The legalization of cannabis has innumerable benefits and in our country, as estimated by a study by professors Ferdinando Ofria and Piero David of the University of Messina, it could be worth more than 10 billion euros of annual turnover.
Study presented by the University of Messina during the webinar "Cannabis? Better to talk about it", organized by the Department of Cognitive, Psychological, Pedagogical and Cultural Studies Sciences and the Better Legal campaign, which analyzed the economic and legal implications of a possible legalization of cannabis.
Legal cannabis: tax revenue of 6 billion euros per year
"The regulation of the cannabis trade leads to a limitation and correction of the phenomenon - explained Professor Ferdinando Ofria, as - First of all it ensures a qualitative improvement of the product, the sale of which is currently in the hands of criminals, so there is no control and in many cases the product may contain harmful substances such as lead, often added to increase weight".
"Through a legalization process this market can increase tax revenue, as for cigarettes there will be a high inflow of money through taxes. Our study highlights up to 6 billion of additional tax revenue for the State taken away from organized crime", concludes Professor Ofria.
Then there would be a huge saving given that Italy spends approx. on cannabis alone 600 million euros a year between law enforcement, judiciary and prison system.
Prisons that would be emptied given that, as reported by the last one report by the Antigone Association, until one in three prisoners (34.88%) are in prison for drug-related crimes, most of which for cannabis.
Legalizing would also go to free the police engaged in the war on cannabis, which as found they would solve more violent crimes.
A market with over 10 billion in annual turnover
Marijuana is the most consumed narcotic substance in the world and based on seizures in Italy, which are close to 67 tons, "the annual turnover would be 11.6 billion euros", explain the professors.
A more precise estimate was obtained "taking the experience of Colorado as an example and projecting the data onto the Italian population (Colorado 5.6 million inhabitants/Italy, 60.4 million) with a total fiscal burden of 32% (excise duties, state and local taxes), the revenue for a population of 60.4 million inhabitants it would be 3.26 billion euros and a turnover exceeding 10 billion euros” finally concluded Professor David.
