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Common sense is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training or the like.”
I would like to use this definition as I look at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal to legalize and tax recreational marijuana. He projects $1.3 billion in additional state revenue in the first five years after legalization.
A 2018 study conducted by the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University estimated that for every dollar in tax revenue from recreational marijuana, Coloradans spent $4.50 to mitigate the effect of legalized marijuana.
So, over five years, if Shapiro’s projection is correct, the $1.3 billion in tax revenue could result in $5.85 billion in mitigation costs paid by taxpayers in Pennsylvania.
What would the costs be for? The Colorado study provided these itemized areas: “hospitalization, treatment for cannabis disorder, burn treatments, low-weight babies, cost of physical inactivity, employees costs of rehabilitation, K-12 dropouts, arrests, DUI court costs, juvenile court fillings, adult court fillings, Denver-only marijuana-related crimes, probationers going back for THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) violation, fatal car accidents, DUIs, car accidents from impaired drivers, evictions due to pot, cost to landlords, and arrests crossing the border to Colorado.”
As Pennsylvania voters, why would we want the governor — who is certainly not a uninformed, foolish man — to unleash the potential for these horrible outcomes and costs on us? Please let us use some common sense and say no legalized recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania.
Michael D. Spangler
Rapho Township
”}]] Common sense is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training or the like.” Read More
