Auditor: Pennsylvania leaving $581 million on the table by not legalizing marijuana

Pennsylvania's elected auditor general says legalizing and taxing marijuana could bring in more than a half-billion dollars in annual revenue for the state.Auditor General Eugene DePasquale repeated the comment, which the Democrat originally made in the summer, during a marijuana legalization rally at the state Capitol on Monday."This is an issue that makes sense on so many levels, from reducing opioid addiction to criminal justice reform; creating jobs and bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in recurring revenue," DePasquale said. "We can use that revenue to invest in kids, invest in healthcare and save taxpayer money."In July, DePasquale released a report which found that there were nearly 800,000 regular users of marijuana age 21 and older in Pennsylvania and said that regulating and taxing the drug could generate about $581 million a year.Medical marijuana is legal with a state-issued card in Pennsylvania. Recreational use is still illegal, although the city of Pittsburgh has decriminalized the possession of small amounts of the drug.Monday's rally was co-sponsored by local NORML chapters, the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Keystone Cannabis Coalition.

Pennsylvania's elected auditor general says legalizing and taxing marijuana could bring in more than a half-billion dollars in annual revenue for the state.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale repeated the comment, which the Democrat originally made in the summer, during a marijuana legalization rally at the state Capitol on Monday.

"This is an issue that makes sense on so many levels, from reducing opioid addiction to criminal justice reform; creating jobs and bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in recurring revenue," DePasquale said. "We can use that revenue to invest in kids, invest in healthcare and save taxpayer money."

In July, DePasquale released a report which found that there were nearly 800,000 regular users of marijuana age 21 and older in Pennsylvania and said that regulating and taxing the drug could generate about $581 million a year.

Medical marijuana is legal with a state-issued card in Pennsylvania. Recreational use is still illegal, although the city of Pittsburgh has decriminalized the possession of small amounts of the drug.

Monday's rally was co-sponsored by local NORML chapters, the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Keystone Cannabis Coalition.