Californians pushing for taxing of marijuana

The Marijuana Policy Project hit the streets and the airwaves earlier this month, saying California is missing out on millions of dollars in taxes.

"We are marijuana consumers," says retired state worker Nadene Herndon in a 30-second commercial aired across California. "Instead of being treated like criminals for using a substance safer than alcohol, we want to pay our fair share."

Advocates of marijuana rights see the state’s $26.3 billion budget gap as their chance to be heard. If the state legalizes marijuana, they say, it won’t have to trim budgets in public sectors like education and law enforcement.

"Every problem is an opportunity," said Bruce Mirken, the spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. "And clearly [the economic crisis] has helped provoke the discussion." [ABC News]

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So what do all you out there think? I can certainly see the tax revenue from marijuana being a major help in both federal and state level economic woes, not to mention some medical cases.

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4. Legalize marijuana, regulate and tax it
5. 2012 Ballot Initiative to Tax and Regulate Marijuana in Nevada on Wednesday