Capital Commerce

Marijuana And State Budgets: Now What?

By Matthew Bandyk

Posted: October 19, 2009

The Justice Department will no longer go after medical marijuana users in states where the substance is partially legal. At about the same time as the Obama administration made headlines for that move, Gallup announced that a recent poll has found the greatest-ever number of Americans in support of legalizing marijuana.

But still, marijuana activists in California, a state with dire budget problems, have been unable to succeed in a long effort to regulate and tax marijuana to raise money for the state. (see previous post here).

Baby steps toward state-wide legalization might come in the form of tax increases for medical marijuana at the local level (PBS reports here). If those policies prove to be big windfalls for those towns, the state legislature will probably take notice.

No one knows which (if any) states will be the first to take this step, but the idea is certainly getting more popular: A committee in the Massachusetts legislature just entertained the notion of creating a taxable cannabis market.

LEGALIZE IT!!!

I think the Goverment should legalize MARIJANA, it is far less addictive and harmful the alcohol. To overdose on pot the average person would have to smoke 1500 pound in 14 minutes which is impossible.

jesus mendoza of CA @ Dec 05, 2009 11:33:48 AM

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QRwCwpJrhnEqKhKoi of NH @ Nov 19, 2009 01:12:12 AM

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with kg may MedlinePlus to shot mg unknown to for,

Nmqczqhy of VA @ Nov 16, 2009 06:02:00 AM

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Capital Commerce

Capital Commerce

U.S. News business reporter Matthew Bandyk examines the issues, people, and debates that shape the nexus of political and economic life in the nation's capital.

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