Pot is a somewhat antiquated term for cannabis, which is still used, for whatever reason, by some people. Its usage seems to be more common on the East Coast, and among older people, both of where cannabis is still somewhat forbidden. Of the many cannabis enthusiasts I know, I very rarely hear the term “pot” used.
As a term, I think it lacks elegance, and descriptiveness. It is a rather dull monosyllable, and the word seems to bring up connotations of toilets. I myself am not wildly fond of cannabis, but the word “pot” seems to be outdated, unnecessary slang for a plant that has a quite usable Latin name.
Especially as cannabis legalization has become a normal part of political discourse, it is a bit jarring for me to see newspapers (mostly on the East Coast) to write “pot” in their headlines, as if they are teenagers trying to be cool in 1973. Hopefully journalists will begin using the more technically accurate term, as they usually do for most legal and illegal drugs.