Category: Public Policy

Marijuana Public Policy

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Tax Revenue from Marijuana Sales Exceeds Estimates

Marijuana Tax Revenue

Tax revenue from retail marijuana sales in Colorado, Oregon and Washington is exceeding initial estimates, according to a report published by the Drug Policy Alliance.

Colorado retail tax revenue was $129 million for the 12-month period ending May 31, 2016 which exceeded the initial estimate of $70 million per year.

Washington retail tax revenue was $220 million for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2016, where regulators had initially predicted sales tax would be $162 million.

In Oregon, marijuana-related tax revenues are about $4 million per month which is about twice what regulators initially predicted.

See the full DPA report – What We Know About Marijuana Legalization in Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C.

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Public Support for Legal Marijuana Use Up to 60% in US

Marijuana Gallup Poll

With voters in several states deciding whether to legalize the use of marijuana, public support for making it legal has reached 60% — its highest level in Gallup’s 47-year trend.

Those ages 18 to 34 (77 percent), Independents (70 percent), and Democrats (67 percent) were most likely to endorse legalization in the Gallup poll.  Support was weakest among Republicans (42 percent) and those age 55 or older (45 percent).

When Gallup first asked this question in 1969, 12% of Americans supported the legalization of marijuana use.  In the late 1970s, support rose to 28% but began to retreat in the 1980s during the era of the “Just Say No” to drugs campaign.  Support stayed in the 25% range through 1995, but increased to 31% in 2000 and has continued climbing since then.

In 2013, support for legalization reached a majority for the first time after Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.  Read more about the Marijuana Gallup Poll.