For what it's worth, I completely agree with you. It is beyond me why pot is illegal and alcohol isn't. The disadvantages I see about pot are:
- it is a carcinogen and ativan is not
- it impairs your focus (driving, working) and while ativan can also do those things, its production and quality testing are controlled, as opposed to pot (but, of course, if it weren't illegal, then some manufacturing and quality regulations could be imposed...)