Not only in tax dollars for prosecution and incarceration, but in lives.
This latest case of just one drug robbery gone bad (over marijuana) has produced this;
- Prosecution of 3 conspiritors and a murderer
- One person dead, another injured
- Probably over a million dollars in prosecution costs and incarceration
This was ONE incident over the greed and hysteria caused by people dealing weed. Heck, we even had a shoot-out in the streets of Sioux Falls over people stealing weed from each other, which could have resulted in more people dead, including police officers. It is going on across the country, and other states are realizing the war just isn’t worth it anymore, and are seizing a tax revenue source in the process instead more costs in prosecution to taxpayers. In fact, one little town in Colorado has experienced a monthly sales tax increase of $44,000 a month and are using the windfall to fix their streets instead of building bigger jails and courtrooms.
While I support medical marijuana legalization in South Dakota, I encourage the petitioners to go whole hog instead, and support a measure that also legalizes recreational usage. I actually believe such a measure would get more support than just medical (it has failed twice on the ballot in SD).
I’ve seen many lives ruined because of marijuana, a (natural) drug that has been proven to be much less harmful then alcohol (a narcotic) and could be sold legally to create a tax revenue source for counties struggling with tight budgets when it comes to legal services.
Lives ruined because of the insatiable desire to make felons out of people who smoke a plant.
There are also other benefits besides medical and homeopathic. It is also an incredible agriculture product that can be grown in its NON-THC form, Hemp, to be used in clothing, essential oils and can even be burned producing as much energy heat as coal. The uses are endless.
I have often believed that cannabis is a true gift from God that we have bastardized because of the greed of our prison systems and the pharmaceutical industry. This pointless greed has hit home, and we must use the Lebeau incident as a lesson in how we can take something bad like botched drug deals, and turn them into a positive, to help the sick, the state coffers and the agriculture industry. Let’s pull our heads out of the sand in this country and state and use this amazing gift to our benefit.
This sort of drivel may play well at the N O R M L meetings, but clear thinking people see it for what it is: STONER PROPAGANDA! Predictable.
Yes, because wasting millions on a war that is unwinnable makes more sense. You know, like Iraq or Afghanistan.
I think that recreational marijuana will be legal nationwide within 10 years, we might as well get a head of the curve and cash in on it now.
Bill -are you aware that the reason MJ was made illegal to begin with is because black and brown people used it as an alternative to alcohol -which it was illegal for THEM (but not white folk) to own??? I.E., not because it was a “dangerous drug”, but as a way to criminalize being non-white.
As of now, the business model doesn’t work, so anyone hoping for this business in the future should read this article and do some research. It will be interesting to see if there are any changes made.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/03/irs-limits-profits-marijuana-businesses/18165033/
I’m all for legalizing and don’t giva shit because I’ve never used it and doubt I ever will. With that said, you do realize that the drug crime in states that have legalized have not reduced dramatically. Because state mandated pot taxes are so high, the underground pot trade is still big business.
Also because pot is still a federal crime, banks and pot dispensaries have chosen not to do business with each other. This makes an all cash business which in turns is a magnet for hold ups and cash transport robberies.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/08/colorado-oks-marijuana-credit-union/20056367/
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/13/marijuana-cash-flow-colorado/12271369/
First off, don’t care if you smoke or not.
Secondly, talking to friends in Colorado, it has created incredible, well paying jobs, many who don’t use the product. Agriculture, horticulture, security, financial, etc, etc, their biggest obstruction has been the financial institutions letting shops infuse their profits into the banks.
Ruf is right, Jane was totally legal, but racism and politics made it illegal, especially after prohibition ended, and now the banks, tobacco industry and the pharma industry are scared shitless.
20 years ago if you would have told me I could legally buy Jane in a state in 2014, I would have laughed at you. It is close to becoming a reality, and we can continue to be a bunch of naysayers, but if regulated properly (Nationally and Federally) it will benefit us.
ADD again? Your thread was about crime and pot and now you’re spouting about the economic benefits…Are u high?
Lets make it legal then fund education, have you heard that one before.
Alcohol is more detramental than pot. Prohibition of the 1920’s didn’t deter use and presented rich profits for organized crime. Alcohol is mind altering, so is pot but pot doesn’t destroy body organs. Legalizing and taxing weed could steer money away from prisons and law enforcement into infrastructure and social programs. There’s a lot of empty barns on cheap land that can be used for winter weed agriculture.
One thing I’ve noticed is pot states are democrat. Changing the nomenclature here would invoke major growth and commerce whether it’s agriculture, banking, pharmaceutical, medical, or services support.
Republican hoarding, thrift, & greed stagnates and stunts growth. Democrat, Independent, & the Constitutional parties actively promote new industry. I lean both ways depending upon the social and economic environment. Now is the time for the mudwest to accelerate. We are the current cycle. There was a span for financials in the east, manufacturing in the rust belt, lumber in the southeast, oil in the south, and tech in the west. We have the pattern into the 21st century.
Let’s not let politicians and a few billionaires ruin our chance for prosperity.
I’d say no way on the recreational legalization! A few friends and I have had numerous bad experiences with pot heads at our work places. One friend working 30 years at NorthWest Airlines now Delta can share dealing with deadweight coworkers coming in high or getting high at work in maintenance, stores or other support areas. It sucks working with these addicts or irresponsible potheads. Look at the crime reports and driving under the influence. It’s not just alcohol. No way!
Even though pot is legal in Colorado, and a heap of money/revenue is being made, do you not think that at some point the federal government will step in with the stance that pot is still illegal on the federal level and will want a hefty chunk of that revenue?
The shoe will fall in Colorado, when and how, I do not know, but I cannot imagine the federal government, especially now that the House and Senate are controlled by the Republicans, that are simply just going to ignore the money supply.
Who would get to sell pot, and who would get to grow it? You can bet the current traffickers aren’t going to get a permit to sell. And you can also bet they aren’t going to get a real job either.
scott – if other states are any example-anyone could grow their own – just like you can grow your own tobacco. As to the current traffickers, they are already losing substantial market share. To the extent that many traditional Mexican Pot farmers are shifting to opium poppies, as there is no more $$$ in Pot. You speculate, and employ conjecture. And then, there are the facts.
FP – those coming to work high should suffer the same fate as those coming to work drunk.
Rufusx,
“FP – those coming to work high should suffer the same fate as those coming to work drunk.”
I totally agree but the problem that a few others and I have run into with co-workers being high or getting high at work is that either it was treated much more casually than being drunk in that the owner or their supervisor felt they could still perform their duties or that owner or supervisor was an addict or pothead themselves thus covering for them when in fact it being under the influence definately affected their job performance to the point of safety issues(being a liability) or other workers had to pick up the slack.
Personally to a point and being realistic what they do at home being adults is their business in being but when it affects others outside of home in a negative way not being responsible in regards to personal safety, affecting judgement, reflexes(driving an automobile) in crimes committed or the workplace than it concerns me as I’ve had to deal with this repeatedly.
If I were in a supervisory position or owner dealing with somone coming to work being high obviously affecting their performance I’d take their work performance into consideration and have them take a few days off without pay while they can take time to consider their priorities, get help or terminate their employment.
JeniW: This income is already highly taxed. So much so that some have gone out of business.