Not often do we see a federal congressional candidate with a platform plank issue of cannabis legalization, but with Ben Steinhoff we get that and more. His campaign website has cannabis legalization as one of his top four tier issues to confront it elected. What does Steinhoff say about cannabis?

“Fiscal Conservatives” that have long run the state of Wisconsin have run on the idea that Wisconsin needs to have a well-balanced budget.  However, what we’ve seen is large amounts of our tax dollars go to corporations and tax cuts. 

All of this while lowering the amount of tax dollars seen to help improve our own communities and help establish a solid base for those of us not receiving tax breaks.  Last year alone the state of Illinois brought in $445 million in taxes from marijuana alone, millions of that coming from the pockets of hard-working Wisconsinites.  If these “fiscal conservatives” really wanted to balance the budget and improve funding for their constituents then they’ll need some progressive policies to help them do that. 

Economic benefits:

Legalizing marijuana can create new sources of revenue for the government through taxation, licensing, and sales. According to a report by New Frontier Data, legalizing marijuana on a national level in the U.S. could generate $105.6 billion in federal tax revenue and create 1.1 million new jobs by 2029. Legalizing marijuana would also help reduce the number of non-violent drug offenders in prison.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, marijuana arrests account for over half of all drug arrests in the United States. Legalizing marijuana would reduce the number of people incarcerated for low-level drug crimes, freeing up resources to target more serious offenses.

Legalizing marijuana would allow for more research into its medicinal properties.

Currently, marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it is considered to have no medicinal value. This classification makes it difficult for researchers to study the plant and its potential benefits.

Legalizing marijuana would allow for improved research and understanding of its full range of medical applications.

In conclusion, legalizing marijuana would have numerous benefits for both individuals and society as a whole.

It would reduce crime rates, generate tax revenue, create jobs, decrease overcrowding in prisons, and allow for improved research into its medicinal properties. With legalization becoming more and more common throughout the United States, it is time for our government to recognize the potential benefits and take steps towards national legalization.

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