Quote Originally Posted by NowhereMan
http://www.mpp.org/reports/index.html

Ending Marijuana Prohibition Would Save $10-14 Billion Annually ... Report Endorsed by Milton Friedman and More Than 500 Economists
In "The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition" (released June 2, 2005), Dr. Jeffrey Miron, visiting professor of economics at Harvard University, estimates that replacing marijuana prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation similar to that used for alcoholic beverages would produce combined savings and tax revenues of between $10 billion and $14 billion per year.
More than 500 distinguished economists -- led by Nobel Prize-winner Dr. Milton Friedman and two additional Nobel Laureates -- endorsed the report and signed an open letter to President Bush and other public officials calling for "an open and honest debate about marijuana prohibition," adding, "We believe such a debate will favor a regime in which marijuana is legal but taxed and regulated like other goods."
Using data from a variety of federal and state government sources, Miron concludes:
Replacing marijuana prohibition with a system of legal regulation would save approximately $7.7 billion in government expenditures on prohibition enforcement -- $2.4 billion at the federal level and $5.3 billion at the state and local levels.
Revenue from taxation of marijuana sales would range from $2.4 billion per year if marijuana were taxed like ordinary consumer goods to $6.2 billion if it were taxed like alcohol or tobacco.
The full report and its full list of endorsers are available here.
http://www.aei.org/include/docFormat...5661&docType=0
An Analytic Assessment of U.S. Drug Policy full text



READ THAT MR PRESIDENT says me
Aaaaaaaah, but how many prison guards, wardens, cops, FBI agents, DEA agents, Homeland Security agents, people who work for companies that make the uniforms, weapons, and tools used by all those people would be out of work? Think of how many people who have staked their careers supporting our current political "leaders", and the backlash that would result of the government suddenly put them out of work.

One of the numerous ridiculous reasons pot was declared an illegal drug back in the 30's was because so many sheriffs, deputies, and cops would be out of work due to the relaxation of prohibition on alcohol. Police groups created a very vocal and aggressive political action committee that got politician's ears.

Yes, billions of dollars could and would be saved from law enforcement, but consider how much clout those law enforcement groups have with Washington D.C.. I don't see them giving up without a very nasty and expensive fight.