Here is a proposal for solving two problems that America is currently faced with. Those two problems are the economic crisis and the criminalization of marijuana cultivation, possession, and sale. Earlier this year, Congress approved a $700 Billion economic stimulus package. Some argue this number is closer to $810 Billion, but honestly I stopped counting after the first billion because it is complete and utter bullshit. Currently in the news, there is talk about more tax payer money being earmarked for a stimulus plan (second) to create jobs and improve the economic conditions in America. I came up with a simple solution to not only recoup the wasted taxpayer money from the bailout bill, but steer America into a more progressive nation with laws that are more up to date.
The United States of America has roughly 300,000,000 people (300 Million). Of that 300 Million people, Wikipedia states that The United States has the 11th highest percentage (12.6%) of marijuana smokers per year. To put that number into perspective, Colombia (major drug producing country) has an annual marijuana user percentage of only 1.9%, which is roughly 6 times lower than The United States. Drug enforcement, production location and climate have little to do with decreasing the usage of marijuana as these numbers clearly show. marijuana users being criminalized does not lower usage numbers either, we can use a comparison again of The United States and Colombia and see that strict enforcement of Marijuana does not lower the percentage of Marijuana users.
If we take the above numbers and do a little math, we can start to see the positive benefits of marijuana for The United States.
Population of The United States (P) = 300,000,000 times Percentage of Annual marijuana Smokers (U) equals 37.8M
(P)*(U)=37,800,000
37,800,000 marijuana Users in The United States annually.
If we take that 37.8 Million annual marijuana annual user number and times it by a really liberal number like 50%, then we can guess that maybe 14M Americans use a decent amount (1 ounce) of marijuana per month in The United States. Put a number lower than estimated street value of marijuana, but high enough to be reasonable, we can estimate an ounce after legalization in The United States would cost around $200. Take that $200 and multiply it by the 14M Americans using marijuana every month and you have $2.8 Billion in revenue from marijuana sales in The United States. Remember, that number is solely a guesstimate as legalization would most likely increase demand because non-marijuana smokers may become users when they are not fearful of being punished for using it in post-decriminalization. At $2.8 Billion dollars of revenue from marijuana sales, we see an annual revenue from marijuana legalization at $33 Billion.This figure will become far greater at legalization, as marijuana being legal will open up new markets and revenue streams. To clarify that later statement, no one knew what great things computers would bring about when more people had access to them and more people could contribute to its development, now we have computers in the palm of our hands like PDAS. New frontiers in medical studies and recreational experiences will be opened and explored, the possibilities are literally endless.
Even the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is strictly blocked on the international level by The United States. The United States is one of the largest opponents of marijuana on all levels of government and in all locations. The question to ask is, “Why is The United States so concerned with the eradication of marijuana?” Facts clearly show that prohibition and drug enforcement doesn’t stop the usage of the drug, as Saudi Arabia has tried this with alcohol and failed miserably. The other question to ask is “Why would corporate America be so helpful in aiding the US Government’s policies via drug testing and drug questionnaires?”
There are too many things influencing the destruction of marijuana with United States Policy, yet nearly all the countries that have total legalization of marijuana seem to have no civil disobeidience or general turmoil. I am convinced that both corporate America and The US Government is benefitting from the destruction of marijuana. Public saftey has nothing to do with the reasoning behind the criminalization of marijuana in all circumstances as Federal Policy suggests. Legalizing marijuana does not increase crime or murder rates as no signifigant studies can show a nominal difference in countries that decriminalize marijuana, and countries that criminalize marijuana.

Legalization sounds good but there will be major growing pains for years and years and years. Shit, watch the news today and they are banning sports coaches for life for swearing around and at the kids and we want to talk about legalization of marijuana.
Decrim is definately the way to go until society has grown to accept that....this will take a looooong time. Then and only then will legalization be a viable option.

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Kali Mist/Colombian Red Haze journal

Here's my last grow AK47 and PPP in hempy journal

If the coaches were high, they'd be more relaxed.

Legal = good. Tax= BAD. Don't give irresponsible government more money to blow. The power to tax is the power to destroy.

who cares, as long as weed was legalized. I'd pay $15 for a decent dime. If it meant no jail time, hell, pay the $5.

as long as you are only taxing the sale of the product, I think we can all just grow are own