Michigan voters will have to decide next November whether they want to become the fifth state to legalize the drug. They ought to say yes.
But don’t resort to ideological arguments for or against the recreational marijuana. Look at the facts. If you do, you’ll see passing such a measure would have a positive impact on your state and its economy.
The recreational use of marijuana has been lawful in the state of Washington for nearly three years, and the retail sale of marijuana has been legal for just over a year. As a native of Washington, I can tell you “The Evergreen State” is certainly seeing more green.
Since July of 2014, the sale of marijuana has generated over $80 million in tax revenues. Further, Washington has saved millions of dollars because law enforcement officials no longer have to arrest and prosecute low-level marijuana offenses by anyone over the age of 21.
Recreational marijuana also has had no negative impact on crime in my state.
The violent crime rate in Washington has actually declined in each year since the recreational use of marijuana was legalized, and is now at a 40-year low, according to FBI data. Between 2011 and 2014, Washington has also seen decreases in the murder rate and burglaries while property crime rates have remained stable.
This correlation does not prove causation, but these facts seem to show that legalizing the recreational use of marijuana does not lead to a spike in crime.
According to the Washington State Healthy Youth survey, no significant trends in marijuana use by youths in the state of Washington have occurred since it was legalized.
Additionally, more than 77 percent of Washingtonians believe that the marijuana law has had either a positive impact or no effect on their lives, according to Public Policy Polling. You can count me among those 77 percent.
While admitting that legalizing the recreational use of marijuana can have some benefits, an opponent to recreational marijuana might still bring up the negative impact cannabis or any drug can often have on a user’s life.
Yes, smoking marijuana is bad for a person’s health, but denying individual freedoms is bad for a society’s health.
The positive impact legal recreational marijuana has brought to Washington is not an irregularity. Legal marijuana has brought similar economic and societal benefits to Colorado.
Michigan, you have an important decision to make next fall. The choice is this: deny personal freedom by keeping marijuana illegal and spend needless dollars on filling low-level marijuana offenses, or support individual liberty by legalizing marijuana and enjoy the financial benefits it will have on your economy.
Legalize recreational marijuana. Do it for fweedom.