Kansas raids dozens of hemp shops while considering legalization bills that could generate $20-50 million annually. The state arrests nearly 5,000 people yearly for cannabis possession at a cost of $7-54 million in criminal justice expenses—money that could fund schools, roads, or treatment programs instead. Meanwhile, legislators debate three competing approaches: medical cannabis (SB 294), adult-use regulation (HB 2405), or tighter hemp restrictions (SB 292). The math is clear: prohibition costs Kansas taxpayers millions while generating zero revenue and saddling thousands with criminal records that reduce lifetime earnings. The question isn't whether Kansas can afford to reform—it's whether Kansas can afford not to.