Begin forwarded message:
From: "Marijuana Policy Project" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: October 2, 2007 9:47:45 AM PDT
To: "Kris Millegan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers $41.8 billion annually
Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Marijuana Policy Project Alert October 2, 2007
Marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers $41.8 billion annually
Dear Kris Millegan:
A new report that MPP co-released yesterday shows that marijuana
prohibition costs taxpayers $41.8 billion annually in law
enforcement expenses and revenues lost to government at all levels.
The analysis, by researcher Jon B. Gettman, Ph.D., is based
primarily on government estimates of the U.S. marijuana supply,
prices, and arrests. (MPP and Dr. Gettman made international
headlines in December 2006 when we co-released his analysis showing
that marijuana is the top cash crop in the U.S.) Click here to read
some news coverage of Gettman’s latest report.
Key findings of "Lost Taxes and Other Costs of Marijuana Laws"
include:
• Marijuana arrests constitute 5.54% of all U.S. arrests, costing
taxpayers $10.7 billion in criminal justice expenses annually.
• The total U.S. marijuana supply is 14,349 metric tons annually,
with a retail value of $113 billion.
• Marijuana prohibition diverts the entire $113 billion in sales
from the legal economy, costing $31.1 billion in lost tax revenues
annually.
This documentation of our nation’s failed marijuana laws comes just
after the FBI reported a record 829,627 marijuana arrests in 2006.
The evidence against marijuana prohibition keeps mounting. Funding
and promoting cutting-edge research like this and getting it into
the news and into the hands of lawmakers takes financial support
from people like you — people who are motivated to turn common
sense and cutting-edge research into action. Would you please
consider making a donation to our work today? We need you standing
with us in this battle.
Sincerely,
Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist
has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise
from the rest of the planet in 2007. This means that your donation
today will be doubled.
P.P.S. You can opt out of receiving fundraising mentions in the e-
mail alerts I send you in 2007 by visiting www.mpp.org/
2007optoutpreference at your convenience.
Raised in '07
$1,891,109
Goal in '07
$3,000,000
MPP will be able to tackle all of the projects in our 2007
strategic plan if you and other allies are generous enough to fund
our work.
Popular Links:
• MPP's home page
• FAQ
• State-by-state medical marijuana laws
• MPP news releases
• 2007 strategic plan
• Download hand-outs
• About the Marijuana Policy Project
• MedicalMarijuanaProCon.org
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