Pubdate: Mon, 27 Aug 2007
Source: Daily Vidette (IL Edu)
Copyright: 2007 Daily Vidette
Contact:  http://www.dailyvidette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/666
Author: Krisi Kawanna
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

SOME ILLINOIS CITIZENS DEBATE LEGALIZING SALE OF MARIJUANA

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.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman