Percentage of likely California voters surveyed who support a proposed initiative that would legalize cannabis for recreational use: 49 (Source: May Public Policy Institute of California poll).
Percentage of likely California voters surveyed who oppose a proposed initiative that would legalize cannabis for recreational use: 48 (Source: May Public Policy Institute of California poll).
Estimated U.S. tax dollars (in billions) that would be saved by legalizing cannabis: 13.7 (Source: Dr. Jeffrey A. Miron, “The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition”).
Estimated annual cost (in dollars) to U.S. taxpayers for arresting, convicting and imprisoning one nonviolent drug offender: 450,000 (Source: Schaffer Library of Drug Policy).
Estimated cost (in dollars) to every U.S. citizen to pay off the national debt: 45,000 (Source: U.S. Congressional Budget Office).
Current U.S. federal deficit (in billions of dollars): 714 (Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury).
Dollar amount (in millions) for the first U.S. Drug War budget, in 1970: 100 (Source: Associated Press).
Dollar amount (in billions) for the current U.S Drug War budget: 15.1 (Source: Associated Press).
Dollar amount (in trillions) of America’s 40-year war on drugs: 1 (Source: Associated Press).
Percentage of electricity used by Colorado dispensaries that would have to be obtained from solar or wind power under new state regulations: 100 (Source: Daily Camera newspaper).
Number of other Colorado industries required to obtain 100 percent of their energy from solar or wind power: 0 (Source: Daily Camera newspaper).
Number of Los Angeles cannabis dispensaries that will be forced to shut down this month under the city’s medical-marijuana ordinance: 439 (Source: L.A. City Attorney’s Office).
Percentage change for California marijuana possession arrests from 1990 to 2008: +127 (Source: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice).
Percentage change for California rape arrests between 1990 to 2008: -67 (Source: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice).
Ratio of California marijuana possession arrests among all other drug arrests in the state: 1 in 4 (Source: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice).
Ratio of women imprisoned in California in 2008 for simple marijuana possession versus other drug-related imprisonments: 6 in 10 (Source: Criminal Justice Statistics Center).
Ratio of men imprisoned in California in 2008 for simple marijuana possession versus other drug-related imprisonments: 1 in 2 (Source: Criminal Justice Statistics Center).
Simple marijuana possession arrests per every 100,000 residents in Contra Costa County in 2008: 42 (Source: Criminal Justice Statistics Center).
Simple marijuana possession arrests per every 100,000 residents in Orange County in 2008: 238 (Source: Criminal Justice Center).
