SAY 'NO' TO WEED LEGALIZATION

State Marijuana Bill Counters Federal Law, Would Not Save Money in Long Run

With a nearly bankrupt government already exhausting Washington
state's economy, the "do what feels good" lobby is attempting to make
things worse. Using the floundering state economy as an excuse, pot
advocates are trying to legalize marijuana.

A few Democrats tried to pass HB 2401 earlier this year. The bill
would have legalized marijuana production and distribution at the
state level. Supporters predicted a $380 million revenue increase per
biennium through a 15 percent tax on cannabis, making the legislation
a trade-off between citizens' well-being and money.

HB 2401 failed to pass out of committee with a 6--2 vote against the bill.

But marijuana legislation is by no means dead. In areas around the
state, including WSU's campus, petitions are circling, which would
put the issue on the state ballot.

The 2005 Supreme Court decision, Gonzales v. Raich, upheld the
federal government's ability to prosecute any possessor of marijuana,
including those who are following state law on medicinal marijuana
possession. In essence, every state that has medical marijuana laws
is violating federal regulation.

While states may have the ability to look the other way, they cannot
legalize marijuana. Even when used medicinally, cannabis cards and
prescriptions only protect users from state authorities -- the DEA
can prosecute any person possessing pot.

This is why cannabis will never be truly legalized at the state
level. Taxing a substance goes beyond decriminalization laws. It is
likely the federal government will take offense to the generation of
revenue from an illicit activity.

Even if federal officials turn a blind eye to cannabis taxation, the
revenue generated is questionable.

Cannabis already has a thriving black market, and legalizing it will
not remove the incentive for black market activity. The 15 percent
difference is substantial, and enforcement will have to be stepped up
to prevent "marijuana moonshining."

Furthermore, the health cost to the state will surely be more than
the revenue generated by the tax. The revenue estimates also fail to
take health effects into account. For instance, when the Netherlands
legalized marijuana, usage tripled to 44 percent for 18 to
20-year-olds, according to the DEA. That percentage is in line with
smoking cigarettes.

Cigarettes cost the country $157 billion per year in health issues,
according to the American Cancer Society. While pot advocates and
dissidents debate the harmful health repercussions of marijuana, just
10 percent of the cost of smoking would cancel out any revenue that
the state derives -- not to mention the human cost of
life-threatening ailments.

This tax on cannabis is not about revenue. The revenue is only an
excuse to legalize marijuana. Even if the federal government allows
our state to make money off an illegal practice, it will not save
Washington state any money.

If lobbyists really want to legalize marijuana, they should argue
about the importance of personal freedoms, not the money involved.