This is all anecdotal for sure, but my experiences:
I injured myself about a year ago. Prior to that I had weed under control, worked out every other day, ate well and generally was doing pretty great. Then I ran into an old flame who loved to smoke. I got injured and it began - all we did was smoke. It makes me introverted and paranoid and incredibly critical (of myself, situations and others). We didn't work out, but Mary Jane was back in my life and she stuck around. I gained 25 pounds. My work suffered (self employed, so no risk of firing, just not performing as well). I had to stop going to the gym for a few months due to the injury, but once I healed up I didn't return - no motivation. I think I'd be a tad melodramatic if I say my life was "ruined", however, it certainly wasn't very enjoyable.
That's the thing with weed in your late 20's/early 30's (for me) - it's not fun like it was casually smoking in high school when you were being a rebel. Now you're 'supposed' to be a functioning adult who contributes to society. All I was doing was working (sometimes high), and then getting baked. I lived alone, family out east, and spent all my waking moments smoking.
Finally I decided to get back in the game, and luckily, met a great girl in Nov. I quit weed on the spot - I didn't want to #### this one up. It's been going great, I'm back at the gym trying to get back to where I was a year ago, work is on the upswing and I've been very productive.
But there is that issue that was touched on earlier - the underlying root of why one goes the way I did. Sadness? Loneliness? Addictive personality traits? Some sort of neuroconnection formed when I was learning to crawl? Who knows, but it's there for me. And I'm sure it's there (and way worse) for others. For anyone to judge and say it's not life ruining is a little ignorant from my perspective. We all like to laugh and quote Bob Saget from Half Baked, but that's not reality.
So, legalization? Decriminalization? I guess so. It's a revenue stream for the government and that *could* bring good things. I think if it's done with the intention of protecting citizens (from bad product) then it would be a decent idea. But of course in reality it'll be marketed and monetized and people will get hurt. So that sucks. I'm not against it, but I know I'll be avoiding it.
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