were marked increases in the number of Marijuana Expiations242 paid between the 1987/88 fiscal period and the1993/1994 period. Additionally, during the first two years of the new marijuana scheme, expiations increased by 53% and 48% for year one and year two respectively. Similarly, the number of Marijuana Expiation Notices243 (CENs) issued also rose during the period (Figure 5) The number of expiations paid peeked in the 1996/1997 period and then fell thereafter. Arrests for marijuana-related crimes remained significant. During the 2011/2012 period, there were over 61,000 marijuana-related arrests, 86% of which were for marijuana consumption-linked offence [14]. Figure 5: Marijuana CEN Issued and Expiations Paid in South Australia, (1988-1999)244
Source: Christie and Ali (2000)[15]. Impact on Health Costs According to a 2003 report, in 2002, one year after decriminalization of marijuana in Portugal, “outpatient first treatment demand data concerning 53% clients of the outpatient public network indicate that marijuana remains one of the main substance used (36%) in the last 30 days prior to the first treatment episode�. This figure was constant at 29% for the years 2000 and 2001. Moreover, marijuana-related deaths in the country accounted for 5% of all drug-related deaths in 1999. This figure rose to 6%, 11%, and 13% in 2000, 2001 and 2002, respectively. [16] Law Enforcement Costs Whereas the experiences vary across countries, in Massachusetts, the United States of America, the decriminalization of marijuana was estimated to produce annual savings in law enforcement resources of 1.9% or US$29.5 million [17].
4. Model Two: Full Legalization of Marijuana Production, Sale and Use, with State Control In this model, the government controls the marijuana industry and is involved in all aspects relating to the cultivation, processing, and sale of marijuana. This option allows the State to set prices and have strict control of all levels of the supply chain. This approach affects both the demand and supply of the product. Legalization of the use of marijuana will likely shift the demand curve upwards, thereby altering upward, the quantity demanded at any given price. On the supply side, legalization will shift the supply curve downwards to the right, resulting in a fall in the price and a rise in the quantity demanded. However, under this approach, the State acts as a public monopoly, which exercises control over price and quantity supplied. With this, the authorities are able to influence the quantity consumed, through its supply and pricing policies.[4]
These are fines paid by persons found in possession of marijuana (of an amount at, or above the allowed threshold) and marijuana-related items. These are issued by the police to persons found in possession of the allowed amount of marijuana and require the payment of a fine. 244 1988 refers to the fiscal year 1987/1988. The same principle applies to all other years shown in Figure 5. 242 243
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