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I am in favor of the legalization of recreational marijuana. A recent letter to the editor (“Legalize cannabis to benefit Hawaii,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 23), lists the sound economic reasons for legalizing of cannabis. Those reasons — if that were all — might be attacked as being equally applicable to other banned practices such as prostitution or cock fighting.
More fundamental reasons support legalization of recreational cannabis: Criminalization has had enormous and inequitable social costs but has produced minimal social benefits. Legalization is a response to the costly and ineffective drug war and frees resources to help victims of serious addiction.
Also, cannabis makes people happy and is less harmful than alcohol or tobacco, and well-regulated cannabis sold on an open market is far safer than illegal cannabis produced with no standards or controls and sold in a dark alley.
John Keiser
Makiki
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