Claire H: 1st post
Topic: HealthTitle: Struggling Times Turn to a Crop for Cash by: Michael Cooper
Publication: New York Times, February 11, 2012
Length: 1000 words.
Taxes on medical marijuana have been steadily increasing in many towns across the United States due to the economic downturn resulting in a need for quick cash. Oakland, CA is no exception where taxes have been raised several times in the past few years. Last year alone Oakland collect $1.4 million. In 2010 Oakland shut off one third of its’ streetlights and saved $1.2 million. The city tripled the tax rate to 5% in 2010. In addition, Oakland doubled its tax collections by doubling the number of medical marijuana dispensaries. Three percent of all business taxes collected in 2011 was due to medical marijuana dispensaries. In Oakland the medical marijuana industry is booming. Nearby Oaksterdam University now offers classes to help people who are entering this profitable field. The University offers classes in federal law, civics, legal business, structures and various “methods of investigation”. The biggest dispensary is the Harborside Health Center which has 104,000 customers and employs 120 people. Ninety percent of the employees are from Oakland who now have well-paying jobs and good benefits.
Medical marijuana is a very controversial topic, but from this article it seems as if it has been very beneficial to the city of Oakland. By adding more medical marijuana dispensaries around the city, Oakland has doubled it's tax collection, which can lead to more funding for public spaces and can help improve the city as a whole. It has also created hundreds of jobs (102 at just the Harborside Health Center) and helps hundreds of thousands of customers. Many of he employees are residents of Oakland, so this whole business creates jobs for people living in Oakland and gives money back to the city so it seems like a win-win situation. I am curious about how the increase in marijuana dispensaries is affecting the people of the city socially, rather than economically, because I'm sure not all of those thousands of customers are honest about their medical marijuana needs. I wonder how much of this medical marijuana actually ends up on the streets and what effect it's going to have of Oaklands youth.
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