With the legalization of marijuana in Canada and in the U.S., there has been increased awareness about how the herb works and what it’s about. Propaganda spread during the time following good old Regan’s “War on Drugs” though laughable quickly spread and was believed by countless individuals on both sides of the border.
What was funnier and still is the long standing consideration of alcohol to be the safer, more socially acceptable and legally permitted form of recreational substance use.
Today however, things are very different. Gone are the days when a slurring alcoholic could point a finger at someone smoking cannabis as if the same was evil! Gone too are the days where out intellect was clouded by the notion that marijuana is some kind of harmful death drug.
We have actually come as far as being able to safely say that between marijuana and alcohol, our Mary is probably the safer bet!
The debate of which is safer is now so widely had that even the Business Insider did an online piece on the same! There are a number of particulars that make marijuana safer than alcohol without a doubt and we’re going to delve into some of them.
The first thing that makes marijuana a safer bet is that when it comes to long term health risks, apart from respiratory problems for those who smoke, there are none others. Alcohol on the other hand has been linked to liver damage and failure, the growth of cancers and even dementia in the long term among other illnesses.
Comparing the two, we can safely say that long term heavy cannabis use is still healthier than equally heavy long term consumption of alcohol!
For those who drink; we’ve all had those mornings when we have woken thinking; “man I wish I hadn’t done/said that. On the other hand, after a few joints, chances are you may not want to do or say much in any case! At any rate not something you’d regret.
What we’re saying here is unlike alcohol, marijuana is not the kind of substance that will make you seek out trouble, get in people way or make a public fool of yourself in a big way! With alcohol, you can really go out there and make a mess of things in a matter of minutes. Guess who wins here? Mary Jane again!
Unless you suffer from some kind of condition or smoke too much in your first time, chances are, you’re never going to be so stoned that someone else has to carry you home! Alcohol can debilitate you to the point that you can’t stand on your own two feet.
Alcohol dampens and impairs motor skills and capacity in a way that marijuana doesn’t. Unlike marijuana, alcohol systematically shuts down your nervous system until a point that you are completely incapacitated.
When it comes to driving, though both may pose trouble, alcohol is hands down the bigger culprit. If you look at DUI cases, the bulk of them will involve people who have had one drink too many. Further, many of these will likely be classed as fatal. You won’t find any fatal DUI cases attributed to people strictly and exclusively under the influence of marijuana however! Again, marijuana here is safer.
Numerous cases of domestic violence, child abuse, rape and even murder are linked to assailants being under the influence of alcohol and sometimes other hard drugs and substances. Alcohol has the tendency as many say; to bring out the very worst in people.
Individuals under the influence of alcohol who have had one drink too many are a risk to not just themselves, but to those around them; their loved ones included! For all the homes that alcohol has wrecked, you’d rarely hear of someone getting stoned and attacking their wife, kids or neighbors. You won’t hear of people getting stoned and partaking in unsafe sexual behaviors or cheating on their partners.
As numerous articles, blogs and even memes rightly state; “When you’re smoking weed, the only thing that is really at risk is your refrigerator!”
Last but not least, you cannot overdose on Marijuana. Especially not if what you are smoking is simply dry herb! Alcohol on the other hand at high levels can cause your entire central nervous system to shut down. This includes your heart and breathing. Marijuana does NO such thing.
Further, if you do develop a weed habit, though quitting is hard and sometimes unpleasant, that is about all it is. You cannot die from withdrawal nor does your body begin to implode. An alcoholic trying to clean up will among other things go through delirium tremors (DTs). Further, sudden cessation of drinking can even kill the person in question. We don’t think we need to highlight who wins this one!
We could go on with this blog, present evidence and keep cutting things down but we think the odds are pretty clear. Though moderation is the key to everything, if you want to know which the safer of the two is, it’s right there for you— Marijuana!
If you’re convinced, skip on the bar, swing by our online smoke shop, pick up a bong, pipe or bubbler and unwind without being a risk to yourself or anyone else!
