Keeping marijuana illegal could be preventing billions of dollars from being added to federal and state economies.
Earlier this month, Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use, and the revenue on day one shocked the United States as a whole.
The state generated more than $1 million the first day, and by the end of the week, revenue exceeded $5 million.
Tennessee, the second largest marijuana producing state in the U.S., could be missing out on revenue of its own.
A Drug Science study showed that marijuana was the “number one cash crop produced in the U.S.” According to the study, the combined total of corn and wheat did not total the average production value of marijuana. In Tennessee alone, marijuana production averages $4.8 million.
Recently, Gallup Politics completed a study and found that 58 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized, and 67 percent of Millennials support legalization.
“I personally have never smoked weed and never plan on it. However, if we can find a good way of allowing people to use it recreationally or medically and use revenue from it to better the economy, then I see nothing wrong with it,” said a UTM student who asked not to be named.
Along with Millennial support, the study showed that legalization has gained support among all other generations.
Some supporters of legalization say they don’t understand why it hasn’t been legalized yet.
“If alcohol is legal, marijuana should be too. There are more health benefits associated with marijuana. Alcohol makes people angry; marijuana makes people chill-out,” said another UTM student who also asked to remain anonymous.
Professionals say that while alcohol and marijuana are often compared, they are very different.
“I find that answering [which is more dangerous] is often analogous to comparing the proverbial apples and oranges,” said Gary Wenk, Ph.D, a Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience & Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics at the Ohio State University and Medical Center.
Currently, Colorado and Washington are the only states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use; however, several states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana use. Legislation was introduced earlier this month in Tennessee to make medicinal use legal.
Sixteen states have also passed laws that decriminalize marijuana. Decriminalization most often means that no prison time will be served or criminal record for first-time possession offenses.
The President of the United States and Bill Gates know that legalization would not be a mistake. With a minimum amount of education and or research Americans will learn the facts as to how much safer than alcohol marijuana really is.