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Thursday, July 28, 2011
Ind. Gov't. - "Marijuana law changes could be boon for Indiana"
Dan Carden reports on today's legislative hearing on changing the state's marijuana laws. Some quotes from the NWI Times story:
INDIANAPOLIS | Reducing or eliminating penalties for minor marijuana possession and legalizing industrial hemp production could add more than $250 million a year to Indiana's bottom line.According to economic impact estimates presented Thursday to a legislative committee studying the state's marijuana laws, decriminalization would save up to $200 million a year in reduced police, court and prison expenses, while legalizing and taxing marijuana could bring in $50 million of new sales tax revenue.
"There's a lot of money and time to be saved in our court system," said state Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes.
For more than four hours, a panel of state representatives and senators listened attentively as several Hoosiers spoke emotionally of their need for marijuana as medicine -- despite its illegality -- as no other drug or treatment can relieve their chronic pain.
In addition, lawyers and academic experts testified to the selective prosecution of many marijuana possession cases in Indiana, while others spoke of the new jobs and tax revenue that would come by having farmers plant industrial hemp, a form of marijuana that can be turned into everything from clothing to diesel fuel. * * *
The laws across the country have changed dramatically over the past decade or so," Tallian said, noting changes made in 30 other states. "I think we're going to have the basis for something next year."
Posted by Marcia Oddi on July 28, 2011 07:13 PM
Posted to Indiana Government