Marijuana vs Alcohol

It’s funny that you can legally buy alcohol, drain the whole bottle, act like a total douche, and you’ll probably get away with it. But God forbid you ever smoke a joint and eat a pizza. For being such a sinful creature, you could go to prison. Learn all about the marijuana vs alcohol debate!

Enough irony. Alcohol is far more toxic for your body than marijuana. In fact, some revered neurobiologists claim that alcohol is the worst drug available for society. Yet, cannabis still has the stigma from years of dark propaganda against the herb.

Hopefully, the generation shift will soon take over and alcohol in public minds will be worse than marijuana. In 1977, 24% of Americans admitted having tried marijuana at least once in their lives. More interestingly, in 2013, 38% said that they have used weed at least once in the past month. Moreover, some misconceptions and stereotypes about marijuana and people who use it – slowly but surely – begins to break down.

Myths are breaking down

Even those claiming that weed is a gateway drug must face the truth. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy in the U.S. has stated, “There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs”.

Now that the scientists have burst those people’s bubble, I can only say that marijuana leads me to a very dangerous place on a daily basis. This place is my refrigerator. Contrary to what some may think, it’s full of quality food, and I like to indulge in cooking when the 420 is on the clock. Doesn’t sound like a lazy stoner, does it?

How does the marijuana vs alcohol debate affect our daily habits? Let’s take a look at X reasons why I prefer to hit a blunt or two (or maybe three, okay?) instead of getting drunk to the point of being unable to recall what has happened to me during that night out.

1. No Hangover, No Cry

Source: The Spruce

For some people, getting drunk is a pleasant experience. Others don’t know when to stop. It is the latter attitude that is responsible for the hangover. The hangover is a natural reaction of your body to the intoxication it experienced the night before. A pounding headache, unstoppable nausea, unquenchable thirst, and short breath are one of the most vicious side effects of going overboard with booze.

As for marijuana vs alcohol, you won’t experience any kind of hangover from smoking even copious amounts of weed. The potential drowsiness and the unwillingness of your comfortable bed may be the only drawback when it comes to weed.

2. Your Liver Will Be Grateful

Source: MCohol.com

Given that alcohol actually IS a poison, its legal status is even more absurd in comparison to weed. Alcohol does severe damage to your liver. Excessive drinking brings you one step closer to the liver disease, as it will no longer be able to break down harmful compounds in your system. To cut the long story short, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol may lead to inflammation or even cirrhosis.

There is no way marijuana can harm your liver, although you should consider other methods than smoking if you want to protect your lungs. Apart from that, marijuana is a strong antioxidant, so light-to-moderate use will do you more good than harm.

3. You Can’t Fatally Overdose on Weed

Source: Complex UK

Alcohol is one of the leading causes of death due to an overdose. Yes, you can die after drinking a certain amount of alcohol, after you reach the tolerable limit for your system. Unlike alcohol, marijuana can’t be fatally overdosed, as the cannabinoid receptors aren’t located in the brain stem sectors responsible for respiration. Again, the marijuana vs alcohol fight comes out with weed on top.

4. Marijuana Doesn’t Trigger Aggression

Source: Big Buds Magazine

Have you ever have a fight with someone close to you when you’re high? Neither have I. On the other hand, alcohol often involves verbal or physical harassment, which is the major cause of arguments between people. Cannabis won’t ever change your outward demeanor the way booze is capable of.

According to substance addiction experts, people with drinking problems usually have them at home, too. They are more likely to get violent, reckless, and emotionally unstable. Even up to 60% of women who experienced domestic violence at home were married to heavy drinkers.

On the contrary, women who enjoy weed recreationally have more solid ground in their relationship, says a recent survey by Cosmopolitan.

5. It Can Be a Medication

Source: EarthMed

When it comes to medical use of marijuana, the herb is in stark contrast to alcohol. Pot was in use for a thousand years before it was ever enlisted on the Schedule 1 drug list. Unlike alcohol, cannabis can help patients with many physical and mental ailments, such as epilepsy, cancer, AIDS, PTSD, Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, anxiety, depression, and much, much more.

6. Marijuana vs Alcohol: Creativity

Source: Pot TV

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Matthew McConaughey – these are only some of the people who are the advocates of marijuana vs alcohol. Some studies claim that moderate use of cannabis actually bolsters neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Thus, it stimulates the mind and makes it more sharp and alert. Even the smallest amount of THC could protect your brain cells and defend cognitive function. That being said, harborbursts of creativity marijuana provides is something that’s impossible to achieve with booze.

Well, there are a few studies proving that, in a way, alcohol can stimulate creativity, too. A group of men with a blood alcohol content of 0.0075 were given a problem-solving task at the University of Illinois in 2012. There was also the sober control group.

As it came out, the experimental group solved the activity more accurately than the sober one. However, this feeling of the creativity burst is unsustainable. As the blood alcohol content in the system increases, the euphoric feeling drifts away pretty quickly.

So, for the marijuana vs alcohol debate, who will you choose? Team Marijuana or Team Booze? Which one do you support and why?