Proving the age-old argument that weed can be regulated and taxed to benefit broader society, the governor of Colorado – a pioneer of recreational cannabis in the West – has announced bold new plans to spend marijuana tax money on combating homelessness.
Governor John Hickenlooper wants lawmakers to spend US$12.3 million (A$16.4m) on affordable housing for those experiencing chronic and episodic homelessness.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper c wikimedia
The US state has already raked in over US$134 (A$179m) in revenue during the first nine months of 2016.
“Taking what used to be an illegal activity, now that’s it’s legal and taxable, [and] using it to address another social issue was an opportunity that we felt important to take advantage,” the Governor’s budget director Henry Sobanet told the Denver Post.
It is yet to be seen if the proposal will be picked up by Colorado’s government, but for the time being it’s good to know that revenue from legal weed could be put to use.
