Got the Munchies?

     If you didn't know already the recreational use of marijuana was legalized in Washington and in Colorado.  What a great idea, right?  No not really.  It was bad enough for there to be medical marijuana stores available on nearly every block in Colorado when my husband and I visited a friend this past January.  Wherever we went there seemed to be a lingering aroma of marijuana and the most of the people we came into contact with were chill and not fully there.  Not to say everyone in Colorado was stoned but from what I witnessed during the week we were there, I could only imagine how it is now that it is legal for everyone, not just those using it for "medical" purposes.  
     Okay now that I got my little rant out let's look at the good and the bad of legalized recreational use of marijuana.  First let's start with the good.  With marijuana being legalized that means that there will be a decrease in arrests, fines, and time taken away from more serious crimes.  With fewer incarcerations the money that is used for resources towards police patrolling and expenses to keep those convicted for various marijuana charges that are in jail, the money could go towards other places such as education that could greatly benefit from an added budget.  If other states follow suit and legalize the recreational use of marijuana then the estimated effect it would have on the economy would be that when taxed it would create a revenue increase in the billions. 
     Now with the bad.  Yes billions of dollars in revenue annually sounds like an amazing thing especially in this economy we are currently facing.  Let us remember though these are estimates and no real data can support and say for sure how much the legalization and taxation of marijuana would actually help this economy.  There would be fewer incarcerations due to less arrests for drug use, but there would more than likely be an increase in the consumption of the drug, causing more users and addicts.  So the money saved from the patrolling, arrests, fines, and incarcerations would soon need to be spent towards recovery centers, drug abuse clinics, and the like.  *They don't call it the gateway drug for nothing*
     Besides the good and the bad that come with legalizing marijuana there is a major problem that is sure to come up within the next couple of years.  Even though certain states are beginning to legalize the use of marijuana it is still deemed illegal by the Federal Government.  As said by the Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper, "don't break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly." (TheBlaze.com)  So if you lived in Colorado you can legally smoke marijuana, but federally you are breaking the law.  I can see many Supreme Court Cases regarding this topic in the upcoming years.
     It will be interesting to see how this law will work out in the states themselves, as well as how it works out with the Federal Government.  It will also be interesting to see how many states will follow suit and legalize the recreational use of marijuana, hopefully not many.