They aired this ad a LOT during the Olympics. Wondering what the opinions of the VGC community are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aScUZgzFlTI

Their website: http://www.newapproachwa.org/home

Basically they're argument is that it can raise revenue for Washington (they use other points, such as racial inequality, etc.). I live in Washington and I can honestly say that the majority of charges in my town is for marijuana possession. This is also the most legitimate push for legalization in Washington that I have ever seen (the other one, Sensible Washington just doesn't seem to have the funding/manpower that this has.)

Thoughts?

To quote Walter Block:

"Raising revenues for Government is perhaps the only good argument against drug legalization"

I think it should be legal. I question how much revenue it can actually bring in though considering how cheap it is naturally.

I think taxation too high would create a big underground market, much like how cigarettes are in most European countries.

I think one of the main reasons as to why marijuana is illegal, is how hard it is to tax. Not just for drug purposes, but all the other products that hemp provides for.

If you honestly think that trying to reduce Washington's $74.5 million debt is a negative aspect of potentially legalizing marijuana then you're either doing way to many drugs or wholly not enough. 16.5% of all of Washington is on food stamps. Raising revenue will help people.

This. I do think that marijuana should be legalized, though. Not because I want to use it, but because I don't think it's a crime to use it. This issue is also on the table in my state, and it stands a pretty good chance of being passed.

Yeah, I agree.  I think it should be legalized, but the government is too big and has too much revenue already.

I've said it before and i'll say it again: the FBI will just move in and shut it all down. It either needs to be federal legalization or bust.

He was trying to make a point, which I think is valid.  Which is that of all the reasons why marijuana should be legalized, "raising revenues" is worst possible reason to do so.  If all the government sees out of it is dollar signs instead of, you know, letting people do what they want in the privacy of their home, then it shows how terrible our state of affairs are as a once free society.

I was about to say something similiar.  I don't see what good this state law would do, since the feds are going to nullify it.  Last I heard, the Obama administration's policy toward marijuana is even more stringent than Bush's.