Alcohol Vs. Weed

Some might say it’s common knowledge that, at least regarding adverse health outcomes, marijuana is safer than booze. But who knew it was this much safer. According to a new study, drinking alcohol is 114 times more dangerous than smoking weed.

The law-enforcement line, according to which marijuana is unsafe, “lethal,” addictive, and socially depraved, doesn’t persuade many these days.

Why not? The evidence just keeps piling up against it. This latest study reported that cannabis is 114 times less likely to harm you than alcohol. In fact, this study also found that alcohol was more deadly than cocaine and heroin.

These claims may make one question the findings. But the study was a mortality survey. THC and cannabis assessments on both individuals and populations ended up being way above what the authors call “safety thresholds.”

According to the researchers’ methods, alcohol fell far below the safety threshold. The study claims that the overall risk may be drastically underestimated.

The study echoes other reports about the dangers of marijuana. Studies conducted on driving-while-stoned have shown that marijuana has a pretty minor effect on drivers.

There hasn’t been a significant increase in cannabis-related accidents in states where medical or recreational marijuana are available for purchase. Law enforcement cannot reliably test intoxication due to THC using the blood and urine tests currently available.

Alcohol-related car accidents and drunk driving fatalities, however, remain at historic highs. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2013 saw 32,719 people die in traffic crashes. That includes an estimated 10,000 individuals who died in drunk driving crashes.

In short, alcohol accounts for 31% of all traffic fatalities.

Regarding harm to individual health, alcohol use leads to upwards of 80,000 deaths per year, according to the CDC.

Some folks who have died from marijuana use: zero. What makes cannabis risk relates to other factors. There’s no known lethal dose of weed.

It’s important to remember that while fingers rightly point to the carcinogenic effects of smoking, alcohol is also a carcinogen. Technically, it’s a Class-A1 carcinogen, which means that it is a confirmed to cause cancer in humans.

Cannabis advocates are once again hailing the study. They hope that evidence like this will continue to move public opinion about marijuana in a progressive direction. Others, as ever, remain skeptical about the findings.