Indiana State Police Chief on Pot: "If it were up to me, I do believe I would legalize it and tax it"

In response to the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington, as well as word that two Indiana legislators will soon introduce legislation to decriminalize marijuana, Indiana State Police Superintendent Paul Whitesell told the State Budget Committee today that he'd like to see marijuana legalized.

In response to the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington, as well as word that two Indiana legislators will soon introduce legislation to decriminalize marijuana, Indiana State Police Superintendent Paul Whitesell told the State Budget Committee today that he'd like to see marijuana legalized, reports radio station WFPL: 

"It's here, it's going to stay, there's an awful lot of victimization that goes with it. If it were up to me, I do believe I would legalize it and tax it, particularly in sight of the fact that several other states have now come to that part of their legal system as well," he said.

"Wherein if you are going to imbibe, you would go through there to be recognized
or pay your taxes and keep some sense of it, give us some stats so you could monitor it in some fashion. And if you go around it in some other place, that's where my folks would come in and take issue."

That active law enforcement leaders feel safe calling for legalization represents an incredible tipping point.