This seems like a win-win. Small businesses would make money selling it. States would save money on arrest, prosecution and detention, and the federal government would make money through taxes. Any ideas what dollar amounts we’re talking about?
How much money could America make if we legalized and taxed marijuana?
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#1 by Random on October 18th, 2011
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Not sure on dollar amounts, but it would definitely do the economy some good.
#2 by Joe in texas on October 18th, 2011
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How much money would NOT be leaving the country?
#3 by Liberal Madness on October 18th, 2011
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Youtube Judge Gray a supreme court judge, orange county california.
#4 by Grand Theft Pants™ (the 3rd) on October 18th, 2011
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Is that seriously the only reason you think we should legalize it? Just so you can tax it? No thanks.
#5 by High Yellow waterhead on October 19th, 2011
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Pothead fantasy #456, did you think this up when you were high?
We could make more from seizing ,all assets, from anyone caught with marijuana. Now we are talking.
#6 by stupidcaucasian on October 19th, 2011
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Enough to retire 0bama’s multi-trillion dollar debt before 0bamacare comes online.
#7 by James69sk82001 on October 19th, 2011
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probably about the same we get from the cigarette tax
#8 by Linda K Texan for Life on October 19th, 2011
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If cigarette tax could pay for children’s health care Pot would bring in even greater revenue.
#9 by I'm back in the USSA on October 19th, 2011
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One estimate said California could be debt free in 90 days
#10 by R J on October 19th, 2011
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well it would bring in serious money and stop the drug cartels somewhat and saving on drug czar. Here we would grow our own so guess you could buy a Fed tax deal. Jails would save several billion easy. But zig zag and tops papers would probably be $5 bucks a pack.
#11 by S-man on October 19th, 2011
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We wouldn’t just get millions in taxes
We would employ workers at weed shops or smoke shops. frito-lay cereal companies and all food making companies would profit. Think about it, what do people do when they are stoned? they eat. Dorritos or Frito lay would see their profits double lol.
If somebody wants to smoke weed they are going to do it whether its illegal or not. Tax it
#12 by Monster Brain on October 19th, 2011
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Do u mean how much money the govt could confiscate from people who participate in the free market? Too much to contemplate and ashamed that Americans pull for the govt to “get money” from it’s citizens. Small govt, less taxes more self responsibility less welfare. All good things and a must to be FREE.
Do not care if they legalize it or not but at least decriminalize it and treat it like Beer not cigs because cigs do not cause highness or inebriation.
#13 by Ted Kennedy's Car on October 19th, 2011
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the impact to the economy would be negligible
The market for marijuana already exists, nothing new would be created, except a new tax
police departments make a lot of revenue in drug seizers, this would be reduced, bankrupting many departments
drug dealers spend a lot of money on lavish lifestyles, and those dealers thrown out of work would no longer be able to afford cars, nice houses, ect – hurting the economy
government would get yet more tax money, but all they do with that is waste it
so – the impact would be negligible
#14 by pamcarter on October 19th, 2011
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Hey, why stop at marijuana? Why not legalize and tax all drugs? That would raise the GDP a lot and probably make drugs our biggest business in America. What a proud moment that would be. (sarcasm)
#15 by Bethy on October 19th, 2011
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What about the studies that show Marijuana to be a gateway drug?
“High Driving” would be near impossible to detect and THC does have an influence on driving
Kids buy alcohol and tobacco all the time and become addicted to these items. Why add one more legal drug that they can get their older siblings to by them?
A great deal of people arrested for non drug crimes like property crimes test positive for moderate to chronic drug use. Those that are arrested for purchasing marijuana might be removed from the street early
Abuse of the substance could lead to higher medical cost for users and legalization would increase use
The legal use of Marijuna will lead to far greater exposure to second hand smoke to either family members or the general public
#16 by §§pecial Unicorn™ on October 19th, 2011
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It would all be eaten up by the regulation on it.
#17 by zzone on October 19th, 2011
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NO, it is illegal and needs to stay that way. All we need is a bunch of zombie’s running around and ignoring what is really going on in DC. DC would love it, that way they could take every freedom away from us over night. There is nothing good about red eyes, slurred speech , driving with slower reactions and raiding every refrigerator in sight. I think Pelosi and Obama would like it, maybe even lower the price, that way they would appoint them selves King and Queen of America while some citizens smoke their way into stupidity and ignore what has happened.
#18 by David on October 19th, 2011
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A lot of money AND it would also be Gods way of filtering out the liberal potheads
#19 by ICU on October 19th, 2011
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A LOT ! They’d make a killing just on the taxes alone! And of course when the gov raises the taxes on it, the stores selling it will too. Cigarettes now are pretty hard for kids to buy at the stores, store clerks are even asking people who look old enough for their I.D. lol ! Because the store owners are afraid of getting busted and having their licenses taken away. The government has spy checkers out there. So I know they would do the same with weed sales and it would be even tougher to buy at the store.
#20 by Dennis C on October 19th, 2011
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not really … the real lose will be in productivety… no amount of taxes can keep pace with the lose of will to produce… its just like alcohol… in the ruin it causes to society… i do not oppose pain medication… i just dont like that excuse for not creating a wonderful life…
#21 by Jigi on October 19th, 2011
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After the sale of all seized drug assets the U.S taxpayer spent about 20 billion per year just for the police enforcement and investigation of marijuana alone. This does not include the amount we pay for other drugs every year or for the incarceration of marijuana users and dealers.
If a penny saved equals a penny earned then the same would be true for 20 billion.
If a federal tax was imposed it has been estimated to bring in another 15 to 20 billion.
So around 35 to 40 billion in savings and new taxes.
#22 by ohbrother on October 19th, 2011
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First, you will never take the criminal element out of drugs. Here in Ca. the Democrat legislature is talking about legalizing it and claim it will produce 1.4 billion. We teach our children not to do drugs and now they want to make the State a sanctioned drug dealer. Here is their proposal. They would control it and tax it at fifty dollars an ounce. If you are caught without the State tax stamp on your dope the criminal penalties are enhanced. At present it is an infraction, less than an misdemeanor. for possession of an ounce or less and a one hundred dollar fine. Now they are talking about jail time and heavy fines for possession of street dope. You must register as a user, carry a State I.D. that identifies you as a user and employers will have access to that information. The driving under the influence penalties will be more severe. Their reasoning is that ” it will cut down on drug abuse”
Even if you legalize all drugs you will never take the criminal element out of it. Is the user going to pay a fifty dollar tax per ounce or buy from the street dealer that does not charge tax. There will always be the person that rips off your house or sticks a gun in your face to get the money to buy it. The Mexican cartels don’t care if it is legalized. They will still smuggle it in along with Meth and Heroin and all the pills. Legalizing it will bring more problems than it has now.
I do not expect to change anyones mind. Users see no harm in it and will always feel that way.
The train engineer that missed a red signal in Los Angeles and struck another train head on killing dozens had it in his system.
The original law against mariuana was a tax law.
#23 by midnightmoon on October 19th, 2011
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Some of these answers have a massive misconception about marijuana and its effects. No, its not risk free, but it is certainly not as risky as the drugs currently legal. ANd personally, if it comes to my children using marijuana vs the rx meds that have been passed around in high schools for atleast 10 years, i would far rather marijuana.
I think a lot of money could be made with legalization. Sure, the legal system would loose the money from the fines and busts, but they could turn around and gain that right back with requiring licenses to grow, a license to possess. I mean, I already have to have a license to drive a car, hunt, own a car, own a dog, and a million other things if you live inside city limits that are heavy on licensing for activities.
Sure, people could grow their own to avoid taxes and fees and hide it the same way they do now, but honestly, if you can go buy it in a store, how many people are going to grow? I know how to make home made wine, and some other alcoholic beverages, but really, I generally just go to the store and buy it. I could easily put a garden in my back yard, but instead I buy my produce from the store.
To ohbrother… Yeah, sure they will make it illegal to not have your liccense and so forth and so on. But you know what? I can be hauled to jail if I cant provide proof that I have my dog licensed. So, my dog is apparently on the same level as marijuana. No one is asking for it to be completely unregulated. We simply want it to be legal for responsible use for people who are of age.
And as far as dui laws, I think they are already pretty harsh for marijuana. They can hair test me and see thc metabolites from 3 months ago and give me a dui, regardless of blood tests that show no trace of actual thc. That is pretty damn harsh, in my opinion.
Speaking of that train operator, how was he drug tested? Did he actually have active thc present in his blood, or did he have metabolites in his urine or hair from a use that would clearly have not impaired him at that time?
#24 by sam on October 19th, 2011
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a whole heap cigarettes make billions