Similarities Between Marijuana And Alcohol

According to Jessica Atkins many crimes in several states are increasing due to the “selling and possession” of the substance. Atkins also pointed out that marijuana is a “natural herb” and it is extremely less dangerous than any other illegal substance. With that being said many also worry about parents who also consume this drug and the effects it would have on their children. Dr. Melanie Dreher conducted many experiments and has inferred that children who are born to marijuana consuming parents show no factors of birth defects, also the child tends to be more intelligent than children not born to marijuana consuming parents. There is also a lot of benefits towards consuming medical marijuana also, it can benefit anyone who has a mental illness and could also help a woman's pregnancy with decreasing the sense of nausea and vomiting. Marijuana is a very controversial topic especially legalizing it but people need to realize that there are substances that are killing many people today that are completely legal under the federal law and it is injustice to keep a drug that has many benefits and could help people

     Long-term effects of alcohol are liver cirrhosis, stomach ailments, impotence, vitamin deficiency, increased stroke risk, decreased mental performance, heart disease, peptic ulcers, hepatitis, and various forms of cancer. Alcohols effects on the brain are loss of coordination, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, distorted vision, memory lapses, and even blackouts. Long-term effects of marijuana are mouth, throat, and lung cancer, increased heart rate, decrease in testosterone levels for men, increased testosterone levels for women, diminished sexual pleasure, increased blood pressure, increased stress, decreased motivation, and respiratory problems. The THC in marijuana damages the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed, making it hard to remember things.

The U.S Centers For Disease Control and Prevention said that there's a big amount of people who have died from the use of alcohol but not from marijuana. (37,000 annual deaths in the U.S). Alcohol also damages the brain and causes serious problems. It is also proven that alcohol can give you a variety of cancers (stomach, lungs and liver) but on the other hand, marijuana helps to deal with it.

Marijuana has been proven to be safer than alcohol, yet marijuana is against the law. Alcohol is known to contribute to acts of violence and crime, while in most cases cannabis can reduce aggression in its users. “In last year’s cases of reported violent crime three million offenders had been drinking. Almost all cases of date rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence had some kind of connection to alcohol” (Medical Fact: Marijuana is Safer Than Alcohol, 2009). Marijuana has not been linked or has

Drinking alcohol is also much more harmful for you than marijuana is, and it too is legal. Alcohol damages your internal organs like your liver, kidneys, and circulatory system. Alcohol also has a much higher dependency than does marijuana. Tens of thousands of people are dependent on alcohol everyday sometimes ruining one’s personal and family life. Alcohol also causes you to lose your inhibitions which could get

Many people from all around the world believe that marijuana is an addictive drug that has ruined the lives of millions. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 37,000 annual U.S deaths are the effects of alcohol alone. Alternatively, there is not even a category for the deaths caused by marijuana. Many of us think that marijuana kills brain cells but studies show teens that use marijuana as well as alcohol suffered significantly less damage to the white blood cells in their brains. Alcohol use contributes to aggressive and violent behavior while marijuana will only make a person feel more comfortable. “Alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication, violent relationships, whereas cannabis reduces the likelihood of violence during intoxications” (Shuette, 2013). The government does not even track violent acts specifically related to marijuana use. Marijuana and alcohol should be switched where marijuana is legal and alcohol is not because it will benefit people more than alcohol will.

From 2001 to 2005 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports on average more than 79,000 deaths per year was caused by excessive alcohol use. (CDC, “Vital Signs”) Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking and any drinking by pregnant women or minors. On the other hand, the CDC does not have a category for deaths caused by the use of marijuana. Statistically, death directly from marijuana overdose is extremely rare. However, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data, there were a total of 1.5 million drug arrests nationwide in 2011 and out of those arrests around 750,000 were for marijuana alone. (FBI, “Person’s Arrested”) While both alcohol and marijuana should not be taken with any other drug and getting behind the wheel while drunk or high poses significant risk to everyone. Alcohol is still vastly greater in number when it comes to death than marijuana but then again one is legal while the other one is not.

In order to gain an understanding of marijuana's so called "harmful" negative effects; it should be compared to other drugs that are presently legalized in this country. In the pharmaceutical world, over-the-counter drugs are being prescribed for everything these days. Ritalin and Adderall are readily available for college students in the university health centers across the country. Kids are staying up all night studying, complaining that they can not pay attention, and are immediately referred to the prescription drugs which in many cases they do not even need. Along with the prescription drug problem in our nation, we have a serious issue concerning alcohol and tobacco. Alcoholism is killing people daily with liver malfunctions

Studies have proven that marijuana is no more harmful to a person’s health than alcohol or tobacco. Every year, tobacco kills roughly 390,000 people, alcohol contributes to 80,000 deaths in America and marijuana contributed to 0; no deaths from marijuana have ever been recorded in US history (Abovetheinfluence.org). When smoking tobacco, the user inhales tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, and 200 other known poisons into the lungs (Abovetheinfluence.org). All forms of tobacco, including cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, and chewing tobacco, contain the addictive drug nicotine, and can also cause cancer. Alcohol alters a person's perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing. Alcohol plays a role in at least 50 percent of traffic deaths, about half of murders, and about 25 percent of suicides (Abovetheinfluence.org). Marijuana side effects include delusions, impaired memory, hallucinations and disorientation, which are no different from the side effects of alcohol alone.

They were both icons of unforgettable eras: one, the glamorous nineteen twenties; the other, the revolutionary seventies. In the twenties, alcohol was sipped cautiously behind the walls of speakeasies; glasses clinking under the flashing lights of entertainment signs. The hippies of the sixties and seventies passed pipes of burning marijuana, promoting peace while protesting for the rights of millions of Americans. No doubt, both drugs have had a major influence on the country, both have had their “glory” days. After a time of prohibition, the once thought sinful substance of alcohol was re-legalized. Marijuana, on the other hand, remains illegal in the country of the United States. But

Long term risks of alcohol include liver disease, heart problems, digestive disorders, neurological disorders, etc. There are no known (and proven) long term effects from marijuana currently to affect humans. There are no known medical uses for consumed alcohol, but marijuana on the other hand has plenty of medical benefits as I listed above.

Marijuana and alcohol are two substances commonly used and abused, both harmful to your health, but benefit you in some ways. Statistically, alcohol is the number one abused substance, while marijuana is number one among illegal drugs. Even though, the legal age to smoke and drink is 21, it doesn’t mean they still aren’t bad for you. Although, this drug and alcohol may be very dangerous to your health, however, it can benefit you in some ways. Marijuana is used for medical purposes and can help the sick in need of a cure. And one glass of red wine a day is good for your health.

Marijuana use or production is usually correlated with crime, but only in states that outlaw. As a result of this ban, marijuana farmers, sellers, or consumers are all considered criminals, giving the idea that marijuana causes crime. Nonetheless, it is not proven that marijuana that is sold or bought through the black market will stop. Not all individuals who wish to purchase marijuana will choose to purchase it through dispensaries or get a medical card, however, with that being acknowledged, it is not marijuana business that makes a criminal, moreover, it is usually another criminal action that connects these two together. An individual that commits crime is more willing to work in an underground market. marijuana. One may believe that if the black market is completely eliminated, the costs associated with enforcing felony activities would always result in a decrease. With that being stated, law enforcement has a higher concern on untruthful tests for impaired drivers for regular users, as written in Northjersey.com. Nonetheless, there is no denying that cannabis use affects driving ability, but so does alcohol and the lack of sleep. However, in order to estimate the cost for vehicle collisions after the use of marijuana, we must consider the current annual per capita cost of vehicle collisions, the percentage of users likely to drive under the influence of

"Marijuana is the second most popular drug after alcohol in the country today. So many people smoke marijuana that the numbers alone seem to legitimize and condone its presence in people's lives. Yet, even in moderation marijuana is not 'safe.' Somehow this information had not filtered down to people who think they are smoking a fairly innocuous drug. Our society perpetuates the myths about pot being a fun, harmless, recreational drug. These myths feed into people's denial of marijuana's problems" (Baum 6). However, the abuse of marijuana is a problem. It is not only a personal problem, but also more importantly a social problem. Throughout history marijuana has been used to serve various purposes in many

Marijuana also has similar effects on the brain as alcohol. Some effects of marijuana are sleepiness, slowed reaction time, memory problems, impaired judgment and motor coordination. Obviously handling any type of heavy machinery such as car is highly dangerous, which is why marijuana is a contributor to car accidents. Even worse, being on the effects of both alcohol and marijuana increases the risk of car accidents greatly.