MARIJUANA LOBBY POINTS TO ECONOMIC IMPACT

A group calling for the legalization and regulation of marijuana says
taking that step could give a boost to Colorado's economy.

Sensible Colorado is relying on statistics from Jeffrey Miron, a
visiting professor of economics at Harvard University. Miron says
taxing and regulating marijuana in the same fashion as alcohol would
yield savings and tax revenue between $10 billion and $14 billion a
year nationally, and about $81.6 million annually in Colorado.

Miron's expertise is in the economic impact of legalizing drugs.

"Taxing and regulating marijuana is the right choice for Colorado,"
Brian Vicente, the director of Sensible Colorado, said in a statement.

Miron estimates that regulating marijuana would save Colorado about
$64 million from not having to enforce the prohibition against the
drug, while taxation would bring in about $17.6 million in new revenue.