"The real answer is that less people use them."
How vague! Did you know that 80% of Australia's Beer is consumed by 10% of its population.... So is that a case of your "less people using them"?
Additionally, the use of cannabis for thousands of years in Asia, Europe and Africa is also "less people using them." I think not!
Also the youths that abuse dope and “go off the track” also use alcohol, if not more than the dope. They simply blame “dope” so the magistrate feels sorry for them and puts them on a detoxification programme.
Finally:
"Certainly, the direct effects of cannabis are less immediately fatal than alcohol; but allowing people to get wildly stoned all the time will have serious side-effects for a considerable period, i.e. years, until or unless responsible usage becomes the trend. Then there are all the long-term physiological and psychological consequences to worry about..."
By simply changing ONE word the opposite argument applies:
"Certainly, the direct effects of cannabis are less immediately fatal than alcohol; but allowing people to get wildly PISSED all the time will have serious side-effects for a considerable period, i.e. years, until or unless responsible usage becomes the trend. Then there are all the long-term physiological and psychological consequences to worry about..."
Alcohol is worse short-term and long-term! So your whole argument makes little sense.
Maybe this will make life easier:
Short-term alcohol = alcoholic poisoning, death, vomiting.
Short-term dope = mild hallucinations, at worst time distortion.
Long-term alcohol = sclerosis of liver, hepatitis, marriage break-down, domestic violence.
Long-term dope = Start dressing like Bob Marley.
