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Up until recently, you would have thought that marijuana posed a threat from every anti-drug commercial. Some relied on lying or exaggerating the effects of it. Other advertisements would feature hilariously insane people, drawing a connection between these people and cannabis users. The goal of the advertisements was to portray cannabis as a danger and a waste of time, no matter which direction they went. In White Plains, using cannabis for medical needs requires a medical marijuana card for legal purchase from state-approved dispensaries.
However, alcohol was not given nearly the same attention in these anti-drug campaigns. Ads about alcoholism have been around for decades, and people do not entirely ignore the problem, but the majority of alcohol ads feature pictures of adventures and parties. Not a word about surgeons becoming stoned like their counterparts do while performing surgery. Nope, just a straightforward “Drink Responsibly” at the conclusion of every happy commercial.
Thus, until recently, the majority of people were led to believe by the media that marijuana was much more dangerous. What, though, can science say about all of this? In many aspects, marijuana is safer than alcohol, according to the data. Top 10 reasons why are as follows:
- Death Toll
Not to put too fine a point on things, but the death toll is one of the most powerful markers of danger. Over 3 million people died globally in 2016 as a result of alcohol abuse, including those who suffered from alcohol poisoning, strokes, cancer, and other conditions. In contrast, the death toll from marijuana is a whopping 0. While some inebriated drivers do cause accidents, the majority of drunk drivers are much more common.
- Overdoses
Every year, alcohol poisoning is diagnosed in about 50,000 US patients, according to Alcoholism Solutions. The situation is even worse in the UK, where hospital visits by minors for alcohol poisoning have increased by 20% annually over the last eight years.
Although the data is not as current, in 2011–2012 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that alcohol poisoning was killing six Americans every day. Do you know how many, if any, people lost their lives to marijuana overdoses during that period? Help me spell it: Z.E.R.O. To get there, you would need to smoke anywhere from 238 to 1,113 joints, which equates to 15–70 grams of pure THC. Good luck attempting at all.
- Chronic Illness
Prolonged and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to various health problems such as epilepsy, ischemic heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, and liver cancer. Although marijuana has its own drawbacks, they are mainly restricted to lung problems (especially when combined with tobacco) and, in extreme situations, psychotic episodes. However, almost no one crosses that line. Even so, alcohol consumption poses a risk for psychotic episodes! All things considered, the risks attached to alcohol consumption tipped the scales significantly.
- Violence and Injury Rates
We’re not sure about you guys, but when we smoke, we simply lack the motivation or energy to carry out violent crimes. It appears that others concur.
According to research published in the “American Journal of Emergency Medicine,” long-term cannabis use was infrequently linked to assault-related injuries. In the meantime, studies revealed that alcohol use was linked to 21% of all injuries and 36% of assaults that occurred in hospitals. Ignore the term “safer” when one drug is linked to that many hospital visits.
- Impact on the Brain
Surprisingly, marijuana does not kill the brain, despite the fact that many of you may believe this based on popular belief. Actually, the contrary is true, according to Dr. Gary L. Wenk in a “Psychology Today” article!
He cites studies from the Scripps Research Institute that show binge drinkers severely undervalue neurogenesis—the development of new brain cells—even after they have stopped. On the other hand, recent research discovered that _activating_ cannabinoid receptors _activates_ neurogenesis.
- Medicinal Viability
Compared to alcohol, marijuana has the benefit of actually helping some people. In addition to the fact that many people use cannabis for general therapeutic purposes, in states where medical marijuana use is permitted, patients with conditions like chronic pain and nausea are frequently prescribed cannabis or cannabinoid therapies. When was the last time a doctor prescribed whiskey (after the 1870s)? That’s right.
- Anxiety and Depression
Many people who suffer from anxiety and depression find relief from medical marijuana, even though excessive use of the drug can exacerbate these same problems. To be honest, not much research has been done in this area, and cannabis is rarely prescribed for mental health conditions. That hasn’t stopped people from self-administering CBD and THC in different ratios, though.
The anxiolytic potential of CBD in particular is being investigated. When social phobia patients took a simulated public speaking exam, one study found that CBD significantly reduced the patients’ subjective anxiety.
Things are not looking good in this domain when it comes to alcohol. As a well-known depressant of the central nervous system, alcohol consumption over time has been linked to a number of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.
- Obesity
Indeed, a lot of cannabis users get “the munchies,” or the inability to eat while high. Contrary to popular belief, cannabis users actually tend to fall toward the lower end of the body mass index range compared to non-users. Thus, you can discard the stereotype of the “lazy stoner.”
Contrarily, alcohol lacks any useful nutrients and is naturally high in calories. Particularly long-term binge drinking is linked to increased adipose tissue rates, which in turn leads to increased obesity rates.
- Cancer
As we mentioned before, alcohol consumption can lead to various forms of cancer. On the other hand, cannabis has long been used to treat the uncomfortable physiological symptoms of cancer, including chemotherapy side effects, even though it is not currently recognized as a cancer treatment in and of itself.
It’s interesting to note that some early research indicates that in vitro, cannabinoids “slow growth and/or cause death” of cancer cells. That being said, this is by no means a workable treatment. Nevertheless, given the extremely negative effects of alcohol, the fact that cannabis has any potential in this area is encouraging.
- Alzheimer’s Disease
Scientific evidence has been provided by a recent study to support the long-standing association between alcohol consumption and the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Researchers discovered that alcohol’s effects on phagocytosis “may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” according to a study published in the “Journal of Neuroinflammation”.
How about cannabis? Preclinical research has revealed that minute concentrations of THC can lower the synthesis of beta-amyloid protein, which is a major cause of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s crucial to remember that it’s far too early to think of cannabis as a treatment for the illness in this case as well. But these findings demonstrate that cannabis has a very diverse range of effects, as do other research highlighting possible neuroprotective properties.
Are you living in White Plains and considering cannabis for health? A medical marijuana card is essential. Connect with a medical marijuana doctor for legal access to medical cannabis.
