When hearing about a raid on a south Minneapolis tobacco shop after authorities received tips about the sales of synthetic marijuana (Nov. 29), one must wonder if that story would happen if marijuana were legalized in Minnesota and the country.

While manufacturers continue to create extremely harmful and dangerous synthetic drugs to waylay lawmakers and enforcers, the sale and use of marijuana is still illegal (at least federally). So, instead of kids smoking marijuana, which has been shown to carry fewer risks than synthetic drugs, they buy synthetic drugs that can easily kill them, as has already happened twice in Minnesota.

Is this really the way we want the system to work? Even if you are against smoking marijuana or others smoking it, is there not eventually a point when it is more ethical to legalize marijuana for the safety of those who choose synthetic drugs instead?

On Dec. 5, 1933, Prohibition was repealed and America was allowed to (legally) drink alcohol again. Alcohol is considered by many professionals to be far worse to the human body than marijuana.

NIKKI SMITH, MINNEAPOLIS