LEGAL MARIJUANA IS ABOUT CHOICE

Louis R. "Skip" Miller's op-ed (Opinion, July 12) against marijuana
legalization is antiquated, misleading and alarmist.

In truth marijuana use is less dangerous than drinking beer and
smoking cigarettes at the same time. There is no logical reason that
some drugs like alcohol are legal while other drugs, like marijuana,
are not. Legalizing and taxing marijuana and all illegal drugs makes
great sense on many levels.

In a free country each citizen should have the right to choose what
risks we wish to expose ourselves too; it's called freedom of choice.

Those who choose to use drugs will continue to do so regardless of
legality.

Keeping drugs illegal only further empowers the growing corrupting
influence, violence and power of the drug cartels around the world and
in our own neighborhoods.

Michael Alvarado

San Jose