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Consequences of Drinking Alcohol

It can cause mood swings and we’re all familiar with people who are “angry drunks.” The impact of alcohol can vary based on how much you’re using and how your body interacts with it. It’s important to understand the distinct difference between alcohol and cannabis addiction. Both alcohol and cannabis should not be consumed when driving. While there is the possibility for occasional deaths and accidents caused by cannabis use there isn’t sufficient data to compare it to alcohol. Additionally, while the CDC does not track marijuana related deaths since there’s negligible numbers it reports more than 36,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to chronic alcohol use. Legalization does not remove the risk but it’s still significantly lower than confirmed alcohol-related deaths.

And the illegality of marijuana has also limited research in this field. Marijuana smokers tend to smoke much less than cigarette smokers, as some may smoke one joint a few times a week. Finally, Baler said, because the drug is typically smoked, it can bring on bronchitis, coughing and chronic inflammation of the air passages.

Functional imaging on the effects of increasing doses of alcohol up to a BAC of 0.08% in simulated driving has demonstrated that orbitofrontal areas (subsuming judgment) and motor areas are affected first, then cerebellar areas controlling coordination show functional deterioration, and finally, at high doses, global cognitive networks and simulated driving performance are impaired.60 Cannabis users perceive their driving under the influence as impaired and more cautious,40 and given a dose of 7 mg THC (about a third of a joint), drivers rated themselves as impaired even though their driving performance was not; in contrast, at a BAC 0.04% (slightly less than two “standard drinks” of a can of beer or small 5 oz. glass of wine; half the legal limit in most US states), driving performance was impaired even though drivers rated themselves as unimpaired.41 Binge drinkers are particularly likely to rate themselves as unimpaired, possibly because they tend to become less sedated by high doses of alcohol.42 Surprisingly, given the alarming results of cognitive studies, most marijuana-intoxicated drivers show only modest impairments on actual road tests.37, 38 Experienced smokers who drive on a set course show almost no functional impairment under the influence of marijuana, except when it is combined with New Beginning Recovery Review alcohol.39 The third are descriptive and analytic epidemiological studies on the relationship between cannabis use and accidents, usually performed through drug testing of injured drivers. Three types of studies are generally performed to help assess the risk that smoking marijuana may increase the probability of having a fatal traffic accident.

The body may be subject to vomiting, dangerous blood sugar levels, and trouble breathing, and there is a risk of death. Our goal was to give patients easy access to medical cannabis as an alternative to traditional pain medications, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and other addictive and harmful drugs. One way to develop a healthy relationship with cannabis is to use it intentionally. One thing that’s clear about the alcohol vs. weed debate is that both should be used responsibly and driving while intoxicated on anything should be avoided at all costs. Alcohol you can feel its effects within a shorter window and it can tend to last for less time. One of the main negative issues of weed vs. alcohol is all of the issues with smoking marijuana.

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• Weed is not without its pitfalls but alcohol is by far more problematic.
• Our goal was to give patients easy access to medical cannabis as an alternative to traditional pain medications, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and other addictive and harmful drugs.
• Some insight can be gained from Jones’ study of 1276 Swedish motorists arrested for DUI with blood tests positive for THC alone, which revealed an average THC blood level of 3.6 ng/mL at the time of testing.76 A similar Swiss study of 440 DUI suspects who also were positive for only THC found average blood concentrations of 5.0 ng/mL at the time of testing, indicating that a residual level of 5 ng/mL does appear to correlate with observable driving impairment earlier.77 The Swedish study also found that, of the 291 DUI arrestees who were positive for both THC and alcohol, the average THC blood level was only 2.3 ng/mL, again suggesting that lower levels of THC, when combined with alcohol, are sufficient to cause obvious impairment.76
• A study of college students found that the rates of mental and physical abuse were higher on days when couples drank.
• Legalization does not remove the risk but it’s still significantly lower than confirmed alcohol-related deaths.
• Over time, this can increase the toll it takes on your body.
• Animal studies have indicated some possible impact of cannabis use on reproduction.

Seventy-five percent of Americans believe alcohol consumption negatively affects society. Identification of such traits in a marijuana-using sun rocks weed patient should prompt additional counseling on using a seatbelt and other “harm-minimization” interventions. It would also be interesting to know whether the improved performance of experienced users is because of physiological tolerance or because of behavioral strategies that can be taught to infrequent users.

• We strongly recommend that you consult with a physician or other qualified healthcare provider before using any cannabis products.
• But cigarette smoking plays a complicated role in studying the impact of marijuana smoke, Baler said.
• These findings demonstrate alcohol’s higher acute safety risks compared to cannabis, particularly about overdose potential and vehicular operation.
• A 2010 study once sought to rank 20 different drugs, including alcohol and cannabis, in terms of their overall risk factors.
• Surprisingly, given the alarming results of cognitive studies, most marijuana-intoxicated drivers show only modest impairments on actual road tests.37, 38 Experienced smokers who drive on a set course show almost no functional impairment under the influence of marijuana, except when it is combined with alcohol.39
• Long-term studies show alcohol misuse is dangerous to brain functionality, disrupting neurotransmitters and communication systems.

With increasing doses of alcohol, however, there is general dose-dependent lowering of both sustained attention and overall attentional capacity, with consequently more concentration paid to the main component of a complex skill (steering, for example), and less and less attention paid to secondary tasks (such as speed or driving skill). Experimental research measures the potential risk of an accident using a driving simulator or driving course. As marijuana is the most commonly used drug of abuse, having been tried by 40% of the population,3 and is also smoked most commonly in the age group that also has the most road traffic accidents, the contribution of marijuana smoking to road traffic accidents is of great concern to both governments and clinicians responsible for counseling patients with substance abuse problems. Accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in the US; nearly half are motor vehicle accidents, which according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) killed 38,588 people in 2006 alone.1 Motor vehicle accidents are the nation’s leading cause of death in those under 30.2 The contribution of drugs of abuse to this accident rate has attracted increasing attention in recent years because of the dramatic increase in drug use. Both alcohol and marijuana use have consequences, and how dire these consequences are will depend on different factors. As far as the pressing question of whether marijuana or alcohol is worse goes, the answer isn’t as simple as you’d anticipate.

Marijuana’s Effects on the Brain

While some consumers are chasing sobriety in its entirety, others are becoming “Cali-sober,” meaning they cut out alcohol but continue to microdosing mushrooms for anxiety consume other substances such as cannabis. Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Blake Lively and Katy Perry have founded non-alcoholic beverage brands and championed the concept of sober social lifestyles that epitomize health over hedonism. Though they differ in some ways, both cannabis and alcohol have been linked to dopamine-related feelings of euphoria.

Future research should concentrate on resolving contradictions posed by previous studies by more tightly controlling for methodological problems. Correlation between THC concentration in whole blood and accident risk (from Grotenhermen et al. (2007)78 based on data from Drummer et al.73). Epidemiological studies have themselves been inconsistent, and thus have not resolved the question. In addition, non-trauma hospital patients are not representative of the population and arguably may have had a lower rate of marijuana smoking, again distorting the OR. The control group in Mura’s study was comprised of non-trauma patients at the hospital, rather than drivers who had not crashed, making the odds ratio an incorrect calculation.

“There are segments of the population that want to bypass the entire process, grabbing this nugget of truth … and claiming smoking marijuana can be good for your health and have medical uses,” Baler said. “Researchers are working around the clock to try to identify the ingredients in marijuana that have potential,” to benefit human health, Baler said. But cigarette smoking plays a complicated role in studying the impact of marijuana smoke, Baler said. But while early studies showed some evidence linking marijuana to lung cancer, subsequent studies have debunked that association.

Treatment Options for Marijuana Abuse

One such product that’s currently making waves is liquid marijuana. That honor goes to cannabis concentrates, which you can find in various forms and flavors. Nitrous may be fun in the moment, but some pretty bad health issues present themselves not long after.

By eliminating the smoking factor, it frees up many of the benefits of cannabis. There’s a delay in when you feel edibles because it can take time for the THC to be absorbed into your bloodstream. Edibles do function differently than smoking or vaping cannabis. Some compounds in cannabis have been found to be anticancer, antibiotic, and antifungal.

Cannabis vs. alcohol for teens

Overall, though, case-control and culpability studies have been inconclusive, a determination reached by several other recent reviewers.101, 102 Similar disagreement has never existed in the literature on alcohol use and crash risk.103 Combining marijuana with alcohol eliminates the ability to use such strategies effectively, however, and results in impairment even at doses that would be insignificant were they of either drug alone. Because of both this and an increased awareness that they are impaired, marijuana smokers tend to compensate effectively for their impairment by utilizing a variety of behavioral strategies such as driving more slowly, passing less, and leaving more space between themselves and cars in front of them.

The cannabis industry is making marijuana as readily available thanks to recreational legalization; it could be as common as alcohol. Alcohol is everywhere yet we are well aware of the risks and dangers of alcohol use and abuse. However, ultimately cannabis edibles can take less of a toll on your health and provide you with a high or relaxation without causing too much damage to your body or health. Edibles cut down on one of the major issues with cannabis because they don’t require smoking and eliminate many of these risks.

CAMH also advises against cannabis use at a young age, as well as smoking the substance. “Between three and six standard drinks per week is moderate risk, and seven or more standard drinks per week would have increasingly higher risk.” “I think it’s fair to say that in both cases, heavy use of either is going to lead to poor health outcomes,” Voineskos finished. Buckley added that, because we’re all different, we may each be affected in different ways by the two drugs. “From health care, lost productivity and violent crime…

Our services help patients across the U.S. use medical cannabis safely, legally, and with confidence. Schedule a call with one of our health care coordinators to answer your questions and help you find the best solutions for you and your loved ones! Alcohol has more far-reaching consequences because it is consumed by so many more people. Substance abuse, also known as substance use disorder, increases the risk of negative consequences and the severity of problems. When people drink, it lowers blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in impulse control, judgment, the ability to solve problems, and forethought. Binge drinking is defined as consuming 5 or more drinks for men and 4 or more drinks for women within a span of about 2 hours.

If there is greater use of the drug in those culpable for crashes, then the drug is judged to be responsible for a greater crash risk. The first is culpability studies, which classify drivers who have crashed according to their degree of responsibility for the crash, then compare drug use in each category. One weakness of driving studies is that subjects are aware of being observed and assessed, so such studies are generally a better measure of what drivers are capable of doing rather than what they actually do. Chronic marijuana smokers are less impaired by both alcohol and marijuana than would be expected, however. Interestingly, three reports indicate that chronic marijuana smokers are less susceptible to impairment from alcohol on some measures compared with nonsmokers or infrequent smokers.

The long-term health effects of alcohol and cannabis differ from person to person. Alcohol is linked to negative short- and long-term health effects, including liver disease, heart disease, and cancer. Both alcohol and marijuana can be dangerous substances, and addiction is a potential risk regardless of perceived safety.

This comes as Canadians cut back on their alcohol purchases, recent data suggest. Since its legalization in 2018, cannabis sales have surged as a growing slice of Canadians, especially younger adults, report regular use of the substance.