"The Recession: Up In Smoke?"

“So what if I’m smokin’ weed onstage and doing what I gotta do? It’s not me shooting nobody, stabbing nobody, killing nobody. It’s a peaceful gesture and they have to respect that and appreciate that.”–Snoop Dogg

In true veteran blogging fashion, Gotty (of The Smoking Section) obeyed (industry) rule #25: “Never hesitate to make a post because when you do…bad things happen.” I hesitated, he posted. Lesson learned. No need to worry, however, because this is one story that just can’t seem to get enough attention.

For years, the main argument, in the now decade(s) long fight to legalize marijuana, has always centered around the federal government’s inability to place a tax on the plant. With the recession being the cause of more and more financial disasters everyday (General Motors lost an average of $85 million per day in 2008), what seemed impossible years ago actually has the attention of a legislative official in California. And the numbers are quite astounding. Go figure.

The proposal includes all marijuana, and not just medical marijuana, which has been legal in California since 1996.

The Board of Equalization estimates the bill would bring the state $1.3 billion every year. Of that, $990 million would come from a $50 per ounce levy and $350 million from sales tax revenue.

Federal government statistics put annual illegal sales of pot in the state at $14 billion.

“I think here in California,we understand $14 billion is something that can’t be blown off. The state deserves to have a piece of it,” said Ammiano.

Ammiano says some of the proceeds from the tax would go to drug programs.

Now of course, this bill is going to encounter an insane amount opposition from activists and legislators alike, but one key fact is hard to ignore. The federal government predicts that marijuana is a $14 billion per year industry and a possible $1.3 billion would generate from California. Let’s be honest with ourselves here, $14 billion is a lot of money, especially when you consider that even the most popular sports franchises (Cowboys, Yankees, Red Sox, Lakers, etc.) don’t even make $14 billion over a span of years.

If, in the slim chance this does happen to become law, the cultural ramifications would be astounding. Tom Ammiano, the Assemblyman who proposed this bill, would instantly catapult from unknown legislator to legendary activist (yeah, activist) in the blink of an eye. In the same fashion rappers gravitated towards Barack Obama, the same would happen with Ammiano. It wouldn’t be hard to fathom a dedication track featuring Devin The Dude, Lil Wayne and…of course…Snoop Dogg paying homage to the trailblazer (all pun intended). Last, but certainly not least, sales of snacks and items on late night menus from fast food restaurants nationwide would skyrocket. Not to mention, the population in California would swell to almost unimaginable numbers from “new residents”.

Could the answer to the end of the recession really lie in the middle of a Dutch and/or Cigarello? No way, I’m trippin’.

But no, really, could it?