It's not just some naive twenty-somethings in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana, as a recent letter to the editor asserts; many states already have.

The so-called "War on Drugs" has been a great success, hasn't it? Sure has kept illegal drugs off the streets, hasn't it? Criminalization sure has kept drug dealers from selling drugs and killing each other over the great profits to be made on the black market, hasn't it? The drug laws have sure been effective in keeping big suppliers from becoming multi-millionairs. Drug laws sure have dried up the demand for marijuana, haven't they? What? No? How could this be?

They've been every bit as effective as thousands of other laws, i.e. those designed to keep criminal possession and use of firearms at bay. Haven't they? No gun crime exists, huh?

Bottom line - you cannot and will never be able to legislate morality.

Marijuana became illegal to possess/grow/use in the last century due to the wishes and influence of one Randolph Hearst, who feared hemp, a very tough and useful product, would seriously cut into his timber and paper monopolies. After underwriting the ridiculous propaganda film, "Reefer Madness," and greasing the palms of our legislators, he could go on reaping huge profits without fear of competition from the devil hemp. Alcohol abuse has caused more damage to our society than marijuana use ever could. But alcohol and tobacco, admit it, are drugs and are used and accepted by society as mood-altering substances. Being for sale only to adults has certainly stemmed or eliminated their use/abuse by minors, hasn't it? No? why not?

If America wants to get serious about our drug problem, we should wake up and realize drug laws do not stop illegal drug use, or make the demand vanish, they just fill the coffers of the black market dealers.

Remember Prohibition? Wasn't that a great success, stopping the manufacture/transport/sale and use of demon alcohol across the U.S.? Once the government realized Prohibition didn't work as planned, Prohibition was repealed, and the government made billions in tax revenues putting the black market out of business. Why let drug dealers continue to reap millions off black market sales of marijuana? Let the government control the cultivation and sale to adults only. Tax the hell out of it and what would happen? The government would realize billions in revenue, the dealers would be out of business and law enforcement could concentrate on dealing with real criminals, i.e. murderers, rapists, etc.

I'm well aware that marijuana is not benign, and may have negative health effects after long-term use, as cigarettes do. No one having smoked pot would exhibit the stupidity or perhaps violent behavior of a drunk. "I can drive after a few drinks." (Yeah, right).

Lawmakers in at least 14 states have seen fit to decriminalize/legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use. Obviously, enough of them have seen beyond the fear and propaganda to have passed legislation that ultimately has generated needed tax revenue for many worthy programs, and at the same time kept the innocuous, recreational pot smoker from being subjected to penalties as serious hard drug users, and more importantly, have freed law enforcement resources to pursue more serious issues. Would any sane person favor early release of a murderer or rapist so the cell could be put to use holding someone who has harmed no one?

Ire against a possible repeal of the marijuana prohibition should be directed toward something which needs more urgent attention: government corruption, underage drinking or perhaps my favorite, dangerous idiots who need to text and drive at the same time.

EDWIN TEFFT lives in Seekonk.