LEGALIZE POT TO CUT CRIME, FILL COFFERS

Talking points, rhetoric and political spin aside, one thing is clear:
We are not winning the war on drugs. Billions of dollars are being
wasted each year, countless law enforcement resources have been
expended, and sadly, the result has not been a decrease in marijuana
production or even a decrease in marijuana use. On the contrary, the
only clear result is wasted funds and an alarming increase in crime
rates.

Studies show that the prohibition of marijuana costs American
taxpayers approximately $42 billion per year in law enforcement costs,
as well as lost potential tax revenues. In addition, drug cartels
continue to reap huge profits due to the U.S. prohibition of marijuana
with up to 70 percent of their total profits based on marijuana
sales in the United States.

American border crime is not caused by immigration. It is caused by
drugs.

We learned a valuable lesson with alcohol prohibition in this country.
Prohibition created black markets and violence as gangs fought to
control the market. The same thing is true today. Mexican cartels reap
enormous profits distributing marijuana in American cities, and the
resulting violence is tragic. The nature of our current prohibition
laws has forced drug disputes to be played out with guns in our
streets. Simply put, if it were not for the prohibition laws in this
country, the drug cartels would not be in business.

Removing the prohibition laws on marijuana would have direct
significant effects on the economy. Right now, Washington is borrowing
43 cents out of every dollar being spent. Rather than wasting billions
every year trying to stamp out marijuana, we should tax it. Marijuana
is this country's largest cash crop, a $36 billion-a-year industry
that is bigger than corn and wheat combined. This revenue we could
use.

I have been a vocal advocate for the legalization of marijuana for
more than 10 years, since I served as governor of New Mexico. While
some may see this as a precarious political position, I see it as the
only position that makes sense.

America would be a better place to live if all the resources we
currently put toward criminalizing marijuana use were more wisely
spent by law enforcement on protection from real crime, as opposed to
victimless crime.

I am not advocating or encouraging recreational drug use, nor do I
encourage the use of tobacco or alcohol recreationally. They are not
healthy lifestyle choices.

But should the government really be making those kinds of choices for
us? Why is there a difference being made on how we regulate marijuana
and how we regulate tobacco or alcohol?

When we see government regulation and laws causing more harm than
good, that is the time to change those laws. Tens of millions of
American adults should have the right to live their life as they
choose, provided they do no harm to anyone else. The common sense
approach to marijuana is that we should tax it, regulate it and control it.

Marijuana legalization is the most effective and expedient way to
reduce the exorbitant costs the United States currently spends
fighting the war on drugs and the crime it creates. The ability to
generate millions in tax revenues for state governments is an
additional and significant benefit. For these reasons, public opinion
on the legalization of marijuana is beginning to shift.

Recent national polls have put public support for marijuana
legalization at 44 percent. However, when respondents are asked to
compare marijuana to alcohol and whether marijuana should be regulated
and taxed by states in the same way, public support shifts even
higher. Whichever poll we look at, there is a striking and consistent
trend: Public support for marijuana legalization has doubled over the
past 15 years.

At long last, it appears this issue is ready to be played out in the
forefront of American politics. Marijuana legalization? Its time has
come.