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Text size [+][-]  Monday September 6 2010GLOBAL EDITION

Feature
06 Feb 2009 18:27

Pass the Dutchie

Context News

California is forecasting its current budget deficit of $15bn will grow to $42bn by June of 2010. The state recently delayed $3.5bn of payments so it could continue making its debt payments.

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was pictured smoking marijuana out of a water pipe in the British tabloid News of the World. Cereal and snack company Kellogg says it will not renew its sponsorship of Phelps as a result of the incident, and the USA Swimming organisation has suspended him from competing for three months.

But it would certainly take the edge off the state's fiscal pain. Decriminalising ganja could save $1.7bn in enforcement and incarceration costs baked into the budget while bringing in nearly $1bn in revenues.

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More stories by:  Jeff Segal






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