Decriminalisation is a far better option than outright legalising it. While through legalisation, we can regulate and thus collect taxes and ensure that their is no shady mixing going on, there ARE health affects from smoking. Period. Sure, alcohol isn't terribly better. However the difference is alcohol, like tobacco, is very imbedded in culture. Even knowing the health affects, they continue to be legal despite attempts to crack down on them. With marijuana, we are still at the point where we can stop it from being mainstream and embedded deeply within culture. This however, requires people to acknowledge there are health affects and it is just as dangerous to be under the influence as alcohol when it comes from work/driving/etc.