welcome to SR stevebone.
Old thread, but I guess this is a perennial argument.
I used pot to escape my life, just like I did alcohol - the behaviour was exactly the same - the lying, the secrets, the evading responsibility, the hurting of my loved ones, the obsession, the taking over my life.
I've yet to have those same reactions with coffee, smokes, sugar, tea, chocolate and aspirin or any of the other things that seem to come up in this argument.
D