California is in the midst of a huge budget crisis. A $15.2 billion crisis, to be exact.

Our state’s budget issue is compounded by the national and international meltdown of the entire economic system.

The solution so far has been to keep borrowing money and to put future generations of Americans and Californians into more debt. Finally, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to actually balance our budget, so the government wouldn’t be spending more money than it was taking in. That is why, in Torrance, we now have a 10.25 percent sales tax and numerous budget cuts.

But that’s not nearly enough to cure us of our economic depression. Ironically, marijuana may help us on the path to fighting off the recession through taxation and profit.

Just like the tobacco industry, alcohol industry, or any legalized drug, which includes pharmaceuticals, marijuana can be a “gateway” to billions of dollars in revenue for the federal government.

How many people have died of smoking too much weed? It doesn’t cause lung cancer as tobacco does. It doesn’t cause severe damage to your liver as alcohol does. And it doesn’t get you addicted to sleeping pills or anti-depressants.

Drugs in general should be avoided except in extraordinary circumstances, such as when you are ill. However, our society has legalized so many potentially harmful drugs that users do not even think about the potential negative consequences of taking drugs.

Yes, marijuana is a gateway drug. Yes it can cause people to waste away on their couch, destined to never accomplish anything ever again, but that isn’t the point. There are plenty of legal things just as debilitating. Just as alcohol used to be illegal in the 1920s, marijuana is illegal now.

Laws that ban a substance or act are generally broken. Dealers may be persecuted, but generally, people have no fear of being caught smoking marijuana.

Think of how many people smoke marijuana. Imagine all of them purchasing it legally from a company that produces it, employing thousands of people and creating what is essentially a new American industry.

Think of all of the taxes the government could levy against that industry, and how every single joint smoked could add to the tax revenue of California and the federal government. Ask yourself why we have alcohol and tobacco legalized while marijuana continues to be demonized by politicians and the media. Some people would definitely like to see their sales tax lowered if it means some pot heads will bear the burden of their inaction.