Weed vs Alcohol

Alcohol and marijuana are two of the most widely used intoxicating substances on earth and there is
always much debate concerning which of the substances is less harmful. Which is the healthiest
poison?

It is a complex question due to the two substances differing in legality, ingestion methods and long-
term effects. Keep in mind that the effects of both substances are felt on an individual basis and
several factors including their height, weight, age, and more result in different outcomes. Also note
that there is much more research on alcohol compared to weed. Let’s have a closer look and draw a
comparison health-wise.

ALCOHOL: GENERAL RISKS AND INFORMATION

With alcohol, the chemical compound, ethanol, enters the bloodstream and is transmitted
throughout the body. As a result, inhibitions are reduced, coordination and judgement are impaired,
speech is slurred and blackouts may occur. In a similar way to marijuana, alcohol causes a rush of
dopamine into the brain. A large review published in August in the medical journal The Lancet found
that among people aged 15-49, alcohol use was the leading health risk factor across the globe in
2016, with 3.8% of all female deaths and 12·2% of all male deaths attributable to alcohol use.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that alcohol consumption harms the brain and most
body organs. The long-term effects of drinking heavily are well known leading to a lot of threatening
issues such as alcoholic liver disease which can progress to liver cancer. The immune system can be
compromised, the risk of cancer increased and fetal development is put at risk. It is well established
in the medical field that alcohol is attributed to poor mental health and can exacerbate underlying
mental health disorders. The National Alcohol Indicators (NAI) project, conducted by the National
Drug Research Institute (NDRI) at Curtin University found that almost 6 000 Australians died from
alcohol-attributable disease in a single year (2015). Binge drinking accounted for a large portion of
these deaths.

CANNABIS: GENERAL RISKS AND INFORMATION

Cannabis continues to be the world’s most widely used illicit drug, with an estimated annual
prevalence of 3.9% of the adult population aged 15–64 years, or the equivalent of 192 million people
having used cannabis at least once in 2018 (AIHW). As marijuana is ingested (usually smoking or eat
it), cannabinoids (chemicals) like THC, are released into the body. They get to the brain and attach to
cannabinoid receptors which are activated to release dopamine (the high) that is associated with
impaired thinking and slower reaction time. The variety of products for cannabis again make it
difficult to obtain a full picture of its effects, as the way you consume it has a big impact- for example
smoking weed is rough on the air passageways but this is not a side effect with edibles.

In comparison to alcohol, the number of deaths caused by marijuana is almost zero. Using marijuana
lends itself to impaired short-term memory, impaired motor coordination and with high doses,
paranoia and psychosis. It is nontoxic and unlikely to cause death from overdose. In a 2014 study by
the Society for the Study of Addition, the fatal dose of TCH would be 15-70 grams. A typical joint
contains 0.5 grams and thus one would need to smoke 238-1113 joints in a day to overdose. Yet this
does not mean it is harmless. Users of marijuana have been found to have altered brain
development (particularly when used by adolescents). Long-term users of marijuana may be at risk
for problems with memory and learning later in life. There is a link between its frequent use by teens
and increased risk of anxiety and depression. There is evidence that marijuana can worsen
psychiatric issues for people that are predisposed to them or bring them out at a younger age and
due to it being typically smoked, it can bring on bronchitis, coughing and chronic inflammation of the
air passages. Unlike alcohol, which slows your heart rate, marijuana speeds it up which could
negatively affect the heart in the short-term.

ADDICTION

Between the two, marijuana appears much less addictive. According to the criteria for dependence
in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, approximately 9% of those who
experiment with marijuana will become addicted. For alcohol, however, that percentage leaps to
23%. Both weed and alcohol carry a potential for misuse and addiction.

DRIVING

When looking at driving stoned and driving drunk, they are the two most commonly detected drug in
drivers involved in car accidents with alcohol being on top. A 2013 study, Accident Analysis and
Prevention, found that marijuana increased the odds of being in a car accident by 83% and alcohol
consumption by 2200%.

CANCER

When considering a link to cancer, alcohol is linked to several kinds (CDC, 2018) whereas a review by
the International Journal of Cancer found no association between lung cancer and habitual practice
of smoking marijuana. In modern times, cannabis is being used as a valuable aid in pain control.

DECIDER

The key takeaway is that when using or consuming either substance, caution should be exercised.
Excessive alcohol consumption in comparison to excessive marijuana use does appear to pose more
serious health dangers. Marijuana is less addictive, does not cause cancer and is unlikely to lead to a
fatal overdose according to current research. There is no hangover associated with it as opposed to
drinking. Yet this conclusion should be accepted with a grain of salt as it there are many more
vigorous studies detailing the effects of alcohol but marijuana is still in its infancy stage in
comparison.
REFERENCES

 Accident Analysis and Prevention. 2013. Drug use and fatal motor vehicle crashes: A case-
control study. Available at: https://www.cuinjuryresearch.org/wp-
content/uploads/2013/10/Li-et-al-AAP-2013.pdf?version=meter+at+5&module=meter-
Links&pgtype=article&contentId=&mediaId=&referrer=&priority=true&action=click&content
Collection=meter-links-click. [Accessed 13 July 2021].
 AIHW. 2021. Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia. Available at:
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol/alcohol-tobacco-other-drugs-
australia/contents/drug-types/cannabis. [Accessed 13 July 2021].
 American Addiction Centre. 2020. THE GREAT DEBATE: ALCOHOL VS MARIJUANA. Available
at: https://drugabuse.com/blog/marijuana-vs-alcohol/. [Accessed 13 July 2021].
 Business Insider Australia. 2018. We took a scientific look at whether weed or alcohol is
worse for you — and there appears to be a winner. Available at:
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/alcohol-marijuana-which-worse-health-2017-11?
r=US&IR=T. [Accessed 13 July 2021].
 Cancer Council WA. 2018. Alcohol causes nearly 6,000 Australian deaths in one year, cancer
responsible for one in three. Available at: https://www.cancerwa.asn.au/articles/news-
2018/alcohol-causes-nearly-6000-australian-deaths-in-on/#:~:text=one%20in
%20three-,Alcohol%20causes%20nearly%206%2C000%20Australian%20deaths%20in
%20one%20year%2C%20cancer,new%20research%20being%20released%20today.
[Accessed 13 July 2021].
 Healthline. 2020. How Weed and Alcohol Stack Up Against Each Other. Available at:
https://www.healthline.com/health/weed-vs-alcohol#takeaway. [Accessed 13 July 2021].
 MD linx. 2020. Is it healthier to smoke weed or drink alcohol?. Available at:
https://www.mdlinx.com/article/is-it-healthier-to-smoke-weed-or-drink-
alcohol/7bhmtMNdgXlzy2HE69hRPU. [Accessed 13 July 2021].