Marijuana Policy Project

On Feb. 23, California Assemblyman Ammiano introduced a bill in Sacramento to legalize and tax cannabis.

This is terrible legislation, as it would force hard-working Mexican drug cartels out of business. Instead, legalization would cause this money to go to the state, depriving entrepreneurs of their income.

Prohibition keeps prices high, and those profits are necessary to buy the guns and personnel needed to maintain market control. Furthermore, taxation of cannabis places an undue burden on dealers, who have historically operated with no regulation or taxation. How will marijuana remain more accessible to children than alcohol if the only place you can buy it is from authorized licensed sellers?

With the economy in dark times, the black market stands as a beacon of light, drawing the young and talented to its ranks. Legalization would not only deprive the black market of a labor pool, but the prison industry would lose untold millions due to plummeting incarceration and recidivism rates. Police resources would be forced to be spent on actual crimes instead of pursuing Michael Phelps.

For the sake of the drug cartels, kingpins, gangsters, dealers, and prisons all across America, we mustn't allow this legalization idea to come to Nevada!