And that sounds pretty impressive.
On the other hand, it is difficult to say just how many more premature deaths might occur each year due to other factors, such as an increase in deaths due to driving while high.
In other words, it is very difficult to determine what the net difference would be; and which side it would favor.
Moreover, the law serves many purposes--one of which is didactic; the law serves as a sort of social instructor--and to legalize marijuana is to undercut this particular function of the law.
What evidence do you have for increased traffic deaths in states with medical marijuana laws? Here's a 2011 study that says otherwise =>
ABSTRACT: Medical Marijuana Laws, Traffic Fatalities,and Alcohol Consumption
[snip] In addition, legalization is associated with a nearly 9 percent decrease in traffic fatalities, most likely to due to its impact on alcohol consumption.
It’s been a long time since the cretins who make the laws in this country have been fit to teach anything to anyone. The laws they write are only self-referentially instructive in the fields of sociopathology and psychotic self-interest.
The drug laws are not didactic unless one is studying the field of corrupt legislation.