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The benefits of legalizing marijuana: A brief summary Crime down and revenue up in Colorado since start of marijuana legalization by Jason Redmond of rt.com

Many people assume that only negative side effects can result from legalizing marijuana, yet the past five documented months since legalization in Colorado have proved otherwise. Colorado has significantly benefited as a state overall since the legalization of marijuana as rates regarding violent crime, property crime, motor vehicle theft and homicide in Denver have significantly decreased. Not only is Colorado becoming a safer state, but the state as a whole is "expected to collect around $30 million in revenue this year as a result of weed taxes." You would think that all of the money the state is producing through marijuana taxes would not be spent or saved wisely by the state government but in fact, the opposite is occurring. The Associated Press has reported that the majority of the money desposited back into the state government will fund "child drug use prevention and outreach" programs throughout Colorado. The article also relays information regarding what federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Congress plan to do about the legalization. Recently, Congress has made progress with the issue of a "national marijuana reform" that plans to benefit those using marijuana for medical purposes. The reform, many believe, will later become instrumental in creating and changing national marijuana legislature.

Redmond, Jason. "Crime down and Revenue up in Colorado since Start of Marijuana Legalization." //- RT USA//. Reuters, 04 June 2014. Web. 07 June 2014.