Known alcohol related deaths: 10,000+ per year

                Known cigarette related deaths: 350,000+ per year

                Known marijuana related deaths: 0

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                 In strict medical terms, marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating ten raw potatoes can result in toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat or smoke enough cannabis to induce death. When you compare that with the fact that thousands of people die a year from alcoholic overdoses, the question, “why is marijuana illegal again?” comes to mind.  In fact, more Americans die a year from “poor diet”, and “lack of physical activity”, than marijuana.  In truth, marijuana’s illegal status also causes more harm than the drug itself. It costs American tax payers because of the amount of money needed to perform raids and arrests on marijuana users and dealers. It puts teenagers in jail, causing them to miss important years of education and the constant prosecution of marijuana users, and seller plays a major part in the over crowding of jails and prisons. Which brings up another question, “Why waste money and space for people who use a substance that is less addictive than nicotine, less dangerous than alcohol, and physically impossible to overdose on?” I have no idea.