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Whatever way you look at it, the benefits of using cannabis far extend those derived from ‘legal’ substances, such as alcohol. And now, three years after marijuana was made legal in Colorado, the state is continuing to report massive economic improvement and reduced crime rate.

For starters, just in recreational sales of marijuana in 2014, Colorado sold over $34 million in the month of August. $3.4 million of that (10%) went straight to the government and towards building schools. At the time, a number of sources expected Colorado to rake in at LEAST $30 million from their recreational marijuana market – just from taxes alone.

Unsurprisingly, the state far surpassed that expectation. Between January and October 2014, the tax revenue was recorded at $60.1 million. No doubt a new high (*ahem* pun intended) will be attained in 2015.

The serious tax money being accumulated is being used to strengthen Colorado communities, provide free education, and clean up the streets. With numbers like these being reported, it surely is no longer a question of ‘if’ all states will someday legalize cannabis, but ‘when’. The market has potential to transform the economy and inspire an awakening.

Following is a graph showing the continual increase in sales:

As Natural Society reported in 2014, the crime rates in Colorado are also plummeting, and crime hasn’t just decreased by a little, but a lot – 15%! The murder rate has also decreased by 42%. With these figures, one can expect the government to spend more money on improving infrastructure and other business opportunities for Colorado citizens with all the new tax revenue.

Another benefit of the growing weed business is that unemployment rates are dropping dramatically, too.

With marijuana legalized, companies in Colorado will no doubt be benefiting from the boosted economy, as well. More cash in hand will allow citizens a looser grip on their wallet, and inspired munchies may cause them to stumble into the nearest pizza shop, grocery store, or bakery to satisfy their hunger.

All in all, it seems the decision to legalize marijuana was an intelligent one. Which states will be the next to legalize recreational use of marijuana? Here are our predictions.

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This article (In One Month, Colorado Sold $34 Million In Marijuana: $3.4 Million Went To Schools, And Crime Decreased By 15%) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under aCreative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com