Would The Legalization Of Marijuana Stimulate The Economy?

http://ewot.typepad.com/the_economic_way_of_think/2009/10/marijuana-and-the-present-crisis.html

"marijuana legalization -- replacing prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation -- would save $7.7 billion per year in state and federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement and produce tax revenues of at least $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like most consumer goods. If, however, marijuana were taxed similarly to alcohol or tobacco, it might generate as much as $6.2 billion annually. "

Whether you support marijuana or not, you cannot deny the fact that it would help our economy. Prohibition doesn't help with its hefty cost, Legalization would not only raise GDP by 50 billion, but also increase the Unemployment rate, if it was given an elastic demand. However if not the unemployment rate would in fact rise with loss of drug enforcement officers, this would be temporary but still in effect. Tax Revenue fro Legalization would be up to 6 billion anually, of coarse to a twevle trillion dollar gdp this is insignificant.