I think a big thing that's overlooked is the difference between psychological and physiological dependency, as well as the stigma or popular idea of addiction.

I think a big thing that's overlooked is the difference between psychological and physiological dependency, as well as the stigma or popular idea of addiction. Weed doesn't feel addictive in the classic sense, especially in comparison to things that are much more addictive, like nicotine and alcohol. I used to live basically next door to a dispensary, and would smoke multiple times a day. If I didn't smoke, I'd sometimes find it hard to get to sleep the first night or so, but it wasn't as bad as going without a cigarette, missing adderall, or what I've seen people go through on opiates. Given that many recreational users are into other stuff, too (especially before legal dispensaries that looked like Apple stores came along), along with the pro-cannabis propaganda, it's easy to see how people don't take it seriously.