New AG Comments on Legalization
December 24th, 2008 by Perry
A Phoenix-area newspaper reported Attorney General-elect Terry Goddard made comments acknowledging the financial benefits of legalization.
Since marijuana accounts for 75 percent of cartel’s money, Goddard referenced the old “it-could-cetainly-help-the-economy” argument. Adding if taxable, the money would also put a dent in the cartel’s profit margin.
The statement came after Arizona officials broke up a ring that accounts for nearly 400,000 pounds of marijuana into the state every year. Goddard also mentioned a number of hurdles still remained, not the least of which involve changing the perception of the drug East of the Rockies and South of the Mason-Dixon line, from a street narcotic to its legitimate medicinal status.
There’s always a catch though, Goddard includes the conditional caveats of being able to fully control distribution and a system to track who’s smoking pot. The government doesn’t track every person who has a beer after work, so I’m not on board with Goddard’s last requirement.
