Pretty sure between Dr. Dre and Willie Nelson weed got normalized decades ago by any definition I understand.
Historian Niall Ferguson has argued that the British Empire was built on a collective caffeine and sugar high, from imported tea and cane sugar from its colonies and trading partners.
Weed might be "normalized" in some communities, but a large portion of Americans will silently judge you if you are a recreational drug user regardless of it is weed or cocaine or fentanyl. Contrast to, say, beer or wine, which the majority of Americans will not silently judge you for indulging in moderation.
https://www.tota.world/article/1611/#:~:text=The%20first%20b....
Do you have evidence to support your counterclaims?
It’s by far the best sleep aid I’ve personally found. Practically miraculous. Huge change for the better, I’ve gone several months at a time without it on a couple occasions since starting and holy crap, life used to be terrible. Extremely low-risk, doesn’t leave me hung over feeling like a lot of the legal sleep aids do. Plus, hell, it’s a lot of fun to watch some MST3K while it’s kicking in.
Almost no serious interactions, so you can take it while ill and having to take other drugs, to help (enormously) with sleep or appetite or whatever.
For that matter, having a damn effective pain reliever and sleep aid that you can just keep on hand for when you get the flu or something, and not have to go suffer through a waiting room for a prescription while ill, is a giant QOL boost.
In point of fact, it's often flipped around. It's only been the last few years that I can tell someone I don't drink and be met with lots of, "Good for you!"s rather than silent judgement.
People complain about being sent to jail for weed as if this they are suffering a political persecution, but people can get in legal trouble for drinking alcohol in public places or illegally producing or selling it as well. In some European countries, if both parents are caught drinking alcohol at the same time, even just beer, they'll be stripped of their parental rights. Imagine if that would be a law in America for people who smoke weed. This would be called a genocide or something along the lines of political persecution, some absolutely laughable arguments.
Cigarettes are straightforward evil and harmful. The usage of tobacco is extremely idiotic, it was normalised and promoted by the tobacco companies for profit, despite all the known negative effects.
Gambling must be strictly forbidden. It's pure evil and it's only harming both people and society. In America, gambling isn't freely available to people, same as in many other countries. Try to run a casino in your back yard and get to enjoy the company of some handsome guys in blue. Is it oppression?
Sugar should be limited, same as many other harmful components used in the food production. Excessive usage of sugar leads to obesity which again, is bad for everyone. European countries pretty much do some really good job in this regard.
I'm really annoyed by the hypocrisy of people who so eagerly try to promote and normalise weed as if this is going to help everyone. It wouldn't. I really wouldn't want to see my children smoking it, offered by some chavs who would be friends of their friends I would not approve because of their low behaviour. Weed is same bad as alcohol, nicotine, gambling and sugar you mentioned. It slows down intellectual development of children and degrades the intellect of adults as well. Yes, weed can be a good antidepressant or a pain-relieving medication - if consumed for a short period of time and strictly when it's necessary. This whole hysteria with legalisation of weed reminds me of tobacco companies aggressively promoting cigarettes through the media back in the previous century or modern pharma peddling opioids.
But you're right. I'm not drinking again, and people are way less likely to question that choice now. I can't remember the last time it was questioned, actually.
I'm against drunk driving, yes. I'm also against pilots flying without any sleep. But I would disagree with the assertion that anyone who stays up late belongs in prison.
Sometimes the "cure" (in this case, prison time) is worse than the "disease" (marijuana use).
I've been pretty happy about cigarettes getting gradually outlawed, now I'm supposed to be cheering the rise of marijuana? As if we don't have enough junkies already.