Colorado has had recreational marijuana legalized for one year now, and its effects are still hard to determine. Many questions still remain: Did it bring in expected tax revenue? Were there any devastating unexpected consequences? Should other states follow suit and legalize pot? Many in Florida are looking into Colorado’s experiment to find support for legalizing marijuana, but the evidence may not be totally available yet.
Data from the Colorado Department of Revenue indicates that sales for pot were approximately $700 million in its first year, which ended up equating to about $44 million in tax revenue. That sounds like an impressive figure, but the initial estimate for tax revenue was actually $70 million, so the state only achieved about two-thirds of its goal.
Still, to go from zero dollars in tax revenue to $44 million in a year is nothing to ignore and should be something that intrigues Floridians. That tax revenue could go toward education, improved infrastructure and other projects that would benefit Floridians.
Unfortunately, Florida’s fight for marijuana legalization would be an uphill battle, and voters would need more justification than just a little extra tax revenue.
Many Floridians are still not comfortable with the idea of pot being legal, and public disapproval would need to be curtailed. Floridians are even uncomfortable with medical marijuana being legal, evidenced when Amendment 2 failed to receive 60-percent approval from the voters last November.
With trepidation this high in Florida, a massive campaign aimed toward altering public perception of the drug would need to be initiated before anyone could dream of getting pot legalized.
Another factor that may make Floridians anxious about a move this bold is that legalizing marijuana doesn’t guarantee the black market will go away. Colorado has come to realize this. Competition still exists; while the state taxes pot, sellers in the black market do not, so their prices are lower. Pat Oglesby, a former congressional tax staffer, described the scenario perfectly: “If there is untaxed medical pot, the taxes are voluntary. When you make it voluntary, people won’t necessarily pay.”
There are numerous other problems that could arise due to recreational pot legalization. Many people worry that it could make it easier for kids younger than 18 to get their hands on it. And many are afraid that more people will be out on the road driving under the influence.
These concerns are legitimate, but we shouldn’t let fear dictate public policy. No change this substantial would be expected to run flawlessly, and there would be hardships to overcome, but legalizing pot is an endeavor that should be considered in the name of liberty.
I have a deep-set belief that we should be free to do whatever we want — as long as we are not causing any harm to others — which is why legalizing marijuana is so intriguing to me. It’s about giving liberty back to the people because when we have liberty, we are free to pursue happiness.
This belief in liberty doesn’t begin and end with marijuana. When we have liberty when it comes to marijuana, marriage, school choice for our kids, defending ourselves and our families, and almost every other aspect of our lives, people will be able to prosper.
That doesn’t mean I don’t believe something like legalized pot wouldn’t have stipulations to ensure safety. Its legislation would need to have strict protocols for the government, harsh punishments for mishandling by individuals and businesses, and language that aims to diminish the size of the black market.
All of this is achievable with smart legislation, and hopefully Florida will have the opportunity to legalize marijuana in the next decade with improvements from Colorado’s flaws.
Nick Eagle is a UF economics and political science senior. His column appears on Mondays.
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 2/16/2015 under the headline “Legalizing marijuana still a challenge for Sunshine State"]
