Quote Originally Posted by dawninthemorning
I came across a news story that says marijuana is the top cash crop in the U.S, bigger than wheat and corn combined. If we can trust the numbers that have been released, $35 billion is produced annually. They are saying that the $35 billion equates to 10,000 metric tons.

The $35 billion is just going off "retail value" of a pound of pot. Producers cost of a pound is $1,606 and the retail is $2,400. So they are saying the average ounce goes for $150.00. Most people buy in smaller quantities, but I am trying to keep this simple.

Okay, so the argument that we have been hearing about for years is over the legalization of marijuana. I was curious so I looked at this from a business standpoint. Let's just say that pot was legal and they put a 10% sin tax on it (obviously the retail price would end up being higher and the tax would be higher, but again keeping it simple). Per ounce, the government would make 15.00. That would mean metric ton, the government would make $528,960. Let's put this into perspective people, when you do a little math here you will see that the government stands to make $5,289,600,000.

I don't know about you, but I think that this looks promising. Any thoughts? If you are interested in reading the story that I got the numbers from, I found it on AOL newslinks.
you're assuming that the market would stay the same if weed was legal. it wouldn't. the vast majority of clandestine growers would be done for, and a new business model would have to be built. folks would grow it on their patios, but still not that much. i think you'd have big tobacco perhaps in the best situation to capitalize; prices would plummet; still, yes, the govt. would make a ton of cash; i just don't want my weed-tax funding war