Legal pot has its benefits, but little economic impact

Trudeau has stated that he expects only "modest returns" from legalization
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
Thursday, February 18, 2016

Each week, there seems to be a new headline declaring that piles of cash will soon flood into the economy once legalization comes into effect. The latest report, from CIBC World Markets, says Canada’s federal and provincial governments could pocket $5-billion a year in tax revenues from the sale of legal marijuana. A few major players are set to cash in, most notably Tweed Marijuana Inc., which absorbed its closest competitor, Bedrocan Cannabis Corp., in a $61-million deal this past summer. As for the rest of us? We’ll hardly notice. The economic impact of legalization will be negligible.