However, it may increase psychosis risk in vulnerable individuals, particularly with high-THC products. Early onset use in adolescents correlates with higher rates of mental health issues later in life. In summary, alcohol and cannabis each have distinct short-term and long-term effects. Alcohol’s impacts tend to be more immediately dangerous (think drunk driving, overdose) and broadly damaging to physical health with prolonged use (Facts About Excessive Drinking
Myth #7: I can’t talk to my doctor about marijuana.
Some experts suggest that alcohol addiction is more common and more life-destroying than cannabis use disorder. However, cannabis addiction is still a concern, and individuals can experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop using it. While weed may offer specific health benefits and is generally considered safer, it is not without risks. The act of smoking weed can be detrimental to lung health, and there is a potential for misuse and addiction. Furthermore, the long-term effects of daily edible consumption are still unknown, and regulation of these products varies. Alcohol’s short-term effects typically include feelings of relaxation, happiness, and increased sociability.
Long-Term Health Impacts
Some people are already at higher risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease because of their genetics or other risky behaviors like tobacco use. However, the way people consume them and their reactions to each substance vary from person to person. While some people may have a very low tolerance for weed, they may be able to tolerate alcohol well. Others may not have any issues with misusing alcohol but may struggle to function without weed. Alcohol impairs the brain’s communication pathways and can affect the way the brain looks and works.
However, excessive consumption can lead to impaired judgment, slurred speech, loss of coordination, nausea and vomiting. In extreme cases, alcohol poisoning and respiratory depression can occur, requiring immediate medical attention. Weed can have complex and varied effects on sleep due to its influence on the endocannabinoid system, which regulates sleep, among other things.
Addiction potential
Binge drinking is when blood alcohol levels exceed 0.08%, which is about 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in a single sitting. Heavy drinking is defined as more than 15 drinks per week for men and 8 drinks per week for women. The CDC estimates that the cost of excessive drinking in the weed vs booze: is either one less harmful to your health US surpasses $249 billion every year.
Myth #2: Edibles are safer than smoking marijuana.
- To take a closer look at this issue, let’s check out some of the pros and cons of whether cannabis or alcohol is the better choice.
- Besides these physical, medical benefits, there are other more social reasons people like to keep drinking alcohol.
- The World Health Organization attributes approximately 3 million deaths globally each year to harmful alcohol use.
- They did find that recreational sales did not increase crash rates as much as the initial legalization did.
The large January report found that cannabis is not connected to any increased risk of the lung cancers or head and neck cancers tied to smoking cigarettes. Close to half of all adults have tried marijuana at least once, making it one of the most widely used illegal drugs. Yet research suggests that a relatively small percentage of people become addicted. Last year, more than 30,000 people died from alcohol-induced causes in the US – and that does not count drinking-related accidents or homicides. If those deaths were included, the number would be closer to 90,000, according to the CDC. Of course, while it has many medical and other benefits, not everything is perfect with using marijuana.
It is difficult to say which substance is worse for your health as they are unique substances that produce different effects, making side-by-side comparisons challenging. While alcohol is known to have many negative health effects, there is still a lack of research on the long-term consequences of cannabis use. However, it is important to note that both substances can impair thinking and coordination and carry the potential for misuse and addiction. While in most cases, drinking alcohol is not life-threatening, excessive alcohol consumption can be fatal.
- Because some people are stoned a lot of the time, while others may use marijuana only on weekends, the health effects become difficult to generalize.
- It makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgment to do their jobs, resulting in a higher likelihood of injuries and other negative outcomes.
- Alcohol, a central nervous system depressant, slows brain function and alters coordination, speech, and judgment.
- That said, here are the benefits that can come with drinking alcohol in moderation.
It affects gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which can cause relaxation but long term use of alcohol can affect your levels of GABA or glutamate in the nervous system. Alcohol can lower inhibitions but it can also impair judgment, coordination, and memory. Over time, it can temporarily decrease the prevalence of CB1 receptors which can cause memory issues but, overall, the compounds in cannabis including many of the terpenes can be neuroprotective. This means that they can help protect nerve cells from damage which can decrease your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease. They both have a history of impairing judgment and can directly increase your chances of having an accident. There currently isn’t a Blood Marijuana Level federally recognized but as more states adjust to legal cannabis use we can have clearer and more stringent measures to monitor driving while intoxicated on cannabis.
“Excess alcohol can have severe consequences” on the other hand long term effects of marijuana are not yet known. In terms of actual diseases, many are connected to alcohol consumption. This includes different types of cancer, such as liver cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, and esophageal cancer.
“You can miss a step as you age, and then fall, without taking any substances,” she said. Both cannabis and alcohol can carry a potential for misuse and addiction, but this appears to be more common with alcohol. Cannabis seems to have fewer long-term risks than alcohol, but again, there’s a huge discrepancy in the amount of research on cannabis compared with alcohol. The immediate effects of cannabis can vary quite a bit from person to person. Before getting into the specifics of alcohol and cannabis, it’s important to understand some of the factors that make the comparison tricky. Research highlighted by the National Cancer Institute suggests that the more alcohol you drink – particularly the more you drink regularly – the higher your risk of developing cancer.
Both substances can lead to dependency, but their addiction profiles differ significantly. “Anyone can be affected by substance use, but if you have a family member who has schizophrenia or psychosis, it can be particularly risky,” he says. Stanford complies with all applicable civil rights laws and does not engage in illegal preferences or discrimination.
Prolonged alcohol use can lead to physical dependence, where the body becomes reliant on alcohol to function normally.This can cause the shakes and can affect your ability to lead a normal life. Excessive alcohol use can cause brain damage and degenerative conditions like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which can cause severe memory impairment and other cognitive deficits. It can damage brain cells and lead to deficiencies in neurotransmitters.