Sure there are benefits but there's also a downside. My son had his car totaled by two girls who were driving while smoking pot. People can stay home and smoke their brains out for all I care. It's not my business. But when they get out on the road while stoned, there are consequences. All we need is more of these irresponsible types, along with drunk drivers, to cause more injuries and deaths. Watch as this becomes a noticeable problem in Colorado and Washington state.
Not to derail this thread, but this counter-argument gets brought up a lot. "But... someone did something bad on marijuana, so..."
We have laws on the books regarding both professional and social behaviors regarding "under the influence". So, things like pilots, surgeons, police and fire fighters, etc would all just need to work out safe operating procedures through their professional societies as they have with alcohol, opiates, tranquilizers, heart medications and other prescribed medications. We also have laws regarding driving under the influence which apply even if a substance isn't specifically articulated in law although I'm sure legislatures will at some point will address that with specific thresholds.
So, either, we as a nation can tell everyone to stay home and drink, smoke and/or do whatever or we can acknowledge that we put the onus on citizens to be responsible and that we then punish the irresponsible.
Cuz, if we're going to force people to stay home rather than endanger people, the roads are FAR more at risk due to alcohol than they EVER will be because of marijuana. /rant.
Okay...back to our regularly scheduled programming. GO RAMS!