Both? It can help ease pain and spark creativity. It can also dull your mind and encourage you to stay in your head instead of the world. I don't think it has such bad effect and addiction potential that it should be banned recreationally but, like everything under capitalism, it's easy to end up forming an unhealthy habit with it. I don't think I'd be hitting the bowl as much as I do if I wasn't deeply atomized and unsatisfied with where my life is.

Idk enough about different drug stuff to weigh in on how those should be handled.