Legalizing marijuana adds revenue, reduces law-enforcement costs
The case for Initiative 502 is about public money — the money wasted by trying to stamp out marijuana and the money given up by failing to legalize it and tax it
The Seattle Times (US)
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
In its fiscal note on I-502, the state Office of Financial Management estimated the total state and local government revenue from marijuana at $566 million. That’s roughly what the state budgets in taxpayer money for its six universities. Most of the marijuana money, however, would be earmarked for health-related spending (see chart). Putting I-502 into effect would also save the money now spent on law enforcement. The bottom line: Legalizing marijuana offers government a pot of money, both in revenue and in savings.
