Legalization by the numbers.

December 9th, 2010
$5.3 billion amount state and local governments spend annually in enforcement costs
$2.4 billion amount federal government spends annually in enforcement costs
$7.7 billion potential annual cost savings for U.S. if marijuana prohibition is repealed
$10.5 billion estimated amount U.S. residents spent on marijuana in the year 2000
$6.2 billion estimated amount a marijuana “sin tax” would generate annually, if legalized

Source: The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition, Jeffrey A. Miron