Which is Really Worse for Your Health? Marijuana or Alcohol

Ali Rivera 

The Paw Print

Living in Colorado brings up the subject of marijuana. We all have heard the facts and have seen the people preach about how medical marijuana can benefit some. However a big question that is floating around is how is marijuana any different than alcohol regarding the health, safety, and crime? That will be for you to decide after reading.

According to studies there is no documentation on a death regarding marijuana. However reports from the (CDC) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 37,000 deaths in the US have been cause by the use of alcohol. Furthermore marijuana does not have any documentation on any over doses. Alcohol has millions of documentations of over doses in the US each year, according the (CDC). In addition Marijuana has been reported as a less toxic drug compared to alcohol, according to American Scientist. Why? Because if you consume too much, it could lead to death.

Secondly, how dose do Marijuana and alcohol affect the brain differently? According to studies marijuana has been found to have neuroprotective properties which means that marijuana helps protect the brain from any damage. On the other hand, alcohol has been known to kill brain cells. According to a recent study, teens that have used just marijuana had less damage to their brains compared to teens who just consume alcohol. Another interesting fact is marijuana has been known to cure cancer cells, along with becoming a sort of pain reliever for patients with cancer. However, alcohol has been shown to link to cancer, such as kidney cancer liver cancer etc. according to several different studies.

An addition situation that the people worry about is the safety of the community when it comes to marijuana vs alcohol. Conferring to studies, it has been proven that alcohol contributes to the likelihood of violence and aggressive behavior. Conversely, marijuana has proven that when intoxicated there is less aggressiveness then when intoxicated by alcohol. Also when it comes to violent crimes The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism studies have predicted that over 25-30 percent of violent crimes that have been committed in the US have been linked to alcohol. In addition, a report from the U.S department of justice has documented that there is over 5,000,000 violent crimes committed each year due to alcohol.

Another issue that is a concern is the risk of injury when intoxicated. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, discovered that over 21 percent of injuries were associated with the use of alcohol. On the other hand American Journal of Emergency Medicine studies have reported that marijuana is rarely linked to hospital visits. Marijuana and alcohol are different from each other because of their effects. One can create violence and the other not so much. Overall you can see that the two drugs are different in their properties now it is up to you to decide….. marijuana or alcohol?