In its own way, it (especially in its modern more potent formulations) is as dangerous as tobacco, or alcohol.

I'm not saying that to excuse its classification as a narcotic, or its part in the so-called War on Drugs when alcohol is regulated and sold, Ritalin is given out to hyperactive kids like candy, and the Valium family of drugs is typically way overprescribed, to name three other oft-abused drugs. But because it may not be as bad as the fear-mongers would have you believe doesn't mean it's good or in some way "better".

But whenever I hear someone frothing at the mouth over marijuana use, I am reminded of those "When it was 1900" articles you read every now and then, such as marijuana, heroin, morphine, and others being sold over-the-counter in drugstores, Coca-Cola containing cocaine rather than caffeine, and so forth.