Just think of all the tax revenues that can be squandered and wasted by our elected leaders. They must be licking their chops...

The potheads will be growing their own, tax free.

I agree that any potential for additional taxes will be p****d away by our government prior to getting back into the economy that actually would benefit and needs them. I also agree that the tax revenue would fall far short of any expectations due to illegal growing, failure to pay taxes, etc. 3rd - what would be the traffic infraction for driving under the influence of pot? Similar to our extremely rigid (sarcasm) penalties for drinking and driving. Our legislature can't even bring themselves to be tough on drinking and driving - even with all the statistical anaylsis that shows that a person caught has driven drunk on many more occasions that the one they were caught for.

We waste billions of dollars a year on a plant. It's about time for common sense reform. Obviously, the taxes will be significant, but more significant will be the increase in funds by cutting wasteful programs associated with the futile war on pot. Maybe now we can arrest rapist and thief's, ya know, protect and serve. I doubt that tax revenue will be effected by personal grows. It takes months to grow and cure quality herb. People won't be growing their own for the same reason you don't brew your own beer (it takes to long and yours taste like crap).

Marijuana users will likely not be growing their own pot anymore after it is made legal than they do now. As it is now it is expensive and somewhat of a hassle to find and buy marijuana through the black market and yet the majority of marijuana users still do. Once it is made legal it will be too easy to just go buy it at the store vs the hassle of growing it themselves. Remember we are a nation of convenience.

COOLKID

I'm a conservative who thinks a new tack is necessary in the drug war. I'm also in a 12 step program where I've dealt with addiction issues. Looking at it from the dark side, I am still ok with legalizing pot with the understanding it would be subject to taxation. Chuck G. makes a good point about the idea taxation will be circumvented by the amateur horticulturists, however, the grow operations are expensive and absent a lucrative market for the end product, it may not be a financially feasible operation. Even with taxes, the now legal product would be cheaper than street drugs and likely cheaper than the self grown stuff so why grow your own? The condition for my support would be that the proceeds be used fund social programs that in part would educate and treat addicts. The revenue source would need to be slated to replace funding from the core tax base and ultimately would provide an alternate funding source for the state, county and local programs. It may or may not result in an improvement in the overall per capita use but at least it would free up jail cells for those who commit more violent crimes and provide a means to fund some of deficits we are facing in government. Of course, this revenue stream would quickly be eaten up by idiot politicians with pet projects and the fight between the state and federal governments over the money would be a mess. Still, what is happening today doesn't work and just gets worse....

SORRY ABOUT THAT. coolkid, ever heard of a perpetual crop? Very easy to grow Cannabis, and if you can't grow as good as or Better than what is on the streets you're doing something wrong. DO NOT ALLOW THE GOV. TO GET INTO THE CANNABIS REGULATING BUSINESS, THEY WILL SCREW IT UP FOR SURE, ANYWAY YOU ARE JUST REPLACING ONE CORRUPT SYSTEM WITH ANOTHER. LEGALIZE IT,AND THE DRUG CARTELS ARE GONE OVERNIGHT. MEDICAL CANNABIS USERS ARE DOING MORE TO ENDING THE DRUG CARTELS THAN ALL OF THE GOVERNMENTS LAWS, BECAUSE THEY NEVER HAVE TO BUY STREET DRUGS AGAIN.

Your not going to make it go away. Make the laws similar to booze and drive on.

LUDLOWLOU.... of course you can grow in a perpetual cycle. But like I stated that takes time, knowledge, and luck to grow high quality herb (not swag). I doubt that the majority of pot smokers are going to research all of the nutrients, micro nutrients, correct light spectrum, quality soil mixtures, and constant attention that true connoisseur quality demands. Anyone can grow swag (it's call weed for a reason), not everyone can grow chronic. I'm not advocating to taxing, I only support full legalization, however, I'll take a means to and end.