An Argument for Marijuana Legalization That is not Necessary

The debate to legalize marijuana is one of the more polarizing debates in the country, rubbing elbows with the likes of gun-control and abortion. While most of the debate points that the pro-pot crowd uses are both solid and valid, their point that the tax revenue generated from legalizing marijuana would be overly beneficial to the country is over-reaching at best, and a flat-out lie at worst.

Right now, any revenue that flows into the government would be welcomed. A $16.8T national debt is, frankly speaking, revolting. But anyone who thinks that there is a quick-fix to that problem is short-sighted. This includes Harvard professor, Jeffrey Miron. He believes that cannabis willgenerate yearly revenue totals between $6B and $10B. Half of which he believes will come from tax revenue. The other half would come from not spending money on prosecuting for marijuana-based offenses.

The problem with that however, is in the math.

Per Global Newswire, legal marijuana sales are projected to total $2.34B in 2014. Miron projects the “sin tax” to be roughly 50%. That would mean the tax revenue generated would be $1.17B, which is a far cry from being half of the $6B-$10B estimate. And you can’t account for illegal sales because there are no records kept of those amounts.

Marijuana should be legal. It is in the same category as alcohol with regards to harmfulness. But creating math to buy votes is an attempt to legitimize a cause that doesn’t need help in becoming legitimate.