Vices will always be there legal or illegally. In my opinion the government should legalize marijuana, gambling, and prostitution. The taxes off the vices will help raise funds and the easy access will significantly undermine the criminal activities around them. If prostitution is legal it will drastically reduce the amount of human trafficking. Drugs have already been proven to follow the same to a similar degree.
The problem is there are a few places with all the legal and they will put lots of pressure and money into keeping it that way. The Bunny Ranch makes a small mint off souvenirs alone. Colorado had a huge tourism boom after weed was legalized. The Oklahoma casinos have a lot of money invested in making sure Texas does not expand gambling. They make a fortune off of casino tourists.
I hear you but somethings should be left in the dark.
The weed thing hear has led to other things that I think if the legislature wasn't so high on weed and the idea of 'increased revenues,' they wouldn't have done. For example. Someone who steals my under $1000 handgun is no longer a felon. We have so many fucked up people roaming the streets it's shameful. Why do I live here? My love of the weather, my family and love of the outdoors.
All the tax money argument is partial bullshit too. The hidden costs are things no one will truly consider. Having worked with the homeless for more than 25 years, I can tell you weed doesn't kill people but some of the decisions (like trying meth, etc) are the things that really fuck up people. I was just in court today with an 80 year-old woman that is attempting to evict her 50+ year-old daughter who has a meth habit.
Anyway. Sorry to interrupt the stream of consciousness!
