I've often thought you could apply this lesson to drug abuse patterns in the United States resulting from the criminalization of marijuana. I'll never argue that weed isn't addictive or can't have negative personal and social consequences, but they are minor compared to pretty much every other drug. One wonders if, as more people use marijuana in an increasingly tolerant and legal environment, substance abuse of other more dangerous drugs won't decline.

Alcohol has never been a good substitute for the more euphoric nature of most illegal drugs. Weed is definitely in that euphoric wheelhouse though, so I can see a lot of people who might have otherwise tried or used more dangerous drugs being satisfied with weed, as well as learning something about their own abuse risk profile with a far safer drug.