Before you read the following consider that recreational use of marijuana is most prevalent among poor, low income and less educated individuals.
In other words, while many cry that the wealthy don’t pay their fair share, we have no trouble raising income on the backs of those who can least afford it through legalizing drugs and pushing lotteries.
South Beloit, Ill., faces steep bills to fund its firefighter and police pensions and repave its cracked streets. Now, Mayor Ted Rehl has a plan to help cover the shortfall: marijuana. South Beloit, less than a mile from the Wisconsin state border, will welcome its first cannabis dispensary later this year.
Recreational cannabis became legal in Illinois on Jan. 1 but remains illegal in Wisconsin. The Illinois town hopes to collect roughly $1 million a year in taxes on marijuana purchases, mostly by Wisconsinites.
“If we made that million dollars, we would be able to do streets and we would be able to put a nice amount in the retirement fund,” Mr. Rehl said.
Source: Is Your City’s Pension Fund a Little Short? Marijuana Might Help, Wall Street Journal 2-3-2020
I have worked in a university medical department (MRI) for 25 years.
The idea that marijuana is consumed by the poor is way off base. It is across the economic spectrum- have you been to Colorado, California, Oregon, etc? The DEA has a vested interest in keeping pot illegal as does the prison system.
Lastly, from a health prospective, it would be more beneficial to put a prohibition on alcohol. The latter causes cirrhosis, hypertension, brain atrophy, DUIs, cancers, and a myriad of violence-related outcomes. Pot just mellows.
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The data from several sources indicate otherwise regarding its use. As far as alcohol is concerned, you may be right, but have you heard of prohibition? Seriously, you believe the prison system wants more customers?
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I have read research papers with a bias- for instance a study on eggs – but funded by the egg industry. The ol tail wagging the dog…
Yes sir I firmly believe that removing prohibition on marijuana would drop the incarcerated significantly. This in turn would drop the prison population. Less inmates, less members in the prison employees union. Hence the lobbying.
I greatly respect the opportunity to have a conversation of different perspectives.
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Not only does recreational use of marijuana place additional taxes on the poor, it prevents them from working good paying jobs. Marijuana use is still illegal at the federal level and as such any job governed under a federal agency such a truck driving, forklift operation, power and chemical plants, or any job working around machinery is still illegal. Large employers do not want to risk having an on the job injuries anymore than having somebody drinking on the job cause an injury. There is still no way to tell when you are under the influence of marijuana when tested, unlike alcohol, THC says in your system much longer when tested.
On the other hand, the war on drugs has been lost long ago. I guess it is cheaper to regulated it than fight it, even if the victims do want to work good jobs.
I’ll reserve my judgement on medical marijuana. I figure if you are in that much pain or can’t eat, you probably are not working everyday anyway. I am waiting on more studies to see if it safe and effective.
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