Crime figures in Denver have fallen slightly over this period, with property crime down 12.4% and violent crime down 2.4%. Obviously it would be wrong to attribute these statistics to the legalisation of marijuana and again, it still is early days but it completely ridicules the idea that as soon as it was legalised that it would lead to general anarchy within the state.
One stat that is a direct result of the legalisation of marijuana though is the creation of a fair few jobs. Job titles include those in (legal) smoke shops – where cashiers are lovingly referred to as budtenders; marijuana journalists (weedmaps.com – a site that rates various marijuana dispensaries made $25 million last year); growers; farmers; trimmers; salespeople and may other aspects of the industry.
Again, this isn’t a huge increase in the job market, but it is directly related to the legalisation of marijuana and it isn’t exactly hurting the state’s prospects. Chances are some of those lazy stoners might actually get a job if all they have to do all day is talk about or grow bud.
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So, what is the downside to the legalisation of marijuana? Is the government just going to keep all the money it’s made in taxes and buy huge house and huge cars whilst laughing at all the pathetic stoners?
Surprisingly, the answer is no. Currently they’re planning on spending $33 million of the marijuana taxes on improving the school nurse system and marijuana education within schools to stop all their population turning into mindless stoners who can’t ever get off the catch, and have also earmarked 10-15% of it to the cops to help with DUI enforcement and the inevitable increased dealing of legal Colorado weed across state lines. Whilst that isn’t exactly the Utopia that we all hoped it might be, at least they’re not reinvesting in a bunch of really stupid things like congressman’s salaries or Area 51 or something.
And with everything I’ve said in this article, you’ve really got to wonder just how long it will be until marijuana is legal everywhere. Judging by these results (provided they continue the upward trajectory or at least stay the same) it hopefully won’t be too long.
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