Pubdate: Wed, 05 Aug 2015 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 2015 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.utsandiego.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386 Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area. Author: Salvatore Scafidi ARGUMENT AGAINST POT DOES NOT HOLD UP Do David Murray and John Walters ("Marijuana legalization movement makes no sense," Aug. 1) advocate a return to alcohol prohibition? Nowhere do they cite historical data comparing the rates of violent crime before, during and after prohibition, nor do they compare the base rates of alcohol consumption in those same periods. They predict legalization of marijuana will result in an explosion in its use and a staggering increase in the cost of the "disease burden," while ignoring the costs of imprisoning 1 percent of the population. Murray and Walters discount the gist of the legalization argument, which is that legalization will make the drug trade unprofitable to criminal cartels. Seizing minor amounts of drugs and incarcerating small fry are expensive, ineffective and fundamentally destructive tactics. Salvatore Scafidi San Diego - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom