From the LA Times, we have information about the doobie: Pot is called biggest cash crop.
For years, activists in the marijuana legalization movement have claimed that cannabis is America's biggest cash crop. Now they're citing government statistics to prove it.
A report released today by a marijuana public policy analyst contends that the market value of pot produced in the U.S. exceeds $35 billion — far more than the crop value of such heartland staples as corn, soybeans and hay, which are the top three legal cash crops.
Nationwide, the estimated cannabis production of $35.8 billion exceeds corn ($23 billion), soybeans ($17.6 billion) and hay ($12.2 billion), according to Gettman's findings.
Yep, marijuana rakes in more money than corn. Shocking, innit?
Annual cost of the "war on drugs": $12 billion direct, and $33 billion for related stuff (police, lawyers, etc.)
So why is the cost of marijuana so high? Well, there's an embedded premium for risk; the risk of getting caught, and going to jail.
Economically, it's a no-brainer. Legalize it, and the price would collapse. It wouldn't even show up in the top 25 cash products. After all, people consume more carrots and tomatoes than marijuana. (DUH!!!)
So why not?
Behind all the "morals", this is just a free kickback to the "friends of government". You can actually make a lucrative career out of "defending our children from this scourge", and all that garbage.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!
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