The debate regarding the legalization of #marijuana continues across the US, even though the country's previously restrictive bipartisan policies had considerably reduced the addiction rate. The number of Americans over age 12 using marijuana decreased from 13.2% in 1979 to 6.1% in 2008. This triumph of public health policy is in danger of being totally reversed, as federal legalization will prove perilous in the long run.

Proponents of legalization believe that it would help save costs arising from abusers who have been apprehended, and are being currently held in prison using public tax money. However, only a very small number of criminals in prison are incarcerated only for marijuana use.

Other defenders argue that legalizing the drug would add much-needed tax revenue to the government's coffers. This argument is preposterous as it amounts to a moral debasement of a government that is willing to promote substance abuse and addiction among youth, at the cost of the greater common good.

Taxing marijuana would not deter the illegal trade, but could in fact push drug dealers to find new workarounds without having to report their earnings and pay taxes. Moreover, they could add toxic ingredients to make their product more potent and addictive than what is legally available in the market.

Close to two-thirds of Americans with a history of substance abuse have reported being dependent on marijuana. With legalization, these numbers would increase dramatically. It's not just financially independent adults who are at risk, but teenagers as well. Nearly 60% of Americans who suffer from substance-related disorders are addicted to marijuana.

There's also the issue of traffic accident fatalities. Studies show that cannabis significantly slows down reaction time and motor coordination leading to an increase in road accidents. An AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that many drivers involved in fatal crashes had consumed weed hours before driving.

Legalizing weed for recreational purposes will increase addiction levels, including hardcore drugs, and the financial/emotional ripple effects of this dependence would be disastrous. The health, safety, productivity and education of an entire nation is at risk if incompetent politicians make marijuana legal.