In response to the recent letters regarding the legalization of marijuana, I feel that many people are strongly for it, but the evidence is purely anecdotal. People need to look at facts. Marijuana, just like heroin, comes from nature. ItâÄôs a psychoactive drug, and any psychoactive drugs have the potential for addiction. In fact, 60 percent of adolescents are in drug treatment for marijuana as their primary addiction. Long-term effects of marijuana use include brain damage, and marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more cancer-causing agents than cigarette smoke. If marijuana becomes legal, people will have easier access to it and usage would increase. If thatâÄôs not the main point of legalizing marijuana, please inform me of the real reason. A strong point made by people in favor of the legalization is that, once legalized, marijuana can be better controlled. But, alcohol is legal, and itâÄôs barely controlled. Almost anyone, regardless of age, can obtain alcohol. Legalizing marijuana would just make it easier for underage teens to obtain it, and earlier marijuana use has a more severe impact on brain development. The only reason why the effects of marijuana appear less severe now is because itâÄôs illegal and not readily available. Making it legal would only increase the impact, so think twice about changing the laws. Like they say: âÄúIf it ainâÄôt broke, donâÄôt fix it.âÄù Scott Nason University undergraduate student