CNBC Power Lunch Debates Marijuana Regulation
March 25th, 2009 by RickGuests included Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Rob Kampia, former DEA Director Asa Hutchinson and a variety of other panel guests debating the failure of the war on marijuana and the benefits of it’s taxation and regulation. In classic antiquated, psychobabble government-rhetoric, Hutchinson compares the marijuana plant to harmful drugs like cocaine and meth. He even compares tobacco as being a harmful drug. Tobacco!
Imagine, a product that has been taxed, marketed and made available worldwide which systematically has been linked to cancers that have killed people — being in the same league as marijuana. Marijuana hasn’t killed anyone to date, yet marijuana prohibition has certainly killed those that could have benefited from the medicinal properties that the plant brings. $10 billion was spent by the DEA cracking down on just marijuana.
California, a state that has medical marijuana laws, made $11 million from taxing the medical marijuana being sold. Compared to $10 billion and the way money has been floating around this country lately, $11 million isn’t much – but it shows that money can be made. If every state had medical marijuana laws then a good revenue could be generated. Some medical-grade marijuana can sell for $3000 a pound and right now there are around 400 dispensaries in California alone.
Hutchinson goes on to say that the government policy on states with medical marijuana laws have changed but they are still continuing to go after those that are outside both state and federal law.
