The Impact of Drug Legalization on the Economy
When marijuana was legalized in some of the states of the USA, there was a lot of expectations for the tax revenue to increase and the cost of fighting drug trafficking would go down. Marijuana was legalized to help people with medical issues, to also cut back on illegal transportation of marijuana, and the fears of increased use and addiction. Looking at those two issues, it seems that the legalization of marijuana may or may not have accomplished those goals. There is a controversy in the state and federal law as the federal laws have not changed to all for marijuana or any other drug to be transported, bought, or sold in the United States legally. Some states are starting to allow business to …show more content…
“The term ‘medical marijuana’ refers to the use, possession, and/or cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes,” according to Find Law. California and sixteen other states have legalized marijuana for medical use. This has put marijuana users in a difficult state as the federal government is still arresting and prosecuting companies that are willing to sell marijuana. Through the legalization of marijuana in states that have legalized it, it has shown to be a sticking point as the states have not managed the medical use well and the business aren’t regulated like other prescription businesses. Each state has different laws that govern what is necessary for a customer to buy marijuana from the business and they are not recognized as provided medicines by the federal government, so they still face the laws of the federal government. The can work to comply with the laws of the state, but may be raided and/or arrested by the federal officers of the Drug Enforcement Agency. With the federal government maintaining their commitment to stop the trafficking of marijuana, the state laws have limited effect on the safety of the businesses that work to provide marijuana for those that need it for medical …show more content…
There was high expectations on the amount of additional money that would be gained through this new law. “Arguments about legalizing marijuana tend to contain a lot of dollar signs,” according to Dighe. Proponents think that lower cost for law enforcement, higher taxes “pot tourism” will bring in money. Opponents think that people will less productive at work and have more medical cost. From my personal conversations, I have learned that many of these high dollar projections have not come through. The states have made a lot of money when the law first takes effect, but many people are saying that after the law takes effect that the cost from legal sources is too high and many of the medical and recreational users are turning to their former illegal sources for marijuana and then the state doesn’t get the tax revenue and the savings from law enforcement is reduced. Many people are saying that the states are still not learning the lessons from the reducing sales, but it seems that the business planning that we are learning is not being done by these state governments and they will provide future lessons for business students. “The economic way of thinking is not for everybody. But consider the biggest benefit, which is that some 19 to 32 million people would no longer be treated as criminals,” Dighe says. Also, they can be arrested for any reason
When marijuana was legalized in some of the states of the USA, there was a lot of expectations for the tax revenue to increase and the cost of fighting drug trafficking would go down. Marijuana was legalized to help people with medical issues, to also cut back on illegal transportation of marijuana, and the fears of increased use and addiction. Looking at those two issues, it seems that the legalization of marijuana may or may not have accomplished those goals. There is a controversy in the state and federal law as the federal laws have not changed to all for marijuana or any other drug to be transported, bought, or sold in the United States legally. Some states are starting to allow business to …show more content…
“The term ‘medical marijuana’ refers to the use, possession, and/or cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes,” according to Find Law. California and sixteen other states have legalized marijuana for medical use. This has put marijuana users in a difficult state as the federal government is still arresting and prosecuting companies that are willing to sell marijuana. Through the legalization of marijuana in states that have legalized it, it has shown to be a sticking point as the states have not managed the medical use well and the business aren’t regulated like other prescription businesses. Each state has different laws that govern what is necessary for a customer to buy marijuana from the business and they are not recognized as provided medicines by the federal government, so they still face the laws of the federal government. The can work to comply with the laws of the state, but may be raided and/or arrested by the federal officers of the Drug Enforcement Agency. With the federal government maintaining their commitment to stop the trafficking of marijuana, the state laws have limited effect on the safety of the businesses that work to provide marijuana for those that need it for medical …show more content…
There was high expectations on the amount of additional money that would be gained through this new law. “Arguments about legalizing marijuana tend to contain a lot of dollar signs,” according to Dighe. Proponents think that lower cost for law enforcement, higher taxes “pot tourism” will bring in money. Opponents think that people will less productive at work and have more medical cost. From my personal conversations, I have learned that many of these high dollar projections have not come through. The states have made a lot of money when the law first takes effect, but many people are saying that after the law takes effect that the cost from legal sources is too high and many of the medical and recreational users are turning to their former illegal sources for marijuana and then the state doesn’t get the tax revenue and the savings from law enforcement is reduced. Many people are saying that the states are still not learning the lessons from the reducing sales, but it seems that the business planning that we are learning is not being done by these state governments and they will provide future lessons for business students. “The economic way of thinking is not for everybody. But consider the biggest benefit, which is that some 19 to 32 million people would no longer be treated as criminals,” Dighe says. Also, they can be arrested for any reason