Cannabis Gives Back | Stoner News
There are numerous reasons as to why some people don’t want cannabis to be legalized and these people will come up with any reason possible in order to keep others away from this amazing plant. Among these arguments is that the legal cannabis industry will contribute to teen use (myth), crime rates will rise (also a myth), and the communities will be overrun with citizens of all ages getting stoned (maybe not so much of a myth but no one is concerned with their neighbor’s tobacco/alcohol habit so what’s the big deal if no one is causing problems?). But since the cannabis industry is dead set on proving the negative stigma wrong, businesses and governments are beginning to see the economic boom that legal marijuana can bring.
In Colorado, where cannabis is legal for everyone over the age of 21, part of the implemented law specifically states that a tax of 15% gets taken out when wholesalers sell to the retailers. That specific tax is given to special school taxes. The money is meant to be used to repair and build schools around the state of Colorado. This particular tax isn’t seen by the customers of the retail cannabis shops. When bought at a store, the tax charged goes to the state’s general fund and focuses on drug prevention education, substance abuse treatment, and research.
The Rocky Mountain State is also doing amazing things with marijuana tax money to help to homeless in the Pueblo, CO area. The Pueblo County commissioners recently approved a grant of $25,000 to go towards the Pueblo Area Law Enforcement Chaplain’s Crop. The money will be used to attempt to reduce the homeless population by helping people that have family out of town or out of state get their familial support system back. In previous cases, the group was only able to send people about 100 miles, which left some stranded halfway between Colorado and home. Now, with the help of money made from marijuana taxes, people will be able to have their trips home completely funded. Each person the gets involved with the program gets a bus trip and a motel voucher for the voyage. Aurora, CO is also using cannabis tax money to help it’s homeless. The city will provide $4.5 million to programs that will assist homeless over the next three years. The focal point of one of these programs is to offer a place for homeless children to attend school, as well as get fed, supplies for classes, and go on field trips, all things that they might not otherwise get to do.
Backtracking to Pueblo, CO, the city also decided to pass an additional tax on recreational marijuana cultivation facilities. This money will be used to fund the college tuition of students that are graduating from high school. With the program just getting up and running this year, it will start off by giving out twenty five $1000 scholarships for the fall of 2016. This tax will be phased in over the next five years, where 50% of the money will be used for scholarships and the remainder will go towards public improvement and medical marijuana research. Pueblo, CO is a perfect example of a town taking advantage of legal cannabis.
Last but not least, a school in Nevada got the unfortunate news that they were losing a large scholarship that sent a group of students to Washington DC every year. Students would go to the capitol to see how things really worked at the nation’s home base, as well as give them a chance to explore the architecture and historical monuments. But the trip was expensive and wasn’t obtainable for students without the help. Cue the medical marijuana businesses help. Pahrump’s M&M Development donated $3000 and Nye County Consultants Association threw down $5000.
Actions like these by medical and legal cannabis companies is important and shows people how kind the industry can be. It’s not all about “just getting high”. Those that are involved in the cannabis industry want to help and it’s only smart of governments to take advantage of that in order to help their citizens lead better lives.
