October 13th, 2016

"1937: The Marihuana Tax Act
"This federal act prohibited cannabis in the United States except for industrial and medicinal uses."
"The Marihuana Tax Act had other contributing causes, including William Randolph Hearst’s campaign against hemp as an alternative to using wood pulp for paper and reports from the Federal Bureau of Narcotics about the dangers of cannabis smoking.
The head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was Harry Anslinger, who went on a nationwide campaign against the drug. He often played on people’s fears of immigrants and people of color to further his cause, once saying that 'most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage.'"  - LA Times

Propositions legalizing pot are on the November ballots of Maine, California, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Nevada.  Medical use of Marijuana is slated to be voted on in Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota.
In 2010, according to the FBI, Maine was apart of the multi-billion dollar Sinaloa Drug Cartel's territory of operations in the U.S.  
Rafa Fernandez De Castro at Fusion estimates that "approximately 30%" of the Mexican drug cartels' income is derived from pot.  In VICE News, from an article by Mary Emily O'Hara re: Terry Nelson: the estimate is 35-40%, and that legalized pot in the U.S. is hurting the cartels financially.*  Marijuana is one of the leading cartel sales products, claims The Recovery Village. According to the Marijuana Policy Project: "The RAND (Corporation) estimates the cartels make somewhere around $1.5 to $2 billion annually 'from moving marijuana across the border into the United States and selling it to wholesalers,.'"  
​It makes sense to take that money away:
If marijuana is legalized and regulated, substantial tax benefits can be derived, quality control insured, farmers gain the opportunity of a cash crop, and jobs are created.  Those folks that are going to smoke pot are going to smoke pot whether its legal or illegal. Arguably less harmful than alcohol it makes sense to legalize marijuana.  (Please see Carbuncle Moon blog 8/27/15 beyond the obvious...)  - additional source: Ballotpedia.
*added: 10/14

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