Taxing Marijuana-cure for the US budget?

There are many people pointing to marijuana as a potential source of an enormous amount of tax revenue for the US government. Legalizing, and taxing marijuana sales could bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue, potentially. In Sacramento, CA, where medical marijuana is legal, $18 million in sales tax is collected on $200 million in sales of medical marijuana. Supporters also point out that legalization would remove a huge burden from the penal system and from law enforcement, as so much is spent in enforcing laws making possession and sales of marijuana illegal. Those who don’t support the plan point out that marijuana users are more likely to try harder drugs, and to not be productive members of society.

Commentary:

It’s funny that alcohol and tobacco are legal, yet marijuana is not. If a large corporation such as Phillip Morris were interested in profiting from the sales of marijuana, I think the government would take the idea much more seriously. It’s all a function of having a strong lobby in DC or not. So much money is spent in the attempt to stop the use and sales of marijuana in the US, yet it doesn’t stop people from wanting it. It’s funny that alcohol was once illegal too, and that law was overturned because the US needed more tax revenue…..