As Gov. John Carney looks for solutions to the budget deficit, the solution has presented itself in UD polls that show public support over 61 percent for the legalization, regulation and taxation of cannabis for responsible adult use in Delaware.
The case for legalization has many plusses in addition to revenue: criminal justice resources are freed from the expenses of prosecuting a victimless crime; public safety is increased by regulating the product, ensuring its safety, and restricting its availability; jobs are created; lives are not ruined by possession arrests.
Every dollar spent on legal cannabis is a dollar removed from the profits of drug cartels.
Delaware has the benefit of learning from states that have already legalized cannabis for adult use.
Those states have not shown an increase in crime or a demonstrable increase in DUI problems. They have shown that cannabis users strongly prefer a legal, safer product over a cheaper, illegal product, thus reducing the drug black market with its criminality and lack of controls.
Delawareans clearly want to see cannabis prohibition ended. It is time to tax a product that is already decriminalized and being widely purchased in the state. This is a commonsense win/win for the state budget and for ending a senseless, harmful prohibition.
Mark Jacobs
Lewes
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to newsroom@capegazette.com. Letters must be signed and include a telephone number and address for verification. Please keep letters to 500 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days. Letters restating information and opinions already offered by the same author will not be used. Letters must focus on issues of general, local concern, not personalities or specific businesses.
