Interesting perspective incoming:
A few years ago, my parents admitted that they only let me smoke weed because it kept me subdued and sedated. By "let" I mean giving me money for it, smoking in my room or on the property, etc.
Their perspective was that, without the regular sedating influence of weed on my mind, I inclined towards a more manic, expressive personality mode, and they preferred to keep me stoned and sedated, subdued and introverted.
Once we had this conversation, I wondered whether the powers that be see marijuana in relation to the general populace in a similar way; as a way of keeping everyone calm and content.
When they admitted this to me, I gained a new perspective on my own use. Was I, indeed, self-medicating myself into a subdued and sedated state of being? Was I stunting my intelligence in its natural mode of expression, confident and clear, and withdrawing into a schizoid-like alternate stoned reality?
I quit soon after. I think if you had to choose between weed and things like opiates, benzos, etc then weed definitely has more benefits, more creative changes in cognition, but it has a similar sedating quality that seems to effect most people.
Some replies in this thread made me laugh; "I smoke weed and climb mountains I'm so motivated!" haha. I guess I'm the only one who smokes and watches hours pass by as I'm chair locked like an immobile zombie, idly consuming paranoiac media on the interwebs. Doesn't matter what strain it is, I turn into a stone statue. When I'm sober, I can access a reserve of energy and motivation to do things, quickly and efficiently, in good spirits. I remember I'd sometimes get things done after smoking but it was more like an effort to break through the haze before it turned me into concrete.