That they take the taxes out first. Otherwise the stoners will forget and spend it on muchnies.
Marijuana Legalization as an Economic Stimulus
All the discussion about the economic effect of Marijuana legalization seems centered around the tax benefits and savings in police, legal, and incarceration expenses. That argument alone was enough to convince Milton Friedman and 500 other economists — including two other Nobel Laureates — to endorse the Miron report favoring legalization.
It’s a powerful argument, and I’ll be referring to it. But in today’s economic climate, there’s an even more powerful economic argument that, afaik, nobody’s making. Marijuana legalization, over and above the revenue benefits, would provide a strong economic stimulus without the necessity for a New Deal type program.
It is a good read, despite his belief that tax cuts aren’t an effective stimulus. Give it a perusal.
My only objection would be what I mentioned in the opening sentences. But if they run it like they do at the state level the way they do alcohol and cigarettes, I’m giving this idea two thumbs up.
I fail to see much “stimulus” in legalization.
Would put a lot of Big Pharma out of work….
Would have a lot of folks stoned, therefore their production would be lowered….
Everyone could grow their own, eliminating ALL the middlemen, and more jobs…
I doubt if many cops would be jobless, they ALWAYS can find some make-work to do…
Overall, I see a slight negative, not much, to the economy, but a HUGE negative to the society, as the “everybody must get stoned” attitude would prevail.
If you’ve ever had to deal with medical MJ stoners, as I have had to in my previous working life, you know that there are not too many assholes among them, but THEY ARE JUST BODIES! You can’t hold a conversation with them, you can’t get them to do complex tasks, they just take up space!
We have the most efficient, productive workforce in the world right now, but give everyone access to dope with no consequences and that stat is going to go away.
George Soros knows it, which is why he bankrolled all of the MMJ attempts around the country. Socialism benefits from a stoned society, but conservatism never will.
Mmmm, not sure that I agree, Rivrdog.
Legalization will not change the laws about driving under the influence, or workplace regulations that do not allow people to be stoned or drunk at work.
I don’t think many more people will be puff-puffing that aren’t already. Plus, it will remove huge amounts of money from criminal networks, as well as the profit motive (costs come down) and motive for violence that prohibition has encouraged.
There will also be a lot of people that will only use very occasionally – like booze – and will buy small amounts for the one time use, vs. having to talk to a bunch of criminals to buy their drugs, thereby removing targets from muggers, or even encouraging the lifestyle of losers who sell so that they can pay rent and just stay stoned. That will basically disappear.
Overall, I don’t see a lot of negatives.