Legalization is a win for society

Frank Musaraca, Henderson

Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012 | 2:01 a.m.

Seventeen states have legalized medical use, and two states have legalized adult recreational use, of the non-narcotic, controlled substance marijuana. Nevada could benefit by adopting Colorado and Washington laws.

The greedy pharmaceutical companies will no doubt protest as the drop in sales of drugs will eat into their multibillion-dollar profits.

They fail to tell you that misuse of nearly every narcotic and controlled substance that they sell via prescription can kill you, except nonaddictive marijuana.

The deadliest “controlled substances” in our country are alcohol and tobacco, which kill more people than all diseases combined. But the government says that’s OK because the multibillion-dollar alcohol and tobacco conglomerates pay taxes.

Public approval of legal adult recreational use of marijuana has been expressed by many Nevada voters.

Legalization will not change a thing because adults wanting to are doing it now and will continue to do so!

Nothing will change except the significant cost of enforcing antiquated pot laws, freeing up our police to thwart more lethal illegal activities and violators. It will free up the millions spent on imprisoning thousands of minor violators of present marijuana laws.

The legal sale and distribution of marijuana will not only give us control of an already-formed and thriving multibillion-dollar industry, it will provide sorely needed jobs for thousands of Americans.

And lastly, if we can keep the politicos away from the proceeds, our teachers and school systems could benefit from taxing the licensing, production, distribution and sale to the tune of untold billions.