Economic Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana By: Justin Comey

The United States of America is currently going through one of the worst economic times in decades. Our national debt has reached an all-time high of nearly 12.1 trillion dollars (Knoller). Because of this, Citizens of the United States are starting to lose hope in their own country. Everyday, American citizens are losing their jobs and homes, and being forced to change the way they are living. The U.S. government informs Americans that it is going to raise our economy, but at what cost? More economic stimulation programs that, in the long run, we will have to pay back in taxes? What the government is neglecting to accept is the monetary benefits produced by a plant that has been on this earth longer than mankind. A simple solution to help stimulate the American economy would be to legalize marijuana. Marijuana is a weed that grows in most parts of the world. It has many street names including: weed, pot, grass, ganja, herb, and Mary J. Marijuana is derived from the cannabis plant and has many benefits our government fails to recognize. Studies show that cannabis is Americas number one cash crop (Gettman). Cannabis is grown in all fifty states, most illegally, and is the leading cash crop in twelve of them including: California, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Washington (Gettman). Hemp is another plant derived from a similar cannabis plant that is cost-prohibited due to its chemical relationship to marijuana (Hemp Defined; Hemp Facts). Hemp can be used to produce many useful products including, but not limited to, paper, fabrics, diesel fuel, paints, oils, ink, and detergents. Seeds of the hemp plant contain a protein that is more nutritious and more economically beneficial to produce than soybeans, while still

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being capable of producing the products made from soybeans (HEMP: THE WORLDS MOST...). Hemp can produce many profitable products. This would produce more businesses, jobs, profit, and higher tax revenue, meaning our economy could begin climbing back to the top. Hemp biodiesel fuel can be produced cleaner and cheaper than corn biodiesel fuel (HEMP: THE WORLDS MOST...). America would be capable of producing it and not be as dependent on foreign oil. Hemp also can be used to make paper that is stronger and that lasts longer than paper produced by trees. One acre of hemp would produce as much paper as four acres of trees, and instead of taking hundreds of years to grow, hemp only takes about 180 days (HEMP: THE WORLDS MOST...). One acre of hemp will produce as much fiber as two to three acres of cotton (HEMP: THE WORLDS MOST...). Hemp also produces a strong fiberboard, which is stronger and lighter than wood and is fire retardant (HEMP: THE WORLDS MOST...). Oil, paper, fiber, and fiberboard are just a few products of hemp that could turn cannabis production into a big, profitable industry. The cannabis plant also possesses medical value. Cannabis has been used for thousands of years around the world for medicinal purposes, dating back as far as 2727 B.C. ("Cannabis Vault : Timeline"). Evidence shows that marijuana has been able to increase appetite in many patients with AIDS and to relieve nausea caused by cancer, also ("Cannabis Vault : Medical Use"). Marijuana is used effectively to treat patients with glaucoma, a disease of the eye that damages the optic nerve and can cause blindness, by lowering the pressure inside their eyeballs ("Cannabis Vault : Medical Use"). China was the first country to practice the use of marijuana to treat a variety of health problems. India named marijuana as one of its five sacred plants around 1200 B.C. for its medicinal

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and ritual use ("Cannabis Vault : Timeline"). Medicines produced by cannabis, as well as, hemp products have the potential to turn the cannabis industry into one of Americas most valuable and profitable industries. In the detrimental economic times Americans are currently in, deprivation in obtaining the benefits produced by an inexpensive and accessible resource, such as cannabis, is ludicrous. Many Americans illegally consume marijuana. The government has already lost the war on drugs in terms of marijuana, and it is only hurting the country by trying to prohibit people from using it. In 2007, roughly one out of eight drug prisoners in the United States was incarcerated for weed ("Pot Prisoners). The legalization of marijuana would save approximately 12.9 billion dollars per year nationally in government expenditure that enforces prohibition, and eliminates a possible 6.7 billion dollars in tax revenue (Miron). A sizeable amount of inmates imprisoned for marijuana usage are curious teenage kids and young adults who innocently experimented with the herb. Incarcerating harmless teenagers for small possession charges can often affect them forever. The teenagers who become incarcerated could have the potential to be successful and help our economy. For example, they could have started their own business, which would create more jobs, or could have found a cure for cancer, which would save lives and increase the economy. Depending on how severe the charge is, marijuana related charges could result in: declined college admissions, loss of jobs, and trouble finding jobs. How exactly can an economy be improved when people are unemployed? The young Americans who are getting charged for marijuana related crimes are commonly in the lower class. They may lose opportunity for advancement solely because of a plant--a plant that could benefit our economy in so many ways. The American taxpayers are

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burdened with the costs of keeping harmless inmates incarcerated. In 2008, 49.8% of total drug arrests were marijuana offences ("Marijuana | Drug War Facts"). Around 89% of marijuana related offenders were locked up for possession charges, and only 11 % of them were trafficking pot ("Marijuana | Drug War Facts"). The government is wasting money during a time where the economy needs all the help it can get. Why not legalize a harmless product that costs so much to be illegal and can produce more tax revenue while lowering government spending? Legalizing Marijuana would drastically lower total incarceration fees, reduce population in state prisons and local jails, and prevent young peoples lives from being ruined because of a pointless offense. Recreational Marijuana use is safer and has less long-term effects than both alcohol and tobacco. Being two of the top three main causes of death in 2000 (Annual Causes), alcohol and tobacco are incredibly more addictive and harmful than Marijuana ("Common Questions About Marijuana"). Even prescription drugs and over the counter drugs can be addictive and lead to death. However, there are zero recorded deaths from overdosing on marijuana. Ultimately it is the users choice to consume marijuana; they have the right to enjoy it. Socially, marijuana has been frowned upon for decades due to disinformation from past generations. Past generations led people to think that marijuana was going to make them angry and violent. Research has been done and has proven most of the past generations rumors completely false ("Marijuana and violence). However, politicians try their best to avoid the discussion of legalizing marijuana, or even benefits of marijuana, in fear of losing the support of their constituents.

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Today, marijuana is an illegal industry that produces close to 113 billion dollars annually, but the government does not receive tax revenue from any of it ("Pot Prohibition). The government should legalize marijuana and regulate it by taxation and profit, similar to how tobacco and alcohol are currently regulated. California is one of the states that has legalized the commerce of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Marijuana is Californias number one cash crop and is responsible for 14 billion dollars per year in sales. The 14 billion dollar sales are crucial to Californias economy (Stateman). If passed, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act would allow California to tax pot and regulate it in a similar manner as alcohol (Stateman). The bill could produce up to 1.3 billion dollars in tax revenue to the California government (Stateman). This would be a great step in the road to legalization; the government could use California as a model to evaluate how the economy could benefit due to the new tax. Legalizing marijuana would create a whole new industry. Much needed jobs would be created, which would help stimulate our economy. Every state could grow marijuana to increase their states economy. Marijuana for consumption is not the only businesses that would open. Hemp industries would also boom due to the admiration of the cannabis production. The legalization of marijuana would be very beneficial to the American economy. Cannabis is an old, useful plant that offers many medical benefits that have been recognized for nearly five thousand years. Many environmentally friendly products can be made from hemp and create profit. Marijuana affiliated convictions fill up our prisons and take citizens tax money because of nonviolent, marijuana related convictions. One of every eight inmates is jailed for marijuana related offences. Prohibition did not work

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on alcohol and will not work on marijuana. Instead, the government should legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana to open new jobs. With California acting as a model, the national government needs to recognize the benefits and advantages of legalizing marijuana. If legalized, cannabis would create a new industry that would: provide jobs, make profits, and produce tax revenue; while saving costs. Although distorted beliefs about weed have been passed down from previous generations, research proves that marijuana can be more beneficial than detrimental in both a medical and economical sense, further confirming that the American government should legalize it.

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Works Cited "Annual Causes of Death in the United States | Drug War Facts." Welcome | Drug War Facts. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30>. "Cannabis Vault : Medical Use." Erowid. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_medical.shtml>. "Cannabis Vault : Timeline." Erowid. Ed. Erowid. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_timeline.php>. "Common Questions About Marijuana." MPP Homepage. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.mpp.org/library/common-questions-about-marijuana.html>. Gettman, Jon. "Marijuana Production: Comparison with other Cash Crops." Marijuana Research: Science, Law, Medical Marijuana, Rescheduling Petition. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.drugscience.org/Archive/bcr2/cashcrops.html>. "Hemp Facts." North American Industrial Hemp Council. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.naihc.org/hemp_information/hemp_facts.html>. "Hemp Defined." North American Industrial Hemp Council. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.naihc.org/hemp_information/hemp_defined.html>. "HEMP: THE WORLD'S MOST BENEFICIAL NATURAL RESOURCE? AMAZING FACTS ABOUT AN AMAZING PLANT." Www.thc-ministry.net. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.thc-ministry.net/untoldstory/hemp_2.html>. Knoller, Mark. "National Debt Now Tops $12 Trillion - Political Hotsheet - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. CBS Broadcasting Inc., 17 Nov. 2009. Web. 07 Dec. 2009.

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<http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11/17/politics/politicalhotsheet/e ntry5686644.shtml>. "Marijuana | Drug War Facts." Welcome | Drug War Facts. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/53>. "Marijuana and violence - topic page." Marijuana Legalization Organization. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.mjlegal.org/violence.html>. Miron, Jeffrey A. The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition. Rep. 2008. Print. "Pot Prisoners Cost Americans $1 Billion a Year." MPP Homepage. AlterNet, 10 Feb. 2007. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.mpp.org/states/california/news/ca/pot-prisoners-costamericans-1.html>. "Pot Prohibition Costs Taxpayers More Than $40 Billion Per Year, Study Says NORML." Marijuana Law Reform - NORML. 04 Oct. 2007. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7380>. "Psychoactive Vaults." Erowid. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_spirit5.shtml>. Stateman, Alison. "Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy? - TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews TIME.com. 13 Mar. 2009. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1884956,00.html?iid=di gg_share>.

Justin Comey

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Justin Comey

Eng 101 Sec 018