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The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

cato.org

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Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#11

Post by gregschlom »

This is really interesting in light of the current political discussions:

"Until 1913 marijuana was legal throughout the United States under both state and federal law. Beginning with California in 1913 and Utah in 1914, however, states began outlawing marijuana, and by 1930, 30 states had adopted marijuana prohibition. Those state-level prohibitions stemmed largely from anti-immigrant sentiment and in particular racial prejudice against Mexican migrant workers, who were often associated with use of the drug. Prohibition advocates attributed terrible crimes to marijuana and the Mexicans who smoked it, creating a stigma around marijuana and its purported “vices.”"

One century later, the prejudices haven't changed.

Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#13

Post by ypeterholmes »

simplexion wrote: post #12
datashovel wrote: post #3

tldr; "The data so far provide little support for the strong claims about legalization made by either opponents or supporters."

As long as you ignore the whole tax revenue part.

Exactly. By skipping over the huge $$$ profits this article reveals itself to be pretty disingenuous.

Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#14

Post by dcgudeman »

fuzzywalrus wrote: post #4
thecrow1213 wrote: post #2

Thanks for sharing, very interesting stuff. The more unbiased studies we have like this the better.

I wouldn't refer to the Cato Institute as anything but biased, as it's a neo-con libertarian think tank funded by the Koch Brothers but this particular study is fascinating simply because it IS a neo-con libertarian think tank funded by the Koch Brothers.

Honestly, what is your issue with the Koch Brothers?

Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#15

Post by jdminhbg »

fuzzywalrus wrote: post #4
thecrow1213 wrote: post #2

Thanks for sharing, very interesting stuff. The more unbiased studies we have like this the better.

I wouldn't refer to the Cato Institute as anything but biased, as it's a neo-con libertarian think tank funded by the Koch Brothers but this particular study is fascinating simply because it IS a neo-con libertarian think tank funded by the Koch Brothers.

Cato is libertarian, but it's about as far from neocon as you can get. They opposed both Iraq wars.

Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#16

Post by mod »

fuzzywalrus wrote: post #4
thecrow1213 wrote: post #2

Thanks for sharing, very interesting stuff. The more unbiased studies we have like this the better.

I wouldn't refer to the Cato Institute as anything but biased, as it's a neo-con libertarian think tank funded by the Koch Brothers but this particular study is fascinating simply because it IS a neo-con libertarian think tank funded by the Koch Brothers.

I don't find it surprising at all that people with an agenda can still look at things objectively.

Especially since we all have agendas, and I like to think I'm fairly objective.

Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#17

Post by sverige »

gregschlom wrote: post #11

This is really interesting in light of the current political discussions: "Until 1913 marijuana was legal throughout the United States under both state and federal law. Beginning with California in 1913 and Utah in 1914, however, states began outlawing marijuana, and by 1930, 30 states had adopted marijuana prohibition. Those state-level prohibitions stemmed largely from anti-immigrant sentiment and in particular rac…

J. Edgar Hoover worked hard to demonize it and to make it a federal crime in the '30s with the aid of such laughable propaganda as Reefer Madness. It helped him justify the growth in power and scope of the FBI. (I hope it's not yet a crime to publicly say that the federal government or any of its agencies would use propaganda to promote their agenda....)

Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#19

Post by loeg »

simplexion wrote: post #12
datashovel wrote: post #3

tldr; "The data so far provide little support for the strong claims about legalization made by either opponents or supporters."

As long as you ignore the whole tax revenue part.

And that a whole segment of people are no longer potentially felons.

Re: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations

#20

Post by newjersey »

ypeterholmes wrote: post #13
simplexion wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As long as you ignore the whole tax revenue part.

Exactly. By skipping over the huge $$$ profits this article reveals itself to be pretty disingenuous.

I think we shouldn't base our arguments for legalization on tax revenues. I hope the tax revenue will go down as more states (I hope) will legalize.

I oppose the use of sin taxes to fund our government. I hope most people would agree with me on that.

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