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You are assuming use would go up a lot if marijuana was legalized. According to government statistics already more than half of all adults under 60 have tried it. I sincerely doubt there are a lot of people out there just waiting for marijuana to be legal before they'll finally smoke it. And those that are that responsible and law abiding aren't likely to be that much of a problem for us because they are responsible and have self control. I bet most everyone who wants to smoke pot already smokes it, and those that don't smoke pot don't smoke it mostly because of all the good reasons not to smoke pot that have nothing to do with its legal status. Look at a country like the Netherlands where they allow retail sales of marijuana from shops that have permits. According to government numbers American adults are about twice as twice as likely as Dutch adults to have even tried marijuana. If legal possession and retail sales would make so many start smoking pot, why aren't the Dutch all stoned out of their gourds all the time? If our laws are really stopping so many from smoking pot, why do we consistently have about the highest per capita marijuana use rates in the world when there are so many other countries where they decriminalized it, don't bother people that possess it, let people get away with growing a little, and in the case of the Netherlands even allow retail sales and have for over thirty years? Most people in this country who want to smoke pot already smoke it, especially when it comes to those most likely to be problem users.

I have a friend who traveled through Europe after graduating law school. Prior to his trip, he didn’t use illegal drugs because of the criminal risks. However, on his trip through Europe when he visited the Netherlands, he went to several of their legal shops and “enjoyed.” When he returned home, he knew of the criminal risks and has never used again. He told me if it were legalized here, he would use it. Once the criminal penalities are removed, risk, casual usage of marijuana will swell.

You made the statement: “And those that are that responsible and law abiding aren’t likely to be that much of a problem for us because they are responsible and have self control.”

Really? Don’t current alcohol users fit that description? How are they doing on being responsible and having self control? All the economic/societal costs I detailed are just associated with alcohol. You’re living in a dream world if you don’t think legalization of marijuana is going to increase the same problems that exist from alcohol.

Just my two cents.