12 months ago
SACRAMENTO, CA -- A California lawmaker is pushing a proposal to legalize the sale of marijuana to increase the state's cash flow. Assmeblyman Tom Ammiano (D - San Francisco) introduced the legislation Monday, that would slap a $50 an ounce tax on retail sales of the drug. Like alcohol, no one under the age of 21 could buy marijuana, a drug that is federally prohibited. A study by the Board of Equalization found that Ammiano's proposal could bring in $1.3 billion a year in tax revenue. "It would relate to saving a lot of money on law enforcement, on incarceration. It would also help the environment because as you know, rogue plantations of marijuana are not exactly eco-friendly," said Ammiano. In 1996, California legalized medical marijuana. But, that has not stopped the feds from raiding and shutting down pot clinics and prosecuting growers and sellers.
