Re: "Marijuana legalization arguments are not valid," Jan. 17 U-wire column.

There are valid legalization arguments. A quote from a letter online by Robert Sharpe, "After months of exhaustive research, the Canadian Senate recently concluded that marijuana is relatively benign, marijuana prohibition contributes to organized crime, and law enforcement efforts have little impact on patterns of use."

Another by Canadian Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue."

No one has ever died from a marijuana overdose. So is it completely harmless? No, but a regulated market would minimize any harms that do occur. Legalization would bring laws concerning the appropriate use of marijuana. Distribution to minors would be prohibited. Currently, drug dealers do not ID and acquiring marijuana provides the black market contacts for truly hard drugs.

We have tried prohibition once already. It lead to a criminal underworld, unsafe products and a disrespect for the law.

Was prohibition repealed because alcohol was found harmless? No, it was repealed because its use was found less corrosive to society than its prohibition.

Marijuana's greatest harm to an individual is the penalties that come with its illegal status.

The decision to use it should fall under the realm of personal choice and responsibility.

It's past time to reevaluate the outdated policies and extreme monetary waste that goes into criminalizing a plant and its users.