The arguments for and against the legalization of marijuana in the United States has been going on for many years. The valid points for both arguments are plentiful and each party feels strongly about their position on the matter. Marijuana should be legalized because the money the state and federal governments would make, and save, would ease or possibly eliminate any deficit they have.
The average state and federal tax on cigarettes add up to $2.47(Boonn, 2011). The average tax is almost as much as a single pack of cigarettes before taxes. Conversely, smoking a single marijuana cigarette is the equivalent of smoking 7 – 10 cigarettes at one time (Miller, 1999). If marijuana is legalized a high price tag should be placed on the product as well as steep taxes. This would deter many people from actually trying if the price is so high. Some say if cannabis is legalized they will just grow their own. For cases like this permits as well as taxes will have to be in place for them as well. Overall the taxation of legal marijuana could potentially be a saving grace.
A study at International Center for Prison Studies at King's College London found that “The United States has less than 5 percent of the world's population, but it has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners” (Liptak, 2008). The legalization of marijuana would reduce the number of drug related arrests, court and prison costs. In 2005, 19.1 percent of state sentenced prisoners were drug offenders and in 2007, a staggering 53 percent of federally sentenced prisoners were incarcerated for drug related charges (Bewley-Taylor, Hallman, Allen, 2009). In countries, such as Canada, that focus more on lowering drug demand than apprehension and incarceration, the ratio is considerably lower at just 4.5 percent (Bewley-Taylor, Hallman, Allen, 2009). On the other hand, our roads wouldn’t be as safe with people legally