Government marijuana monopoly makes government’s slush fund tiny. Passing out licenses makes it enormous.
So, ironically, government monopoly marijuana retailing keeps government power down, which libertarians should applaud.
Yes, government monopoly marijuana retailing is less efficient, to the detriment of consumers, but many are willing to take less-than-perfect-competition as part of a deal where they stop being arrested.
Government monopoly marijuana retailing is uniquely positioned for temptation goods where some folks want to slow them down. You may call them control freaks, but they vote. Other industries should stay private, especially restaurants, groceries, and farms, as the Soviet experience has shown. For those businesses, and for businesses like them, there’s no plausible argument for limiting licenses.
The Center for New Revenue 