Pubdate: Tue, 25 Aug 2015
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Ed Gogek

ALL THAT EXTRA MONEY FROM A POT TAX WOULD QUICKLY GET WIPED OUT

Advocates for legalizing recreational marijuana in Arizona say it 
could provide $40 million for education. Reaping $40 million in 
marijuana taxes sounds good until you consider all the costs.

Extrapolating from a Rand Corporation study, Arizona spends $20 
million each year for schizophrenia hospitalizations caused by 
marijuana. That comes out of the state budget.

Then consider the cost of drugged driving arrests and injuries, 
increased need for drug treatment, and policing underage use.

That $40 million gets eaten up fast and the state ends up in the red.

Just like alcohol and tobacco, legal marijuana would drain state coffers.

Ed Gogek, MD

- - Prescott
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom