(n.d.). Retrieved from the World Wide Web: www.aclu.org). These drug imprisonments are thought to be one of the leading causes in the rising tax burdens and yet they haven't stopped people from smoking marijuana. 58% of the federal prison population in America is made up of non violent drug offenders and as you can see this can be very costly to taxpayers since they are the ones who must pay the price. Also one must consider the amount of money spent every year on programs like D.A.R.E. In February 2001, D.A.R.E. received 13.7 million dollars to design a new program to increase education about drug abuse. Many individuals who feel it is ineffective have criticized the D.A.R.E. program. Even the surgeon general concluded that though it is popular, numerous well designed evaluations and mate-analyses have shown that the program shows little deterrent effects on substance use (How effective is D.A.R.E.? (n.d.). Retrieved from the World Wide Web: www.pbs.org). The number of marijuana users grows each and every year and the youth of America just can't get enough of it. Do you really think D.A.R.E. is going to stop them? Basically it is a waste of the government's time and money yet they keep hiking up taxes to pay for these ineffective programs and the jailing of these potheads. Marijuana could pour millions into the economy every year instead of costing the taxpayers millions on a war on drugs that they are losing.
Who ever thought that prohibition would work? It didn't work for alcohol and it doesn't work for marijuana either. Just because it's illegal doesn't mean it will just go away. By making marijuana illegal you are activating the forbidden fruit effect especially amongst the youth of America. You don't have to be 21 to buy marijuana; suppliers simply don't care how old you are as long as you have money (Why marijuana should be legal. (n.d.). Retrieved from the World Wide Web: www.mjlegal.org). 85% of American high school seniors said it would be very easy to obtain marijuana yet only 30% said it would be just as easy to obtain alcohol.