But the truth was that more and more people were moving to Colorado simply for work and a fresh start. Medical marijuana was one of the benefits of moving there. Lawmakers realized that the crime rate was actually decreasing rather than increasing. It also freed up funding for state agencies and city police forces, allowing officers to focus on violent crimes, instead of wasting time and money chasing nonviolent criminals like marijuana users. Using FBI data, the researchers looked at crime rates for murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and auto theft, in all 50 states, then looked at the 11 states that have legalized drugs before and after the approval of the law. showed a decrease in the most violent crimes: murder and assault. It would also reduce the number of prisoners serving sentences for marijuana possession or nonviolent drug crimes. About half of these criminals are marijuana-related offenders, which means that one-sixth of our country's prisoners are in prison on marijuana-related charges. Legalizing drugs would mean spending $11.3 billion less per year on prisons (that's our tax money). Not to mention the time and money needed to prosecute these prisoners. It is much more profitable for the state to legalize