Legalize it?

A few years ago in Nevada a proposition was on the ballots to legalize marijuana. I voted 'yes' but the law failed to pass - by a lot. Then I read this a couple months ago:

"$13.5 billion is the amount the US government would save if it stopped enforcing laws against marijuana. The Justice Department says it will no longer prosecute people who use it for medical purposes in the 14 states where that's legal."

That's a lot of dinero! But that's not all. I read in another publication:

"44% of Americans now favor making marijuana legal, an all-time high, while 54% are opposed. In the West, an outright majority, 53% favors legalizing and taxing the sale of marijuana, as a way of raising money for struggling state governments."

Let me make it clear. I don't smoke marijuana, never have and I never will. I see no reason and I don't think anyone should use this drug. But if alcohol and tobacco (both far more harmful than marijuana) are legal then why waste a small fortune chasing those who roll marijuana up and smoke it like a cigarette when we could tax the bejeezers out of the same moronic users and use that money elsewhere?

As a social worker working with the terminally ill I have seen numerous men and women die nasty, painful, and gross deaths from complications related to tobacco and alcohol. But I am yet to see someone die from using marijuana. I know, I know, this is hardly something a Mormon should support but the hypocrisy of allowing some harmful substances but not other less harmful substances is killing me.