Theo Nash
Alcohol and marijuana are two of the most commonly used drugs in the US, especially among young people. While both substances are intoxicants, the way they make you feel differs from person to person. The high you experience depends on how much you consume, how you consume it, and your history with the substance. Mixing alcohol and marijuana can be dangerous, and may lead to a decline in cognitive function and an increased risk of dependence. While the long-term effects of alcohol are well-known and rigorously studied, research into marijuana is still in its infancy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Short-term effects | Alcohol and pot have different short-term effects on people. While some people find the feeling of intoxication similar, others describe the sensations as very different. |
| Long-term effects | Alcohol has well-known long-term negative health effects, including liver disease, fibrosis, and liver cancer. On the other hand, the long-term effects of pot are not as established, and there is a lack of long-term research. |
| Addictive properties | Both substances have addiction potential and can lead to physical or emotional dependence. However, research suggests that a higher percentage of people who use alcohol develop dependence or abuse compared to those who use pot. |
| Overdose potential | It is possible to fatally overdose on alcohol, but a person is unlikely to fatally overdose on pot. |
| Impact on interpersonal violence | Alcohol is often associated with violent assaults and interpersonal or domestic violence. In contrast, research shows that rates of interpersonal and domestic violence are lower among people who smoke pot. |
| Driving under the influence | Mixing alcohol and pot can increase the risk of drunk driving. Alcohol is also linked to a higher number of motor vehicle deaths. However, both substances impair driving ability and increase the risk of accidents. |
| Legality | Alcohol is generally legal, while the legality of pot varies across different regions. |
| Research | There is more extensive and rigorous research on alcohol compared to pot. |
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What You'll Learn
- Alcohol is linked to violent behaviour, including assaults and domestic violence
- Alcohol is more likely to cause driving accidents than cannabis
- Alcohol is more likely to cause dependence than cannabis
- Alcohol has more well-known negative short- and long-term health effects
- Alcohol is more likely to interact with other drugs
Alcohol is linked to violent behaviour, including assaults and domestic violence
Alcohol and marijuana (also known as pot, weed, grass) are two unique substances that produce different effects, making side-by-side comparisons difficult. While the effects of both substances vary from person to person, alcohol has been strongly linked to violent behaviour, including assaults and domestic violence.
Alcohol has been associated with violent crimes, including murder, across many nations. The disinhibiting effects of alcohol, combined with a loss of emotional control, increase the potential for violent behaviour. Research has found that alcohol plays a role in a significant number of violent incidents, with a national study of 16,698 inmates revealing that alcohol was a factor in violent offending such as homicide, physical assaults, and sexual assaults. Alcohol is also a major factor in domestic abuse, with alcohol-related domestic violence twice as likely to involve physical violence and life-threatening injuries. Approximately two-thirds of domestic incidents reported to the police in the UK involve alcohol, and international evidence shows that men tend to cause worse assaults after drinking, while women are more likely to suffer abuse from heavy-drinking partners. Alcohol also increases the risk of child abuse, with around four in ten child abusers admitting to being under the influence of alcohol during the offence.
Chronic alcohol use has been linked to violent behaviour through various etiological factors, including psychiatric comorbidities such as personality disorders, mood disorders, and intermittent explosive disorders. Aggression is a precursor to violence, and individuals prone to aggressive behaviours are more likely to commit impulsive violent crimes, especially under the influence of alcohol. Brain studies have also indicated that long-term alcohol consumption induces morphological changes in brain regions responsible for self-control, decision-making, and emotional processing, further increasing the risk of violent behaviour.
In contrast, research suggests that marijuana may not be a gateway drug, and rates of interpersonal or domestic violence are lower among marijuana users than non-users. While marijuana can alter the mind and has addiction potential, it tends to carry fewer risks than alcohol, although more research is needed to fully understand its effects.
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Alcohol is more likely to cause driving accidents than cannabis
While the effects of alcohol and cannabis differ from person to person, alcohol is considered to be more dangerous and is more likely to cause driving accidents. Alcohol use disorder is a relatively common condition, with 28.9 million people aged 12 and up in the United States living with it, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Mixing alcohol and cannabis roughly doubles the odds of drunk driving, and alcohol is linked to more unsafe driving, damage to relationships, and regret about actions while under the influence.
Drunk drivers are involved in 25% of motor vehicle fatalities, and 1,800 college students die each year from alcohol-related accidents, with almost 600,000 injured while under the influence of alcohol, according to the National Institutes of Health. Several studies have found that cannabis users are more likely to be responsible for crashes, with one study of 497 road traffic accidents finding that cannabis users had a responsibility rate of 76% versus 42.5% for the control group. Another study of 1,882 drivers killed in seven US states found no difference in responsibility rates between cannabis and non-cannabis users.
However, it is important to note that cannabis may appear safer than alcohol due to a lack of research. There are fewer long-term studies on cannabis, and it is possible that researchers are not yet aware of certain risks associated with its use. Additionally, the combination of alcohol and cannabis has been shown to cause more impairment than either substance alone, and some studies have found no evidence that cannabis alone increases the risk of crashes. For example, a 2019 study concluded that those driving at the legal THC limit were no more likely to be involved in an accident than those who hadn't used marijuana. Similarly, a study of 440 male traffic accident deaths found that while alcohol use was related to crash culpability, cannabis use was not.
In summary, while both alcohol and cannabis can impair driving ability, alcohol is more likely to be associated with driving accidents, either on its own or in combination with cannabis. However, more research is needed to fully understand the risks associated with cannabis use, and it is important to remember that the safest option is always to refrain from impairment when driving or operating heavy machinery.
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Alcohol is more likely to cause dependence than cannabis
Alcohol and cannabis are two unique substances that produce different effects, making a side-by-side comparison difficult. However, it is evident that alcohol is more likely to cause dependence than cannabis.
Firstly, alcohol use disorder is a relatively common condition. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 28.9 million people aged 12 and above in the United States suffer from alcohol use disorder. In contrast, the data suggests that 30% of cannabis users may have some degree of cannabis use disorder, translating to about 44.1 million people based on the number of cannabis consumers.
Secondly, alcohol has more severe withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, sweating, shaking, and headaches. These symptoms can be intense and occur when an individual does not drink. On the other hand, cannabis withdrawal is a slow-onset phenomenon due to the high lipophilicity of THC metabolites, which prolong their metabolism and half-life. While cannabis withdrawal symptoms are less intense, they can include anxiety, uncontrollable laughter, increased appetite, inattentiveness, forgetfulness, restlessness, conjunctival injection, and dry mouth.
Thirdly, alcohol misuse is associated with more negative consequences and risks. Alcohol is linked to violent assaults and drunk driving, with 1,800 college students dying annually from alcohol-related accidents and 600,000 injured while under the influence. Alcohol use is also associated with damage to relationships and regret about actions while intoxicated, particularly among females. In contrast, research shows that cannabis users have lower rates of interpersonal and domestic violence.
Lastly, alcohol has more well-known and established long-term effects than cannabis. Heavy and prolonged alcohol consumption can lead to chronic liver disease, pancreatitis, heart damage, stomach and digestive issues, and central nervous system damage. While cannabis smoking is linked to epithelial injury of the trachea and bronchi, airway injury, lung inflammation, and impaired pulmonary defence, these issues are less prevalent than alcohol-related health concerns.
In conclusion, while both alcohol and cannabis have addiction potential, alcohol is more likely to cause dependence due to its higher prevalence of use and associated disorders, more severe withdrawal symptoms, greater negative consequences, and more well-documented long-term health risks.
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Alcohol has more well-known negative short- and long-term health effects
Research into the health effects of marijuana is still in its infancy, and there is a lack of large, long-term studies. However, it is known that a person cannot fatally overdose on cannabis, unlike alcohol. Alcohol is also more likely to interact with other drugs, as it is metabolised in a way that is common to many other drugs. This can cause unpredictable effects when drinking alcohol while taking medication.
The long-term effects of heavy drinking are well-known and can lead to severe consequences, such as alcoholic liver disease, fibrosis of the liver, and potentially liver cancer. Underage alcohol use can also have long-lasting effects on the developing brain, causing memory and learning problems, and increasing the risk of alcohol problems in adulthood.
In contrast, the effects of chronic marijuana use are not as well established. While there is some evidence of possible impacts on reproduction and mental health, the overall risks of cannabis use are less clear.
It is important to note that both alcohol and cannabis can lead to addiction and dependence, and both substances can impair thinking, reaction time, and coordination, making activities like driving dangerous. However, given the greater understanding of the negative health effects of alcohol, it is generally considered the more harmful substance.
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Alcohol is more likely to interact with other drugs
Alcohol and marijuana are two of the most commonly used drugs in the US, especially among young people. While both substances can alter your thinking, reaction time, and coordination, making activities like driving dangerous, the way they interact with other drugs differs.
Alcohol is more likely than marijuana to interact with other drugs. This is because the way alcohol is metabolized, or broken down, in the body is common to many drugs that are taken for a variety of conditions. This means that for people taking drugs or medications while drinking, the alcohol can increase or decrease levels of the active drug in the body. This can be unpredictable and dangerous, as it can be difficult to determine whether one is getting an active dose of a medication.
Combining alcohol and marijuana, for example, roughly doubles one's odds of drunk driving or encountering legal, professional, or personal issues. Drinking before using weed can intensify weed’s effects because alcohol increases the absorption of weed’s main psychoactive ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This generally results in a stronger high, which can be desirable for some but can cause others to "green out," referring to a range of unpleasant physical symptoms that can result from a strong high.
On the other hand, weed appeared to slow down the rise of blood alcohol levels after consuming a high dose of alcohol in one study. However, this study was small and may not be representative of the general population.
Overall, while both alcohol and marijuana can have negative health effects, alcohol is more likely to interact with other drugs in the body, which can lead to unpredictable and dangerous consequences.
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Frequently asked questions
The short-term effects of cannabis and alcohol vary from person to person. While getting drunk or high can feel similar to some people, others describe the sensations as very different. The feeling of intoxication is different for everyone.
Both alcohol and pot can take a toll on the body, showing both short- and long-term health effects. However, alcohol has been linked to about 88,000 deaths per year, according to the CDC, while data for pot-related deaths are harder to come by. Alcohol is also more likely to interact with other drugs.
Mixing alcohol and pot can be dangerous. Combining the two may lead to a decline in cognitive function and an increased risk of dependence. It roughly doubles your odds of drunk driving or causing legal, professional, or personal issues. It can also cause something called "greening out", which refers to a range of unpleasant physical symptoms that can result from a strong high.
Alcohol and pot are both potentially addictive and can lead to dependence and misuse. However, research shows that about 9% of people who experiment with pot will become dependent or abuse it, while the percentage is greater than 20% for alcohol.
