Saying that public sentiment is shifting and deficit-wracked Pennsylvania could reap millions from the move, state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale on Monday endorsed legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana.
The regulation-and-taxation-of-marijuana train has rumbled out of the station across the United States, DePasquale said at a press conference in the state capitol. The question is whether Pennsylvania is going to miss its stop.
Using Colorado as a yardstick, DePasquale said Pennsylvania could see at least $200 million in annual revenue from taxing marijuana sales. He said Colorado has less than half the population of Pennsylvania and saw $129 million in revenue last year based on $1 billion in sales.
DePasquale also said Colorado voters decision to legalize marijuana has created an estimated 18,000 jobs in the state. Nationwide, he said, legal marijuana-related jobs are expected to reach 283,000 by 2020.
Other states to have approved legal marijuana are California, Washington, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska. DePasquale noted that former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is from Alaska and quipped that, Nobody has ever confused Alaska with the left wing of the United States.
Neighboring states are moving toward legalization, DePasquale said, and he did not want Pennsylvania to be an outlier in the region missing out on business opportunities.
J.J. Abbott, Gov. Tom Wolfs spokesman, said Wolf appreciated DePasquales recognition of the severity of the states deficit, but isnt ready to embrace legalization just yet.
Gov. Wolf has long supported the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana to reduce the strain on our prison system and stop incarcerating so many people for non-violent crimes like possession, Abbott said. However, the governor wants further study of the impact and implementation of full legalization on other states like Colorado before proceeding with that approach in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania approved medicinal marijuana last year and is now in the process of approving permits for growers, processors and dispensaries.
While $200 million would put just a small dent in Pennsylvanias $2 billion deficit, DePasquale equated it to found money that would not impact any other departments or services.
There are tangible benefits both fiscally and socially, said DePasquale, who insisted that he had not smoked marijuana and would not if it were legal.
Legalizing marijuana, DePasquale said, would also reduce arrests and court costs, and allow people to avoid having an arrest record for minor drug offenses. Those stigmas never go away, DePasquale said. It stays with you forever and Im here to tell you, when it comes to marijuana, that needs to change.
Opponents have argued that legalizing marijuana would lead to bigger problems, but DePasquale said alcohol is legal and regulated. He suggested that the legal age for purchasing marijuana be 21.
Alcohol is legal, but you can regulate the time, place and manner where people consume, the auditor general said.
Recently, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions implied that federal authorities would start targeting marijuana use in states that have legalized it. DePasquale called that, One of the craziest ideas Ive ever heard.
But, that brief statement would not fully convey DePasquales stance, which included labeling Sessions plan crazy and an insane idea that 80 percent of Americans oppose.
If were going to operate the state of Pennsylvania in fear of what some crazy man is going to do then were not going to do anything, DePasquale said.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: DePasquale Says It’s Time For PA To Legalize And Tax Marijuana
Author: J.D. Prose
Contact: 724-775-3200
Photo Credit: Lucy Schaly
Website: The Times
