The number one cash crop in America


Using the government's own figures
As you read this, remember that prohibition costs twice. First to enforce the law, and second in the sales that are never taxed.

For years, activists in the marijuana legalization movement have claimed that cannabis is America's biggest cash crop. Now they're citing government statistics to prove it.

A report released today by a marijuana public policy analyst contends that the market value of pot produced in the U.S. exceeds $35 billion — far more than the crop value of such heartland staples as corn, soybeans and hay, which are the top three legal cash crops.

California is responsible for more than a third of the cannabis harvest, with an estimated production of $13.8 billion that exceeds the value of the state's grapes, vegetables and hay combined — and marijuana is the top cash crop in a dozen states, the report states.

The report estimates that marijuana production has increased tenfold in the past quarter century despite an exhaustive anti-drug effort by law enforcement.

Those figures don't even allow for the industrial uses of hemp. Like high quality paper that can be produced much faster and with much less environmental impact than wood pulp paper.

Remember too that "enforcing" the law means SWAT teams sent to capture people for minor offenses, often to the wrong address.

At what point to we admit that the prohibition of drugs is a really, really bad idea?

— NeoWayland

Posted: Tue - December 19, 2006 at 05:41 AM  Tag


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