SOME ILLINOIS CITIZENS DEBATE LEGALIZING SALE OF MARIJUANA

When one thinks of cash crops in Illinois, marijuana is generally not
a plant that comes to mind. However, marijuana is now the state's
third ranked money crop.

According to a report published in the Bulletin for Cannabis Reform
December 2006 by Dr. Jon Gettman, a regional economics expert and
adjunct instructor at Shepard University, Illinois' marijuana crop
was valued at more than $272 million.

Corn was valued at $4 billion and soybeans at $2.7 billion.

"Despite intensive eradication efforts, domestic marijuana production
has increased ten fold over the last 25 years, from 2.2 million
pounds in 1981 to 22 million pounds in 2006," Gettman said.

"Its proliferation to every part of the country demonstrates that
marijuana has become a pervasive and ineradicable part of the
national economy," Gettman added.

Because of the economic value marijuana possesses, some believe that
the crop should become a legal, controlled crop in Illinois.

"We think that marijuana should be regulated as a legal controlled
crop. We see Illinois in a budget crisis right now, and revenue from
the marijuana crop could help with this," Bryan Brickner, a
chairperson of Illinois NORML (National Organization for the Reform
of Marijuana Laws), said.

Some citizens have noticed the economic value marijuana possesses and
have taken measures in their own hands to benefit from the revenue.

"Two years ago in Oakland, California, Measure Seven was passed by
the citizens. These people wanted marijuana to be sold and taxed in
their city in order for the revenue from the sales to go towards
their local schools. The citizens have spoken," Brickner said.

"We are the only group of Americans saying please tax us! There are
so many problems, such as lack of funding for schools, that could be
helped with revenue from marijuana" Brickner added.

While some like Gettman and Brickner believe that making marijuana a
controlled, specialty crop would help Illinois' economy greatly,
others disagree.

"The extent to which the state's economy benefits from such a change
would depend, in part, on the extent to which the crop is exported to
other states. If it was all sold within the state, it would simply
act as a transfer of revenue from one sector, e.g., alcohol, to
another and the impact would likely be minimal," Jeffrey Carlson, an
associate economics professor, said.

"Of course one would also have to factor in the likely adverse
affects of increased usage of marijuana on worker productivity.
Finally, considering the impact of agriculture as a whole in
Illinois, the overall impact would likely be very small," Carlson added.