Our state just decriminalized MM. My own feelings have evolved over the years.
One of the more compelling arguments I heard against the decriminalization of pot is that it is, in fact, much more potent than it used to be. The other argument is that if someone is willing to break the law to obtain something, it is probably not as innocuous as they would have their loved ones believe.
I remember years ago, hearing a colleague on the phone with a lawyer, discussing how to minimize the fallout of his 19-year-old son's DWI. Aside from losing his license and points on his license, there was the specter of mandatory alcohol counseling. Colleague and his son just wanted the whole issue to "go away." I remember thinking, his son had to obtain booze illegally, and drink until he was too drunk to drive, and then be one of the 1 in 10 police think they actually catch. The boy has a problem. But, not my kid, and until he hits and kills me, not my problem. And not all teenagers drink, and not all who drink, drink to excess, so the "everybody does it"philosophy doesn't fly with me.
I find it troubling that people who smoke pot all say "it's no worse than alcohol." Are they unconscious, or really so limited in their experience that they've never been touched by the issue of alcoholism?
The most troubling aspect for me is that all the people I've known who have smoked pot thought driving while stoned was absolutely hysterical. (And they had admitted impairments of judgement, perception of time, etc,) With the medical pot decriminalized, I think there is a whole new public relations battle to unfold, educating those that partake that impaired driving is not humorous.
Sorry to be such a downer, but as the widow of an alcoholic, and the daughter of a drunk driver who killed someone, the impairment and driving makes me a little nuts. (Having your Dad go to jail at 76 years old is not fun. But as the aggrieved family pointed out, their Dad didn't get to be 76.)