The $780 billion stimulus bill can be paid down if we legalized marijuana

Mary MacElveen

This may be the most controversial column I have ever written depending upon your views concerning the use of marijuana. Presently, the use of it is illegal for the majority of American citizens. The use of it for medical reasons is legal in 12 states who use different criteria for the use of it.

As congress will be looking to make cuts in certain programs such as food stamps which have been cut from this stimulus bill, Baldwin writes, "Legalization of marijuana could also save law enforcement agencies an astronomical amount of money. Miron estimates that marijuana legalization could save the United States as much as 7.7 billion dollars in law enforcement costs per year."

With the amount we can tax this commodity with, plus how much we can rake in growing our own crops as well as how much we can save in prosecuting any offenders: That $780 billion dollar stimulus bill can be paid down in no time.

In the past, I have been resistant to this idea of legalizing marijuana, but knowing how much money it does bring in due to and underground market and seeing the facts of how safe it is compared to cigarettes and alcohol, I feel this is the time to revisit this debate. One thing about our government is if they see dollar signs mentioned in any debate, their eyes pop open and perhaps their minds can be changed. If the government sees something it can tax, that usually gets their attention.

Am I advocating the use of it? No, I am not. That choice if we made marijuana legal would be up the adults that choose to consume it. I say adults because there is already an age criteria for the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes.

Ms. MacElveen is a serious thinker and writer, and is right a very high percentage of the time. She's right again. Please read the rest.

She mentions that the economy would also be boosted by 'good ol' American bong' factories springing up all over the place, but I don't think she's a toker. She failed to mention the windfall for the snack food and pizza industries.

We could also save, or pay down, the stimulus money by one year without foreign oil. Fuck that! If pot is legalized, ya think I'm gonna walk to the store all stoned ta get my ZuZus 'n WhamWhams? I'm gonna need the pickup!