LETTER OF THE WEEK

IT'S TIME TO LEGALIZE AND TAX MARIJUANA

By Dan Linn

If the Illinois lawmakers need some extra green for the budget
perhaps they should consider marijuana, regulating and taxing that is.

After all, the state is spending money to arrest, prosecute and
imprison this part of the population when the state could be making a
significant amount of money if they simply taxed the use of marijuana.

Marijuana arrests in Illinois have been around 40,000 a year since
2000 and that is just those that get caught with marijuana; imagine
how many others there are who were not arrested but would also
probably prefer to buy marijuana legally and be taxed instead of
illegally and risk arrest.

)From a financial standpoint it would make sense to tax and regulate
marijuana versus incarcerating those who use this plant because one
way spends money and the other way makes money.

Alcohol prohibition only led to increased gang violence and huge
profits for those willing to risk breaking the law. Maybe it is time
for Illinois lawmakers to see that this is very similar to marijuana
and that the state could make money from taxing marijuana just like
it does from alcohol.

Could anyone imagine arresting adult alcohol users if they are doing
nothing wrong other than drinking? It is absurd. Why are we arresting
adult marijuana users?

For 70 years adult marijuana use has been outlawed, and now is the
time to end this prohibition and war on the American marijuana using
population.

Marijuana is not for everyone, and kids should not use it, but please
stop wasting tax dollars arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating
these Americans and start making money by taxing adult marijuana use.

After all, we seem to be having a budget problem, so maybe a little
extra income could help, but maybe I am just high.

Dan Linn, Executive Director, Illinois Chapter National Organization
to Reform Marijuana Laws (Illinois NORML)

Pubdate: Wed, 22 Aug 2007

Source: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)