From Forbes comes the story of a report on the costs of marijuana prohibition.
Dr. Jeffrey Miron, visiting professor of economics at Harvard University, estimates that replacing marijuana prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation similar to that used for alcoholic beverages would produce combined savings and tax revenues of between $10 billion and $14 billion per year. — Costs of Marijuana Prohibition
Most interesting is the fact that Milton Friedman and over 500 other economists have endorsed the report and its findings.
We therefore urge the country to commence an open and honest debate about marijuana prohibition. We believe such a debate will favor a regime in which marijuana is legal but taxed and regulated like other goods. At a minimum, this debate will force advocates of current policy to show that prohibition has benefits sufficient to justify the cost to taxpayers, foregone tax revenues, and numerous ancillary consequences that result from marijuana prohibition. — Costs of Marijuana Prohibition
There is no logical basis for the prohibition of marijuana. $7.7 billion is a lot of money, but that is one of the lesser evils. Our failure to successfully enforce these laws is responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in Colombia. I haven’t even included the harm to young people. It’s absolutely disgraceful to think of picking up a 22-year-old for smoking pot. More disgraceful is the denial of marijuana for medical purposes. — Milton Friedman
It’s about time we had some serious debate on this issue. It’s easy to show that marijuana is far less harmful than either alcohol or tobacco, two products which are legal. But will we have any real thoughtful, informed debate?
AlphaPatriot doubts “that this will even set off any serious debate given the mindset of those driving the War on Drugs, but it should.” Indeed.
Via Tempus Fugit.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Karl Marx would love the popular moves among politicians in various state governments and the federal government to ban so-called "junk" food in schools, and to "put healthy food in" convenience stores and on the tables of those they define as poor. It's a very elitist and arrogant mindset that promotes this ideology, and it needs to be addressed.
Ultimately, the war supporters in Congress prevailed in the vote on the resolution. Still, the vote was significant because it places every member of Congress on the record as supporting or not supporting the unconstitutional, costly, violent occupation of a country that never attacked us. This vote should serve as an important reminder to the American people of where their representatives really stand when it comes to policing the world, empire building, and war.
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Jason
Jun 05, 2005
I’m on the fence about Marijuana legalization…
I HATE even Cigarettes, and while I don’t hate the person just for smoking, I like them less and don’t want to be around them.
I have been around Marijuana enough to know that I hate it even more, and so I just don’t know.
The incoming money would be a boost, and I definately see it’s benefits, however, the effects of marijuana are WORSE than cigarettes, crime/theft will go up, and will require more police efforts in the matter.
I’m not sure what to say, but if I have to choose which side the see-saw it teetering on, it’s the side of anti-legalization.
Firas
Jun 05, 2005
What part of marijuana causes crime that alcohol doesn’t—is it the endless worldwide drug war, the incredible percentage of USA in prison for using/distributing it, the Southern American countries destroyed by smugglers, the sleazy introduction to the underworld it provides.. Oh wait, that’s all evil come of criminalization. Fuck the government.
Tomas De Aquino
Jun 07, 2005
you seem to be enjoying some Marijuana issues huh :P
neo
Aug 25, 2005
I used to be strongly anti-legalization of marijuana before, even at times when I used it. Recently, I changed my mind though. After researching and experiencing the effects of pot, I came to a conclusion that it is much more harmless than alcohol both to my lifestyle and my health in general. And while it is true that the smoke contains more tar than that of tobacco, people must realise that the amount consumed is much less than that of a moderate to heavy smoker. To add to that, since I started using marijuana everyday, I cut down on cigarettes, and now am in the process of quitting. I also went from consuming large amounts of alcohol everyday to only having a reasonable amount of drinks on the weekends. Judge for yourself.
Now that we’ve established that marijuana is less harmful to the population than the legal substances, such as tobacco and alcohol, I think there is no reason to prohibit use of it any longer. Higher taxation revenues, government regulation to ensure the product meets the health and safety standards and the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes to improve many conditions, that is what you can get back from legalization. I hope that convinces some people, if a Nobel Prize laureate cannot :)
jimmy ghanja
Nov 06, 2005
im only 17 an i smoke pot everyday, I also smoke cigarettes alot, and wether it becomes legal or not there is nothin stoppin me or anybody else from doing it, ya sure maybe cops get a person everyonce in awhile but that doesnt even dent the number of people i no that still smoke everyday so all u people that dont want to legalize marijuana, ask urself, why not. Alcohol is much worse than marijuana an is addictive, also cigarettes are also very addictive and horibble to ur health, marijuanna may be horrible to ur health but its not addictive whatso ever an I think it makes me a more social and creative person, I beilve I am alot better person now thanks to weed. ;P
John
Jul 12, 2007
Response to Jason (Comment One):
I apologize for my bluntness but I suggest you perform additional research before commenting in the future. You suggest that the “effects of marijuana are WORSE than cigarettes.” It is unclear what you mean by this but if you are referring to ‘health effects’ than you are simply wrong. If you are referring to ‘crime effects’ than again you are simply wrong. One of the primary arguments for the legalization of marijuana is that it would lead to a decrease in crime. If drugs were legalized, crimes, such as muggings, committed by addicts trying to obtain drugs would decrease. In addition, overall criminal activity associated with gangs would also decrease as gangs are nothing more than distribution channels for illegal drugs. If drugs were legalized however the task of distribution would move out of the hands of gangs and into the hands of your local CVS and 7 eleven.
There are arguments against the legalization of drugs. Those arguments however are based more on moral beliefs than logic or economic theory.
nunnyabiz
Oct 18, 2007
I think people who advocate legalizing pot are nuts. I smoked it a few times, and had to drive home once, and I could control the car, but I couldn’t remember what red and green meant. I knew one meant stop and the other meant go, but I couldn’t remember which was which. Plus all the people I ever met who smoked pot a lot got really stupid.
Alcohol is safer, even if you’re blind drunk you can close one eye and drive slowly and get where you’re going. Sorry.
Also every argument that applies to legalization of pot also applies to all other drugs. In China there were millions of addicts, because the opium was forced on them by the British, and in the end they had to outlaw it to keep it from destroying the country. Where do you draw the line between pot and all the other drugs? The most ridiculous of all is, the hostility to tobacco. Nobody ever got killed because somebody smoked 20 cigarettes before getting in a car. OK, tobacco hurts your health but only after about 20 years. I don’t smoke anything any more but I consider tobacco almost harmless, and an absolute right. If you don’t like people smoking, stay home.
170411
Nov 29, 2007
hi my samantha i have a good frend and she somke and i assking here to stop and she will not so what do i do do u know ? if u do pls hlep her
Eric
Jan 19, 2008
There is a big difference between “marijuana” and tobacco.
1.There are a variety of health problems associated with tobabacco, cancer being the most common, along with a few others.WHILE “MARIJUANA” CAN ACTUALLY PREVENT LUNG CANCER BECAUSE IT DESTROYS THE OLD CELLS THAT TURN CANCEROUS, WHILE TOBACCO DAMAGES THE CELL AND KEEPS THEM ALIVE,ENABALING THEM TO TURN CANEROUS.SO IF YOU DO NOT WANT LUNG CANCER SMOKE MORE POT.
2.”MARIJUANA” IS NOT HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH,DO THE RESEARCH PEOPLE.The only thing “marijuana” will do to affect your health is if you SIT ON YOUR ASS ALL DAY AND DON’T EXCERCIZE.It will only make run out of breathe quicker because your lungs are coverd with tar.Whicth can be prevented if you exeercise reguarly like your suppose to.AND THATS ONLY IF YOU SMOKE IT. EATING IT OR VAPORIZING IT WILL ELIMINATE ANY HEALTH PROBLEMS
3.I hate inconsiderate people.Which are mostly tobacco smokers because they think it is okay to smoke around other people while they cleary know the heaLth problems associated with it.MEANING WHERE THE F**K DID ALL THE RESPOSIBLE PEOPLE GO,OH THATS RIGHT, THERE AT HOME SMOKING A JOINT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE,AND NOT GETTING IN A CAR AND TRYING TO DRIVE.AND IF YOUR SMOKE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO FORGET WHAT LIGHT MEANS GO, I WANT WHAT YOUR SMOKING.
4.For all you know nothings out there, the reason pot is illegal is not because of the health concerns(because there isn’t any)its because billionaires with there corporate greed don’t want competition.EX:Pharmacuetical companies, OIL companies,and Textile companies specifically DUPONT. And all the other billion dollar companies that know legalization will cut down there profits keep filling our politicians pockets with enough money to keep it illegal.
Eric
Jan 19, 2008
one other thing,the word “marijuana” came from mexico and was adopted by Anslinger to make it look bad.
Feb 18, 2008
Intoxicated Zodiac Blog » The 420′TINI… Does Aquarius inhale?