What is rarely discussed, however, is that the likely increase in marijuana prevalence resulting from legalization would probably increase the already high costs of marijuana use in society. Accidents would increase, healthcare costs would rise and productivity would suffer. Legal alcohol serves as a good example: The $8 billion in tax revenue generated from that widely used drug does little to offset the nearly $200 billion in social costs attributed to its use…

Finally, legalizing marijuana would in no way ensure that the most vicious drug-related problems — violence, economic-related crime, street gang activity — would disappear. Most of those problems stem from the cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine markets. Marijuana’s share of the black market is modest (the cocaine market is three times larger), and the money that is spent on the drug is spread over so many users and distributors that few are working with amounts that motivate or encourage high levels of crime.