Why do so many countries allow the sale of a damaging drug like alcohol, but ban marijuana?

One of the reasons marijuana is banned in many countries is because its long term effects are unknown. Whether or not smoking marijuana puts you at greater risk of cancer and other diseases is not yet entirely clear, so many countries have taken action to ban it. We do know, however, that marijuana can impact brain formation when used by those under 21 whose brains are still developing, pushing some countries to press the ban further.

Ithink the correct answer would be that since the disease is passed by a hand shake and can be cured with antibiotics that it could be an infection. an example could be that once when i was working in a bush camp, i got blood poisoning from blood blisters that got infected. our cook did not wash his hands after going to the bathroom and he passed staphyloccus on to the crew he fed. one other person also got a bad similar infection on the side of his face. i had to be rescued by helicopter and taken to the hospital so i wouldn't die!