@Bill Derington :It goes without saying alcohol abuse has not only claimed countless lives, but also ruined countless relationships. Since mankind developed packaged spirits (beer, wine, liquor, etc), folks abuse the stuff and will continue to do so. I very well recall other threads in which you described your own addiction struggles. Personally speaking, I sincerely applaud your courage and strength overcoming alcohol, not to mention your candidness. Truly inspirational and deserving respect.
A few of my own relatives still experience major problems with the bottle. While driving under the influence, one relative totaled two vehicles during the past couple years, most recently a $16K car belonging to his girlfriend. Insurance will not cover the loss. Thankfully, he lives in a rural area. No one else was hurt or killed. He's on probation for the next few years. My German ex-wife's brother in-law struggled mightily with booze. He passed away roughly 10 years ago in a German hospital from liver cirrhosis. Several fellow soldiers I served with also died from liver disease, all before reaching 45 years old.
An informed individual could even argue, perhaps convincingly, alcohol abuse and addiction are a considerable strain on society in general and individuals in particular. Consider not only lives lost or damages inflicted, both physical and mental, but also medical and law enforcement costs, addiction treatment and lost productivity. I suspect certain cost-benefit analyses, which I've not bothered to research, support the informed individual.
Can we realistically make similar arguments concerning marijuana? Well, for starters, I'm unsure if we've collected enough data yet. Arguably,
any substance abuse stands as a societal detriment. Regardless of the vice, individuals become impaired. It's that simple. Introducing a foreign substance into the human body results in changes.
At the end of the day, I, for one, am very happy Vermont enacted such legislation. Vermonters, like citizens of the 8 other pot-legal states, are now afforded choices. The informed individual decides whether or not risks outweigh rewards.
Sorry for the long-winded post. I really looked forward to visiting Colorado earlier this month until my friend backed out over financial issues. We own a small lot located between Fairplay and Hartsell CO, valued at a whopping $849 on a good day. I really wanted to check it out. Maybe next year.