Real Life Example in Oakland

One of the more unfair aspects of the debate over drug prohibition is the demand that those who oppose proscription describe in exacting detail the consequences of a change while those who favor law enforcement approaches get to assume that the only result will be the cessation of use. Well now in Oakland, California there is a concrete example of marijuana legalization in action. A nine block area in downtown Oakland surrounding Oaksterdam University, a school for people wanting to enter the expanding marijuana business, has become a gathering place for users of virtually legal cannabis.

The primary noticeable effect of this occurrence seems to be increased commerce. The Oakland Community and Economic Development Agency reports that 160 new businesses have moved into the downtown area while the vacancy rate has decreased from 25% to 5%. The city has passed an excise tax on marijuana and it is expected to bring in over $1 million during the first year. The founder of the cannabis college, entrepreneur Richard Lee, points out that "the reality is we're creating jobs, improving the city, filling empty store spaces, and when people come down here to Oakland they can see that."

Those who oppose these recent developments use the same tired unfounded arguments they have always employed, unfortunately repeated in the Newsweek article linked to above. However, there is nothing that has happened in Oakland which bolsters their position that legal marijuana is a problem. Quite the contrary it is proving to be beneficial.

Cross posted on The Trebach Report