyone.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Azure

Is there any research that backs that up? Just wondering.

I honestly have no idea. I'm not citing a source or claiming to speak from any position of authority on this subject.

I can imagine a scenario where someone might choose to buy an ounce of pot instead of a case of beer or bottle of vodka, though.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

This argument gets presented every time the legalize pot debate comes up, and it has to be the most ######ed argument ever.

Seriously, what difference does it make where it comes from.
Heroin, and cocaine both come from "Naturally grown plants", is that a valid argument for their legalization?
If you want to make a case for legalizing pot please for the love of god use rational, suportable, and relevant arguments to do it.

I really don't care either way if pot is legalized or not, actually that's not true, I really want pot to be legalized so I can stop hearing the same completely ######ed reasoning from the pro-legalization crowd.

Pot is more organic than all those drugs, and alcohol. You must process coca into cocaine, opium into heroin, grains and others into alcohol. Pot is like carrots. I stick a seed into the ground, it grows. The end.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

I honestly have no idea. I'm not citing a source or claiming to speak from any position of authority on this subject.

I can imagine a scenario where someone might choose to buy an ounce of pot instead of a case of beer or bottle of vodka, though.

It does make sense I guess if you think about it.

I don't think we really know the effects. Lots of stuff could happen. I just think it could be beneficial. So something worth looking at.

[Table 5]

I'm all for legalizing pot just to finally shut those people up whose sole mission in life is to be obsessed about legalizing pot and telling you about it. They're more annoying than vegans.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Several studies have shown marijuana can help recovering alcoholics from relapsing. I suspect thats one of the big reasons alcohol companies keep trying to prevent pot from being legalized, beyond the reasons MarchHare suggested.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Azure

It does make sense I guess if you think about it.

I don't think we really know the effects. Lots of stuff could happen. I just think it could be beneficial. So something worth looking at.

Don't get me wrong, I also support legalizing (and taxing) marijuana. I just don't think one can say that it will add $X amount in revenue per year without also estimating other areas where tax revenue might decrease.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Pot is more organic than all those drugs, and alcohol. You must process coca into cocaine, opium into heroin, grains and others into alcohol. Pot is like carrots. I stick a seed into the ground, it grows. The end.

Again, that doesn't make it a valid argument.
Where it comes from has absolutely no bearing in why it is or isn't illegal, so using it as an argument is completely irrelevant.

Wheat = grows in the ground and is legal to sell/buy
Mushrooms = grows in the ground and is illegal to sell/buy

Advil = produced in a lab and is legal to sell/buy
Meth = produced in a lab and is illegal to sell/buy

With 4 line's I've 100% proven why the "Pot grows in the ground" argument is completely irrelevant to the legalization argument, as it clearly has absolutely 0 impact in whether or not something is legal.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Several studies have shown marijuana can help recovering alcoholics from relapsing. I suspect thats one of the big reasons alcohol companies keep trying to prevent pot from being legalized, beyond the reasons MarchHare suggested.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that alcohol companies want their product to be enjoyed responsibly and in moderation. There's no industry conspiracy to keep alcoholics addicted.

I can't say the same for tobacco companies, however.

[North East Goon]

Imagine a world with legalized Mushroom use. Suddenly the Canucks uniforms would make much more sense.