Why is Cannabis better than Alcohol?

3 min


It’s been years of public, worldwide discussion regarding the use of cannabis products. Is smoking marijuana healthier, or less harmful than drinking alcohol? And when it comes to intoxicating effects, which one is safer?

Let’s take a closer look at the controversial substances and what influence on our minds and bodies they have. To fully understand their effects it’s necessary to know that they not only affect different parts of our body, brain, and various receptors but also the way they work is different.

Therefore, we decided to compare and analyze the 6 main aspects of our life and health being affected by any kind of drugs in both the short and long run. Our comparison is based on the most current scientific research and articles.

Addiction factor

This factor is probably the most disputed one. Is marijuana or alcohol more addictive? The staunchest supporters of a complete legalization claim that cannabis isn’t addictive at all. Could that be possible?

As a matter of fact, they aren’t that far from the truth.

According to studies, there’s a very low chance of actually getting addicted to marijuana. Among patients, only a few appeared to be anyhow symptomatic. The rest showed absolutely no signs.

The trace signs of marijuana addiction may be connected to the small number of cannabinoid receptors in the nucleus accumbens – the area in our brain responsible for feeling pleasure, reward, and motivation.

It’s drastically different from alcohol. I’m sure each of us knows at least one person addicted to alcohol. There’s nothing pretty about it, is it? Have you ever seen anyone with alcohol withdrawal syndrome? Even worse. It’s an awful torment for alcoholics themselves and for their loved ones.

General behavior

Alcohol increases the activity of GABA receptors that are i.a. stress inhibitors and basically, help us stay relaxed. At the exact moment, it reduces our own natural stimulator – glutamic acid, which can be an explanation why some of us get sad and cry over a drink.

Why are there so many violent drunk people then? Shouldn’t they all just get sleepy or depressed?

In an ideal world, where people would go real easy on stimulants and other ways to pleasure themselves, it would work as it’s supposed to. The thing with alcohol is that the more you use it, the more it distorts your nervous and endocrine system. Chronic use of alcohol completely disrupts the work of GABA receptors and glutamic acid. That’s the moment where pathological and aggressive behavior appears.

Studies have not revealed such devastating consequences of using cannabis. It can calm you down, but would never make you pick up a fight.

Risk behavior

I make impulsive decisions even after a nice cup of doppio (let’s not forget that coffee is a kind of a drug, as well!), but for sure it doesn’t make me less conscious and aware of what I’m doing.

Which one makes you reckless the most? Which is the cause of most accidents?

Udoubtfully, the answer is alcohol.

Substances contained in cannabis (or actually the amount our organism absorbs) don’t affect the human motor system in a destructive way. Although, they may slow you down and decrease your ability to concentrate, analytic thinking and reflex.

The same goes for alcohol. And yet statistics show that your chances of getting into an accident are over 20 times higher after drinking alcohol than smoking pot.

Physical health

The most extensively discussed matter in this area is cancer.

Even though cannabis smoke contains carcinogenic substances (although incomparably less than cigarettes’ smoke), other ways of consuming the drug are used to fight against this particular illness. Furthermore, cannabis treatments are actually effective. In states where medical marijuana is allowed, you can even get the cannabis-based medication in pharmacy and 24-hour dispensary.

We can’t name any positive influence of alcohol in this category either. It is only known that alcohol can in fact increase the risk of cancer.  There’s a strong connection between chronic alcohol consumption and mouth, throat, liver and colon cancer. Up to 4% of these cases are caused directly by alcohol.

There also appeared interesting conclusions when it comes to… weight gain.

It’s easy and natural to associate marihuana and obsessive eating crazy amounts of food. Of course, crisps and salty peanuts go perfect with drinks, but alcohol doesn’t turn you into a snacks zombie.

Marijuana doesn’t actually make you hungry. It makes you crave food. It’s cannabinoid receptors again that are behind these strong cravings. This time those ones placed in our brain areas responsible for the control of food intake. Once stimulated – the food vacuum mode is on!

Interestingly, again – it’s not weed that contributes to the discussed issue.

Alcohol itself adds calories and carbs to our diet, inhibits fat oxidation, increases endocrine disruption, and similarly to cannabis, stimulates the appetite. That’s a huge impact on the new civilization disease – overweight.

What’s the verdict?

Obviously, the result of comparing these two, such different substances can’t be unequivocal. Although our choice is clear. We not only find cannabis generally less harmful (if not helpful!) but also trust ourselves and others more after using marijuana than after a few drinks.

if you still have any doubts – make your own research or ask us directly!

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