The Tax, Regulate, and Control Act: Should California Legalize Marijuana?

Should California Legalize Marijuana

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While the US federal government maintains its stern position that marijuana is a harmful drug with no medicinal value and whose consumption must therefore remain illegal , health experts have indeed documented the therapeutic value of marijuana . Controlled medicinal use of marijuana is allowed in some states . The debate over whether to legalize marijuana use is happening not only in California , but also in other states and countries

While legalizing marijuana would save the state up to 2 billion

every year in lower correctional costs and reduced expenditure on law enforcement , the move would be detrimental and more costly in the long-run . The dangers of smoking to the health of smokers and non-smokers are well-known and they include cancers whose treatment is very expensive . By legalizing marijuana use , thereby making it easier and cheaper for more people to access it , it is predictable that more people will smoke marijuana and more people will be exposed to marijuana smoke . As more and more people develop respiratory complications and smoking-related cancers , the available health resources will be stretched tighter

Legalization of marijuana use would also mean that the state receives revenue in the form of taxes , and less of marijuana is sold on the black markets . If marijuana worth more than 19 billion is sold in California every year , it follows that the state can rake in millions of dollars in taxes every year by legalizing marijuana . However , the state would spend more on...