If you felt that you weren't in control when you were high, i guarantee you were just convincing yourself of that. that is not what thc does to you. or you had some bizarre reaction that is atypical. Everyone I know who legitimately knows how to smoke and doesn't fake a high is extremely capable of doing tasks when high. Not saying it doesn't impair you, of course it does, but I've never met somebody who was out of control when they were high.
weed is not more potent than most alcohols. once i smoke a lot of weed, I'm done. I don't get much higher, and I just pass out. But alcohol will get you more and more drunk until you're in danger. You just get that idea because you don't know how an amount of weed compares to an amount of alcohol. Sure, you can get high fairly easily and quickly, but you don't go much further past that point once you reach it.
One joint would not get a habitual smoker high unless it was a pretty fat one. Personally, it would just mellow me out. And all joints aren't the same size. If I wanted to relax but not get high, I could roll an especially thin one. That would be the equivalent of one or two drinks.
Maybe people you know just smoke to get high, but there have been plenty of times when I have just taken a few hits just to relax. People drink a couple drinks to alter their state, albeit subtly, and a cig gives you a buzz, thereby altering your state. It's the nicotine that gives you a buzz, in case you didn't know. So really, you're addicted to the little buzz they can give you (if one is addicted).
And I know what you mean about drinking just for the taste. But if you do that, why don't you just drink non-alcoholic drinks? What's the point of drinking a beer if you're not looking for a small buzz and relaxation? Would you take an alcoholic pina colada over a virgin one, even though the real one is more bitter? Also, have you ever considered that smokers might just like smoking? I know that for me, it turned into a bit of a social activity, a way to relax with friends. It wasn't always the getting high that was fun, it was the sitting in a circle talking about shit and just enjoying each other's company. And after a while, the taste of smoke and the act of inhaling smoke became enjoyable, the same way you enjoy sipping on a beer.
