With over 12,000 deaths per year resulting from DWI's
http://www.drinkinganddriving.org/
and more than 5 million deaths per year resulting from tobacco
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/
how does the federal government justify not legalizing the recreational use of marijuana which shows a number of between 7-9 deaths per year
http://www.drugwatch.org/CEDARS/MarDeaths2002e.pdf
yet have no problem with the legal use of smoking or chewing tobacco and alcohol use? Alcohol and tobacco are easily as much of a "gateway" drug as the prior two. Former Republican and Presidential Candidate/ Representative Ron Paul was for it's legalization as well also citing these factors. Alcohol/ tobacco have proven far more detrimental in both addiction and deaths.