I've had two friends die from alcohol - one, a Marine Lt. from a car accident DUI and one because his body finally shut down after years of alcoholism. When he started getting seizures, you knew it wouldn't be long after that. There is an old fraternity buddy that is "on the bubble" right now too. A semi-functioning alcoholic accountant.
I can remember alcohol-related date rape issues in college (its funny, one of the new "War on Drugs" commercials is trying to paint pot as a date-rape inducer, what a joke). I can remember alcohol-related beatings that caused brain damage to the victim. I almost died, and killed others, in alcohol related driving incidents in my late teens and early 20s. Only one accident, thank god, with no injuries and no DUI (I was drag racing in an old Volvo - that says a lot - and hit a parked car), but more than a few one-eyed drives and hyper aggressive driving even when far less buzzed. Frankly, alcohol is to be feared if you are at a point in life when you have trouble controlling moderation. Fortunately, I can have only one or two today without too much trouble, and still get a good buzz on from time to time in safe situations.
I've seen friends whose lives were completely ruined by coke too. I see alcohol as being closer to cocaine in life damage, but not nearly as addictive. If there is any moral substance to the war on drugs then alcohol must be criminalized again. Anything else is gross hypocrisy. Or, perhaps, we need to rethink the whole issue, which has been totally opposed by all recent administrations.
Pot is hardly a vitamin, but it seems to leave less carnage. The pot heads who are losers are likely going to be losers whether they have pot to smoke or not. The same applies to other drugs, but... because of their aggressive physical addictiveness, physical damage and the extent to which the drugs can take over someone's life I feel there is a difference.
Moderation is the key to anything. Any drug can become a hindrance, pot certainly included, particularly if you're predisposed to look for or need a crutch in life.
Charon