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Tuesday, August 25th, 2015

New Schools, Less Crime: Colorado Sees Benefits Of Marijuana Legalization

Author:     Kit O'Connell
Source:     Mint Press News
Publication Date:     August 19, 2015
 Link: New Schools, Less Crime: Colorado Sees Benefits Of Marijuana Legalization
Stephan:   I keep monitoring marijuana legalization, and this report is the latest. At the personal level, living in a state where it is legal, my individual subjective experience is that like the jeremiads about gay marriage loudly proclaimed by conservatives marijuana legalization is an issue without any actual negative substance. Gay marriage has not had any effect on heterosexual marriage, just as marijuana legalization has had no important negative effects on society. In both instances rather the contrary. From my perspective except for some new marijuana shops that have popped up, and some job creation there is no there, there. The truth is the hysteria of the Right about these issues is principally a commentary on their own prejudices, hate, and ignorance.
Matthew Huron examining a marijuana plant in his grow house. Credit: Ed Andriesk/APi

Matthew Huron examining a marijuana plant in his grow house.
Credit: Ed Andriesk/APi

DENVER — Colorado’s successful experiment in marijuana legalization is bringing in millions of dollars of revenue per month while simultaneously benefiting schools and contributing to a drop in crime rates.

Colorado reached over $50 million dollars in recreational cannabis sales in June, breaking the state’s previous record, according to Ricardo Baca, a staff writer for Denver Post’s The Cannabist. In addition, medical sales reached $25 million.

Based on the state’s various taxes on marijuana sales, Baca reports that the state has earned over $60 million dollars in marijuana tax revenue so far this year.

Along with legalization, Colorado voters approved a 15 percent excise tax on wholesale marijuana sales that is only to be used for school construction. According to another recent report from Baca, Colorado schools have earned $13.6 million in just the first five months of 2015, a sharp increase over 2014, when the tax generated […]

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