cannabisnews.com: Illinois Citizens Debate Legalizing Sale of MJ





Illinois Citizens Debate Legalizing Sale of MJ
Posted by CN Staff on August 27, 2007 at 07:11:32 PT
By Krisi Kawanna
Source: Daily Vidette
Illinois --  When one thinks of cash crops in Illinois, marijuana is generally not a plant that comes to mind. However, marijuana is now the state's third ranked money crop. According to a report published in the Bulletin for Cannabis Reform December 2006 by Dr. Jon Gettman, a regional economics expert and adjunct instructor at Shepard University, Illinois' marijuana crop was valued at more than $272 million.
Corn was valued at $4 billion and soybeans at $2.7 billion. "Despite intensive eradication efforts, domestic marijuana production has increased ten fold over the last 25 years, from 2.2 million pounds in 1981 to 22 million pounds in 2006," Gettman said. "Its proliferation to every part of the country demonstrates that marijuana has become a pervasive and ineradicable part of the national economy," Gettman added. Because of the economic value marijuana possesses, some believe that the crop should become a legal, controlled crop in Illinois. "We think that marijuana should be regulated as a legal controlled crop. We see Illinois in a budget crisis right now, and revenue from the marijuana crop could help with this," Bryan Brickner, a chairperson of Illinois NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), said. Some citizens have noticed the economic value marijuana possesses and have taken measures in their own hands to benefit from the revenue. "Two years ago in Oakland, California, Measure Seven was passed by the citizens. These people wanted marijuana to be sold and taxed in their city in order for the revenue from the sales to go towards their local schools. The citizens have spoken," Brickner said. "We are the only group of Americans saying please tax us! There are so many problems, such as lack of funding for schools, that could be helped with revenue from marijuana" Brickner added. While some like Gettman and Brickner believe that making marijuana a controlled, specialty crop would help Illinois' economy greatly, others disagree."The extent to which the state's economy benefits from such a change would depend, in part, on the extent to which the crop is exported to other states. If it was all sold within the state, it would simply act as a transfer of revenue from one sector, e.g., alcohol, to another and the impact would likely be minimal," Jeffrey Carlson, an associate economics professor, said. "Of course one would also have to factor in the likely adverse affects of increased usage of marijuana on worker productivity. Finally, considering the impact of agriculture as a whole in Illinois, the overall impact would likely be very small," Carlson added.Complete Title: Some Illinois Citizens Debate Legalizing Sale of MarijuanaSource: Daily Vidette (IL Edu)Author: Krisi KawannaPublished: August 27, 2007Copyright: 2007 Daily VidetteContact: vidette ilstu.eduWebsite: http://www.dailyvidette.com/Illinois NORMLhttp://www.illinoisnorml.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on August 27, 2007 at 20:01:48 PT
NikoKun Comment 2
What you say is so true. Apparently common sense is something prohibitionists have to give up at the door. It would, most definitely, interfere with their agenda.
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Comment #4 posted by SoberStoner on August 27, 2007 at 17:13:27 PT
One more thing
Let's not forget about all the money that would be saved from arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating the people they do now, and thats not even covering probation costs, or the pay of all those people that make their living off of canabis being illegal that would not have to be taken from the states coffers. Of course, people arent going to give up their meal ticket very easily.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 27, 2007 at 15:41:09 PT
NikoKun
I'm happy for you. Good luck in Illinois. 
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Comment #2 posted by NikoKun on August 27, 2007 at 15:15:56 PT
Yay for my State!
Well, who knows where this will go... but it's another good step forward.on a side note:
"Of course one would also have to factor in the likely adverse affects of increased usage of marijuana on worker productivity."
Why is this always such a commonly used defense against Marijuana? Isn't it technically proven that Marijuana does not cause long term "Amotivational Syndrome", and that the notion that it does, is an outdated propaganda?AND AS WELL, Does alcohol cause any major decrease in working productivity? I mean, People don't drink alcohol, and then go to work... You never see doctors drink beer before going to work and preforming surgery. Same with airplane pilots and such. The same would be true with marijuana, Responsible people wont use when they need to be at their best.Why isn't that common sense?
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Comment #1 posted by thestales on August 27, 2007 at 07:34:09 PT
Huh?
"Of course one would also have to factor in the likely adverse affects of increased usage of marijuana on worker productivity"since when? Adverse? If I am digging ditches and you give me a little smoke I can dig for much longer afterwards.La cucaracha, la cucaracha Ya no puede caminar Porque no tiene, porque le falta Marijuana que fumar.And what is this crap:Finally, considering the impact of agriculture as a whole in Illinois, the overall impact would likely be very small.Let's see 272 Million dollars, plus Hemp revenues and sales, plus happier land to grow better food on the next time around.The Overall impact would be HUGE.
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