Written by Amanda Froelich at trueactivist.com
Since Colorado legalized weed in 2012, sales have continued to increase while crime rates have plummeted.
Here’s a recap: If you’re still ‘undecided’ on the cannabis debate, Joe Rogan brilliantly summarizes why hemp was made illegal in the first place. In addition, the number of people experiencing extreme benefit from including high-quality cannabis extract(s) into their regime are sky-rocketing – causing a large number to question why the recreational use of marijuana is still under prohibition.
Whatever way you look at it, the benefits of using cannabis far extend those derived from ‘legal’ substances, such as alcohol. And now, three years after marijuana was made legal in Colorado, the state is continuing to report massive economic improvement and reduced crime rate.
For starters, just in recreational sales of marijuana in 2014, Colorado sold over $34 million in the month of August. $3.4 million of that (10%) went straight to the government and towards building schools. At the time, a number of sources expected Colorado to rake in at LEAST $30 million from their recreational marijuana market – just from taxes alone.
Unsurprisingly, the state far surpassed that expectation. Between January and October 2014, the tax revenue was recorded at $60.1 million. No doubt a new high (*ahem* pun intended) will be attained in 2015.
The serious tax money being accumulated is being used to strengthen Colorado communities, provide free education, and clean up the streets. With numbers like these being reported, it surely is no longer a question of ‘if’ all states will someday legalize cannabis, but ‘when’. The market has potential to transform the economy and inspire an awakening.
Following is a graph showing the continual increase in sales:
As Natural Society reported in 2014, the crime rates in Colorado are also plummeting, and crime hasn’t just decreased by a little, but a lot – 15%! The murder rate has also decreased by 42%. With these figures, one can expect the government to spend more money on improving infrastructure and other business opportunities for Colorado citizens with all the new tax revenue.
Another benefit of the growing weed business is that unemployment rates are dropping dramatically, too.
With marijuana legalized, companies in Colorado will no doubt be benefiting from the boosted economy, as well. More cash in hand will allow citizens a looser grip on their wallet, and inspired munchies may cause them to stumble into the nearest pizza shop, grocery store, or bakery to satisfy their hunger.
All in all, it seems the decision to legalize marijuana was an intelligent one. Which states will be the next to legalize recreational use of marijuana? Here are our predictions.
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where did the other 30+ million dollars go
The other 30million went to the shops selling it, paying rent, paying peoples wages, generating profit so the company can grow and continue to repeat the cycle of jobs
they smoked the rest
It would be a guess, but it would go to the seller, to pay his staff, rent and rates, this is after he purchased it from the grower who would also have to pay their staff, rent, rates, fertiliser and transport costs to get the crop to market.
I think I’ll wait until the medical research folks determine the short and long term effects that it has on the body/brain.
In addition, that’s $34M that was taken out of the economy and went up in smoke.
Legal drugs = zero killers