Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
Should recreational marijuana be legal?
Position1 of 3›
Recreational marijuana should be legal
Argument‹6 of 6

Marijuana as a source of tax revenue

By legalising and then taxing marijuana, governments can gain a significant source of revenue.

The argument

The legalisation of marijuana can be a huge windfall for the state. The state can regulate and tax marijuana to earn income - Colorado gained $5 million in tax revenue the first week that marijuana was legalised. Additionally, the state will save extra money by no longer having to spend money on the incarceration of those in prison because of marijuana related offences.

Premises

[P1]Legalising marijuana lets the state regulate and tax it for revenue — Colorado gained $5 million in tax in the first week of legalisation. [P2] The state also saves money by no longer paying to incarcerate people for marijuana-related offences. [C] Therefore, as a source of tax revenue and savings, recreational marijuana should be legal.

Counter-arguments

Theoretically, legalising any drug could be a significant source of tax revenue for the state. This is not a reason to do so. The amount in tax revenue legalising marijuana would produce does not alleviate the harms it would cause to individuals.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] Something earning the state money is not a reason to allow it.