Washington state gets $65 million in first-year taxes from marijuana

[slimvictor]

Washington state took in $65 million in tax revenue from the recreational marijuana market during the first 12 months since it became legal to produce and sell, according to data released by state regulators this week.

The revenue was generated by cannabis sales of more than $260 million from June 2014 to June 2015, according to data released by the Washington State Liquor Control Board, which oversees the distribution of cannabis.

Voters in Washington state as well as in Colorado approved measures legalizing personal possession and consumption of marijuana in 2012, ushering in the licensing and taxation of retail stores that offer a range of marijuana products to adults.

Despite remaining against federal law, possession of small amounts of marijuana is also legal in the District of Columbia, Oregon and Alaska.

In Washington state, customers who are 21 and older are legally allowed up to 1 ounce of marijuana before buying more. They also can buy up to 16 ounces of pot-infused product in solid form, or up to 72 ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form.

cont at
https://bangordailynews.com/2015/07...5-million-in-first-year-taxes-from-marijuana/

 

[SteamboatBillJr]

The financial benefits of legalizing recreational marijuana early go beyond this. Marijuana tourism brings enormous amounts of money into these sates.

 

[slimvictor]

Not to mention the fewer people in jail, so they are contributing to the economy and society instead of costing money.
And their families, which can live better, and buy more things, etc.

And the financial benefits are not all the benefits we get.
Freedom to change our own consciousness is a key to life.

 

['medicine cabinet']

Seriously...I think every state could use an extra 65 million... and less low rent court cases for weed poss or sale, they save a fortune on all that crap alone, public defender if you can't afford a private lawyer, the lab texhs that have to analyze the sample the police man hours ....goes on and on...

I wish more states would hop on the bandwagon and see this as a good thing that helps more than it harms and could bring an influx of tax money to states that could really use it.

Now I don't see places like Louisiana going along seeing how they were talking about life prison terms for small amount heroin sale...cometely nuts. Iirc they have more ppl locked up than any other state.

But its great to see the states that are making this work...and with Oregon just joining that's practically the entire West coast.