MARIJUANA BAN HAS OTHER SOCIAL COSTS

Louis Miller (Opinion, July 12) claims everyone who favors
legalization of marijuana "just wants to get high." I agree with
Miller's claims about the health risks and social costs associated
with marijuana, but he should not ignore the social costs that
criminalization imposes.

These costs include environmental damage to public forestlands, fires
in residential areas from illegal pot houses, violent crime, property
crime and the skyrocketing cost of incarceration, among others. (For
more information about the failure of criminalization, visit the Law
Enforcement Against Prohibition website at www.leap.cc ) If Miller had
a compelling argument against legalization, he would not have to
resort to name-calling to make his case.

Nelson D. Crandall

Menlo Park