“... It was all about removing the social stigma of getting stoned....”
In your entire post replace the words ‘pot/mj’ with the words ‘alcohol/booze’; then replace ‘stoned’ with ‘drunk’, and tell me why alcohol is ok, but pot is not.
And fwiw, I seldom drink, and have no interest is smoking anything.
Because pot simulates spirituality if used in even small quantities which makes it hard if not impossible to reconcile with God. Smoking pot causes our brains to get it spiritual "fulfillment" in a pot high instead of seeking God.
Drunkness is of course not good, but consumption of alcohol in small quantities doesn't impair our ability to have a real spiritual existence.
Christianity figured this out which is why drug use was taboo in Christianity for so long. The word translated "witchcraft" or "sorcery' in the new testament is the greek word "pharmakeia" (transliterated). The use of drugs among pagans was thought to be mystical or helpful. In reality it was practitioners of the black arts getting stoned and/or getting others stoned. This cut them off from God and allowed demons to influence them....it opens a gateway in our minds that demons exploit which is why scripture teaches Christians not do it.
Now if one removes God and the notion that we should strive to reconcile with God then there is no moral difference between the two. Of course without God and his laws there's no need to respect any morality at all.