Letter's claim against marijuana backfires

This is a response to David Ronske's Nov. 11 letter about how supporting the legalization of marijuana is "hypocritical" of people who acknowledge that other substances like cigarettes and alcohol are harmful as well. Ignoring his claim that "every doctor (he) ever heard" says that marijuana is much worse than cigarettes completely misrepresents an enormous body of research that says differently, Mr. Ronske unintentionally makes the perfect moral case for legalization.

Tobacco, junk food, alcohol, prescription drugs, biking without a helmet, and standing on a rickety ladder are not illegal, although they certainly constitute dangerous behavior. This is because outlawing these behaviors is considered to be an overreach of what the government can tell us not to do. If these activities are legal, then why should marijuana, which studies show is at the very least no more harmful than the aforementioned activities, be illegal?

If Mr. Ronske is concerned with the legality of marijuana based upon its perceived danger to public health, then he must be in favor of prohibiting all the other dangerous substances he mentions. If not, then the hypocrisy is his own.

Ernest P. Johnson

Arlington Heights