From Asheville Citizen-Times columnist Dave Russel's latest piece:

What about alcohol?

In many ways, legalizing marijuana makes more sense than legalizing even alcohol. Marijuana, while habit-forming, is not addictive. No one has ever overdosed on marijuana, but people drink themselves to death, sadly. Overall, alcohol use, through DUI accidents and long-term health issues, kills about 100,000 people a year. I’ll take a stoned driver over a drunk driver any day.

Studies show that alcohol contributes to incidences of domestic violence and sexual assault and marijuana use does not. As a matter of fact, studies show that alcohol use contributes to aggressive behavior and acts of violence, whereas marijuana use actually reduces the likelihood of violence. And finally, like it says on more than one bathroom wall, “God made marijuana, man made alcohol. Who do you trust?”