To legalize or not?

In November, voters in California will decide in a referendum whether to legalize marijuana. The first opinion polls seem to suggest that this law will be approved giving cannabis a similar status to alcohol.

The issue of consumption and the legalization of marijuana has been a matter of social and political debate for a long time in many countries, with decriminalizing medicinal and recreational cannabis use being seen as a means through which to combat drug trafficking or fraudulent criminal activities.

Their are dangers however with legalizing of cannabis such as the argument that it would lead to an increase in use among the youth and children. Evidence though suggests that this phenomenon is temporary and would be counteracted with effective information and prevention campaigns. In fact, in countries like the Netherlands the increase in use was only transient while in Portugal the levels of consumption dropped when possession of drug for personal use became legal.

Today in Europe, reported deaths from marijuana total around 20 people only, while there are thousands who die from the snuff and alcohol. Whereas, snuff and alcohol have never been banned despite them being addictive and harmful products to peoples health. No one has ever died from an overdose of THC reportedly. There are ways to consume it to prevent combution and its harmful effects on the lugs and its much less addictive than alcohol and snuff. There isn't lots of marijuana is deadly to the body, not like snuff which kills around 10 million people worldwide. In contrast with alcohol and tobacco, cannabis does not cause physical dependence although it can a slight mental addiction, is even less addictive than caffeine.

The proposed law in California will include restrictions on the sale and the use of cannabis to people under 21 years old, and will legalize cannabis use for medicinal reasons and possession of a small amount of marijuana will be permtted. This law will help fight drug trafficking and violence, but mostly relies on reason to legalize vice as happened with the law of the alcohol and in the adverse effects of marijuana prohibition are worse that the unanticipated consequences of its use, so the legalization is a better policy.

After reading about this law, i am not sure whether my opinion is in favour or not, but according to the toxicology reports of this drug; if the drug legalization rules will be measured by their level of toxicity and injury to health, then  marijuana would be the first drug to be legal, as they show the lowest incidence for health problems than alcohol or snuff.