Legalize It

Chicago, IL- New estimates price marijuana (cannabis) at a $113 billion dollar industry in America annually noting that marijuana prohibition costs $41 billion annually between the money spent on enforcement and lost potential tax revenue. These estimates come from the study, “Lost taxes and other costs of marijuana laws,” by Jon Gettman and made a splash in Forbes magazine.

The study examined reports from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Library of Congress, and even High Times magazine. Taxes lost due to the illegality of cannabis total $31 billion while just over $10 billion is spent on enforcing marijuana prohibition, resulting in the loss of $41 billion every year.

Cannabis prohibition has entered its 70th year and while history looks at alcohol prohibition as a complete failure the public has somehow managed to overlook the present lost cause of cannabis prohibition.

Alcohol prohibition lasted only 13 years but was such a failure that the government decided to repeal the 18th Amendment. Despite that our government insists on continuing to enforce a law that undermines the constitution just as much as the 18th Amendment did and is even more of a failure.

Not only does marijuana prohibition cost taxpayers tremendously, it also compromises the freedoms and liberties that are granted in the constitution and are sources of national pride.

Once people accept that cannabis regulation is the best alternative to the current prohibition our nation will look back at this time as an infringement upon our civil rights and an extension of Jim Crow. Illinois is consistently one of the worst states in America when it comes to racial disparities for male drug offenders admitted to prison. Our nation needs to end marijuana prohibition and begin to earn taxes from an industry that is literally growing.

Regulations will provide safeguards for drivers, children and society in general from the harms of marijuana use and those regulations will likely be broken too because there is not complete compliance with any law, nevertheless there will be regulations to protect.

Plus, towns and counties could still ban cannabis just as some currently do with alcohol. Until cannabis prohibition is repealed the American public will continue to be the real victim, more specifically the prisoners and their families.

Contact
Dan Linn Executive Director, Illinois NORML danlinn@illinoisnorml.org or call 847-341-0591