Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Recreational Marijuana Could Raise $43 Million In Tax Revenue For Delaware Each Year

Recreational Marijuana Could Raise $43 Million In Tax Revenue For Delaware Each Year

The Delaware state auditor is making a strong case for cannabis legalization in the state.

Delaware State Auditor Kathy McGuiness released a report this week that shows that the state could raise up to $43 million per year in new tax revenue with the legalization and regulation of recreational marijuana for adults. The special report, titled “Millions in Revenue Anticipated from Legalizing Marijuana in Delaware,” was released by McGuiness’ office on Monday.

“Forty-three million dollars in state tax revenue would be a boon to Delaware’s coffers,” McGuiness said in a press release. “That money could be used to plug budget holes in the short term and would continue to provide revenue for all kinds of important initiatives in the long term.”

The report also notes that legalizing the recreational use of cannabis by adults 21 and older would allow for the formation of new businesses that would create more than 1,000 jobs within five years. The auditor’s office used publicly available data to estimate that legalizing recreational marijuana would create an industry valued at $215 million dollars annually. The report assumes a “reasonable” excise tax of 20% to arrive at the $43 million projection for state tax revenue.

McGuiness noted in her statement that most of the state’s residents support cannabis policy reform and that commerce in marijuana is already taking place in Delaware. But because that trade is taking place in the unregulated market, no tax revenue is generated for the state.

“Statistics show that public opinion on allowing recreational marijuana for adult use has changed dramatically in the last few years, with a majority of Delawareans now supporting it,” McGuiness said. “The prohibition on marijuana has only led to a robust black market, which could be minimized by responsible and thoughtful legalization.”

Joining The Green Wave


The legalization of recreational cannabis in Delaware would continue the trend of marijuana policy reform taking hold in the Northeast. New Jersey was one of five states to approve marijuana legalization measures in the November general election, and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York has said that he will make the issue a priority for 2021 after legislative efforts at reform failed in the state last year.

“With neighboring states either legalizing it or considering doing so, taking action now is the only way to prevent Delaware from being at a competitive disadvantage in the future,” McGuiness said. “The First State cannot and should not be the last state to approve legalization in the region.”

Lawmakers in Delaware could get the chance to enact legislation to make the millions of projected tax dollars a reality soon. The General Assembly convened a virtual legislative session on January 12 and is expected to consider the issue. Democratic Rep. Ed Osienski, who sponsored a legalization bill last year, plans to introduce a bill again in the current session. Passage this time around may be easier to achieve because several seats in the legislature were flipped in the November election.

A group of organizations including the Marijuana Policy Project has banded together as the Delaware Cannabis Policy Coalition to advocate for cannabis regulation in the state. More information is available on the group’s website.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×