Contrary to the belief of many, the high rate of crime related to drugs is due to the buying and selling of the plant itself. The drug itself does not make people violent or cause them to go out of control. For example, during the Prohibition of the 1920's, not only did crime rates rise due to the organized crime of buying and selling alcohol, consumption increased as well. The society acted against the prohibition of alcohol, and desired what was prohibited and the demand for alcohol increased and in response, the supply of alcohol increased as the underground economy of alcohol formed. If marijuana were legalized, it would stop the black market on marijuana and the profits would instead go to the government, versus the suppliers.While there are valid arguments against the legalization of marijuana, overall the benefits of legalization outweigh the negative aspects.
Economically, the legalization of marijuana would be beneficial to this country. Through government regulation, the amount of dispensaries, age and price can be controlled. There is an enormous potential economic benefit in the taxation of marijuana. According to Joe Klein, in his article "Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense," it is estimated that pot is the largest cash crop in California, with annual revenues approaching $14 billion. A 10% pot tax would yield $1.4 billion in California alone. Through the taxation of marijuana, our country's revenue will increase and the government can regulate the supply and demand of marijuana. If legalized, the government can control how much marijuana is consumed by increasing or decreasing the taxes on the product. Albeit it is a double edged-sword, if the government sets takes too high it will cause marijuana growers to sell on the black market again to avoid excessive taxation. .
According to a PBS interview with Eric Schlosser, 1 in 6 Americans in prison are there on marijuana-related charges (including simple possession), wasting taxpayer money and taking up prison space.
