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. Marijuana Legalization and the Revenue From Marijuana Sales The study estimates that the average price of 0.5 grams (a unit) of marijuana sold for $8.60 on the street, while its cost of production was only $1.70. Legalized Marijuana Profits to the Government Stephen T. Marijuana Supply and Demand One interesting thing to note from such a scheme is that the street price of marijuana stays exactly the same, so the quantity demanded should remain the same as the price is unchanged.
Mexican American and white American school dropouts' drug use, health status, and involvement in violence. #1: State Law Waiting to Inhale (2005 Marijuana's health effects: Memory problems, addiction OK, so marijuana is now legal in Washington state. But does that mean it's good for you? "Daily use increases the risk of becoming dependent," says Roger Roffman, a professor emeritus at the University of Washington's School of Social Work. He supported Initiative 502, which called for the legalization of a small amount of marijuana for adults 21 and older in Washington. Roffman says there are positive effects of marijuana use: It can help people relax and interact with others. But dependence can cause impairment or distress and other effects that interfere with other areas of life, he says. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, "hijacks and corrupts" the natural process of endocannabinoids, a key family of chemicals that help guide the brain in proper maturation, says Ruben Baler, a neuroscientist with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). POLL: Feds should back off when states legalize pot And, yes, marijuana is addictive, adds Baler. Impaired short-term memory.
The AMMA states that people with a valid card 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. A total of 16 states and the District of Columbia currently permit the regulated use of medical marijuana, the New York Times reports. Although state laws will permit varying levels of sanctioned organic cannabis usage if the proposed measures pass, federal laws still consider any ingestion or possession of marijuana a criminal act. Illinois – House Bill 0030 is a pilot program valid for only three years.
Drug Abuse More Common Among Dropouts, Study Finds : Youth: Teen-agers who quit school also report much higher rates of criminal activity. Findings highlight need for intervention at an earlier age, officials say. Shedding light on the web of troubles that ensnare youths who quit school, a new statewide survey shows that teen-age dropouts abuse drugs and alcohol and engage in criminal activities at dramatically higher rates than students who stay in school. Dropouts were three times more likely to use methamphetamines, five times more likely to use cocaine or crack, and twice as likely to use LSD than their in-school counterparts. They reported weekly alcohol use rates twice as high as that of students--with beer the leading intoxicant--and were more likely to drive while drunk. Dropouts also ranked higher than students on a wide range of other problem behaviors, such as involvement in fights, selling or dealing drugs and committing a crime to obtain drugs. "We hope people will focus on how serious the dropout problem is and what the ramifications are," said state Supt. of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin. The survey results were based on responses from 1,243 dropouts from 20 communities statewide.