Alcohol vs Weed: Which is Worse? Effects, Risks, Safety, etc
But if Amendment 3 passes, anyone 21 years old and older would be able to use and possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana, with some restrictions. Do you meth withdrawal: symptoms duration coping tips and more want to go insane, suffering a long painful death, hallucinating and scared? Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering?
Even if legal, recreational marijuana likely to be more restricted and more expensive
The third are descriptive and analytic epidemiological studies on the relationship between cannabis use and accidents, usually performed through drug testing of injured drivers. Together, the effects on impairment are additive and may even be synergistic. Chronic marijuana smokers are less impaired by both alcohol and marijuana than would why does alcohol cause bruising be expected, however. The validity of case-control studies rests entirely on careful matching of cases with controls, which is hard to do. Dussault and Breault’s study also only measured carboxy-THC, so the calculated OR was really for the risk of accidents given marijuana use at all rather than for marijuana use while driving.
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Most studies are fraught with methodological problems that could lead to underreporting of drug use or misclassification of experimental subjects into or out of the marijuana-using category, confounding results. But the study fits in with a body of work that has found mixed results regarding marijuana and the brain. Some animal research, for example, hints that at least some cannabinoids, the compounds in cannabis, may be protective for the neural system, Hutchison said. Studies in humans, on the other hand, have returned varied results, and many have been too small-scale to draw firm conclusions. Moderate alcohol consumption may have cardiovascular benefits but excessive drinking can put you at an increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias. When it comes to drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis, the road to health is complex and individual experiences may vary.
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Both weed and alcohol, together and on their own, are also potentially addictive and can lead to dependence and misuse. Still, there’s some evidence to suggest that regularly combining alcohol and weed may have some concerning effects over time. alcohol dependence withdrawal and relapse pmc While there’s some research around the effects of drinking alcohol before using weed, there isn’t much about the opposite approach. There’s also this perception that it’s extremely rare to get addicted to marijuana, but that’s a myth.
Several studies link alcohol with violence, particularly at home. That has not been found for cannabis.
If you want to seek out medical marijuana for a specific condition consider finding a doctor with Green Health Docs. Getting a medical marijuana card can ensure that you have access to regulated medical marijuana simply and easily. One thing that’s clear about the alcohol vs. weed debate is that both should be used responsibly and driving while intoxicated on anything should be avoided at all costs. That being said, alcohol still faces all of the same aforementioned tolls on your health and risks of addiction.
Another person might not have any issues with misusing alcohol but still find it hard to function without weed. Before getting into comparing alcohol and weed, it’s important to understand some of the factors that make the comparison tricky. Currently, there is no THC restriction for smokable medical marijuana in Florida, although patients are restricted to a 35-day supply under 2.5 ounces unless a qualified physician requests an exception.
Alcohol ‘more damaging to brain health than marijuana’
Because marijuana can impair coordination and balance, there is the risk of hurting oneself, particularly if someone drives or chooses to have unprotected sex while their inhibitions are lowered, Baler said. These are two areas where people using marijuana could hurt themselves for the short and long term. All of this helps prove that marijuana isn’t totally harmless — and some of its risks are likely unknown. Drug experts broadly agree that individuals and society would arguably be better off if marijuana became the most accepted recreational intoxicant of choice instead of alcohol. It’s also important to remember that there aren’t many high-quality, long-term studies on weed and its effects. Both can also leave you feeling a bit worse for wear the next day, though this is more likely to happen with alcohol.
- The purpose of this paper is to review the scientific evidence on the effects on driving while intoxicated with marijuana and contrast this with the effects of alcohol intoxication.
- Dussault and Breault’s study also only measured carboxy-THC, so the calculated OR was really for the risk of accidents given marijuana use at all rather than for marijuana use while driving.
- If the question is about weight, the African elephant is the biggest land animal.
- However, when cannabis and alcohol’s effects on relationships, delinquency and education are measured, results are less conclusive.
- Alcohol abuse is more likely than cannabis to play a role in events such as traffic accidents and violence.
Research tells us that THC appears to be responsible for cannabis’ addictive potential due to its effects on the brain’s dopamine system. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced by the brain that influences the experience of pleasure and rewards. There’s a common perception that cannabis is safer and less addictive than alcohol. For example, in a recent survey of more than 1,000 Americans, respondents ranked alcohol as “somewhat and moderately addictive” compared to “not very or somewhat addictive” for marijuana.
Many of the issues have to do with legality and preconceived judgment of cannabis. Alcohol has been legal significantly longer compared to cannabis and some of these stigmas can impact people’s judgment about cannabis use. Excessive alcohol use can cause brain damage and degenerative conditions like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which can cause severe memory impairment and other cognitive deficits.
Alcohol can contribute to social and behavioral issues, including aggression, mood swings, outbursts, relationship issues, and legal troubles. As mentioned, alcohol can cause many different negative effects on your body, most notably the liver. Chronic alcohol use can lead to liver diseases such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis, gastritis and pancreatitis. While there are negative benefits, cannabis does have many medicinal benefits including treatment of pain, nausea, issues with eating or keeping down food, and can help treat anxiety and depression. In general, marijuana is considered less harmful than alcohol but alcohol can be considered more socially acceptable. After all, you can only purchase cannabis products at dispensaries where in some states you can purchase alcohol in supermarkets.
Cannabis can affect your ability to pay attention, memory, and decision-making. It can overall slow your reaction time and your general perception of time and distance which can increase your likelihood of getting into an accident. However, this is low compared to 40% of all car crashes that directly involve alcohol.
Despite there being issues, most issues caused by cannabis can be reversible if you stop using cannabis. Given the available evidence, I don’t recommend alcohol use or cannabis use to my patients for any medical or psychiatric conditions. I’m also concerned about older patients who take multiple medications and use cannabis, given limited data on how the two interact. Cannabis use is increasing among older adults but there is very limited data on its effects in this group. Alcohol can cause driving accidents and contributes to assaults and suicide.
For instance, heroin and crack cocaine are fairly close in the rankings. But heroin scores much higher for mortality risk, while crack poses a much bigger risk for mental impairment. The individual scores account for a host of variables, including mortality, dependence, drug-related family adversities, environmental damage, and effect on crime. Cannabis addiction is surprisingly common, however, according to 2015 study. While being intoxicated with weed feels different than being intoxicated with alcohol, the two have roughly the same effect on your cognitive abilities, reflexes, and judgment. The immediate effects of weed can vary quite a bit from person to person.
Yet in the 20th century, the tobacco industry designed highly addictive products and incited a worldwide epidemic in tobacco addiction and subsequent cancer, cardiovascular and lung disease. Similar observational studies over decades have been critical to our current knowledge base regarding alcohol. We also need randomized, controlled trials to understand the potential benefits of different cannabinoid compounds.