Philadelphia saves $2 million in 12 months by reducing marijauna enforcment

From here

Under the program, being caught with up to 30 grams of marijuana is no longer a misdemeanor but a summary offense. By simply paying $200 to attend the three-hour class on the ills of drug use and abuse, the arrestee's record is wiped clean of the offense.
Before this change, offenders faced up to $500 in fines and possible, though unlikely jail time. If the suspect fought the charges, this meant expenses for the city — prosecutors, judges, lab tests, public defenders, etc. By all but decriminalizing pot, Williams estimates that the city has saved $2 million in the last 12 months.

Once in a great while, my hometown city does something that makes sense.

Now if they could just get employers to stop ruining peoples lives for traces of a substance that is as safe or safer than alcohol.

Sensible step. Not quite far enough, but in the right direction.



I haven't had a prolonged period where I haven't bene able to get hold of pot for quite some time. But I don;t doubt it will come around eventually. I dread that happening. Though I enjoy it and use it recreationally, I also use it to self medicate against eczema flareups and the stress cycle they lead to. Also, without pot my mind is often on overdrive, everything moves too fast. Now, I could go to the doctors and get medication for what might be a very mild bi-polar sitch, but in what way is that better for me than a joint?

richlevy;744076 wrote:

Now if they could just get employers to stop ruining peoples lives for traces of a substance that is as safe or safer than alcohol.

You mean poppy seed bagels?

Yeah, but, like, they spent, like three million on like, mars bars and munchies and stuff. Man.

ZenGum;744169 wrote:

Yeah, but, like, they spent, like three million on like, mars bars and munchies and stuff. Man.

Philadelphia spends $2 million in obesity-related costs.

Spike in obesity due to increased munchies from marijuana decriminalization.

Colorado and a number of other states have made "medical marijuana" legal. All you need is a medical marijuana card issued by a licensed physician. My town has at least one medical marijuana dispensory and big cities have a plethora of them. Cities impose a tax on the proceeds and make money off them. Seems like the way to to me.

California has a ton of them. It was also just passed in Delaware. I wonder how the numbers add up in revenues generated vs. costs, if any....

According to the Denver Post, in 2010 medical-marijuana dispensaries put hundreds of thousands of dollars a month into state and city treasuries in Colorado. The state has collected more than $2.2 million in sales tax from dispensaries. In Denver, which has more dispensaries than any other city in Colorado, the businesses have also paid more than $2.2 million this year in local sales tax.

In the vast scheme of things that is not a huge amount, but money strapped Colorado needs every penny it can get.

SamIam;744253 wrote:

In the vast scheme of things that is not a huge amount, but money strapped Colorado needs every penny it can get.

True dat. They cut a ton of money in the schools all over this state this last year. I don't have need/desire for medical marijuana, myself. I have heard it has been a boon for the state, though as far as tax revenue. Up where I live, the dispensaries are banned.

SamIam;744253 wrote:

According to the Denver Post, in 2010 medical-marijuana dispensaries put hundreds of thousands of dollars a month into state and city treasuries in Colorado. The state has collected more than $2.2 million in sales tax from dispensaries. In Denver, which has more dispensaries than any other city in Colorado, the businesses have also paid more than $2.2 million this year in local sales tax.

In the vast scheme of things that is not a huge amount, but money strapped Colorado needs every penny it can get.

Maybe that's why Colorado's obesity rate has doubled since 1995.

They must even it out with crackheads, because Colorado is still the skinniest state in the country. ;)

Yay Philly!

I saw a bit of a doco about the USA last night. It pointed out how prohibition was an obvious failure, but wasn't repealed until 1933, and this was only done because in the Great Depression the govt. really really needed the money from booze tax.

Maybe the Great Recession of the 2010s economics plus sense will trump wowserism and cannabis prohibition will also be repealed. Maybe.

In fact, it is interesting to trace the history of these things. From 1870 to 1916 or so was The Great Binge, when everything was legal. You could send "care packages" to the front in WWI with morphine, cocaine and heroin. By 1925 all of tese, and even alcohol (US) were banned. In some cases, we're still banning more drugs, but in come cases, were starting to un-ban.

I saw this thread title and thought the first word was pedophilia. I thought that was funny for a second.

ZenGum;744646 wrote:

I saw a bit of a doco about the USA last night. It pointed out how prohibition was an obvious failure, but wasn't repealed until 1933, and this was only done because in the Great Depression the govt. really really needed the money from booze tax.

Maybe the Great Recession of the 2010s economics plus sense will trump wowserism and cannabis prohibition will also be repealed. Maybe.

In fact, it is interesting to trace the history of these things. From 1870 to 1916 or so was The Great Binge, when everything was legal. You could send "care packages" to the front in WWI with morphine, cocaine and heroin. By 1925 all of tese, and even alcohol (US) were banned. In some cases, we're still banning more drugs, but in come cases, were starting to un-ban.

That is exactly how it will come to pass. Need for money always trumps alleged morals in this country as far as politicians are concerned.

We'll see it, supposedly the tobacco companies were ready for it decades ago, but that [strike]may be[/strike] is an urban myth.

Aliantha;744647 wrote:

I saw this thread title and thought the first word was pedophilia. I thought that was funny for a second.

Yes, well it was a close tie between the two for the official name of the city. Since girls were getting married when they were 13 in the 1700's, pedophilia was considered redundant.

Interestingly enough, the 'City of Brotherly Love' was named even before a large gay community was established, although many men did wear tights and occasionally wigs.


This moment in US history is sponsored by Sarah Palin.