Making something legal that currently is illegal in most states, and carries felony penalty if you carry too much, isn't a relaxation of the law. Merely an alignment? Interesting.
How do you align apples to oranges anyway? Pot affects the brain and body differently than alcohol. Aside from the social stigma and voter desire to get their buzz on, what exactly are you aligning?
To paraphrase peer reviewed research,
Pot:
- Reduces blood flow to brain
- Interferes with learning, memory, and attention
- May increase risks for schizophrenia and other mental illnesses
While Alcohol:
- May contribute to anxiety and depression
This thread is about recreational use, and given the known short and long term effects, I'm doubtful that pot would ever be "aligned" with booze any more than it would be aligned with opioids.
Social stigma and desire make for crappy science.
Sources:
Hall, W. The Lancet, October 2009.
Jeanette Marie Tetrault, MD, FACP, assistant professor of medicine, Yale University School of Medicine.
National Institute on Drug Abuse: "DrugFacts: Marijuana."
Li, M-C. Epidemiologic Reviews, October 2011.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: "Alcohol's Effects on the Body."
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc.: "Drinking and Driving."
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: "Examples of Alcohol's Effect on Organ Function."