Hutchison’s study, he said, was different than other studies in the fact that he looked at gray and white matter across all regions of the brain, and also compared the two vices. There’s plenty of research about alcohol’s long-term effect on your brain and overall health. The amount of research regarding marijuana’s long-term effect on brain health, however, is not so ample. There is no known medical use for consumed alcohol, but there are health benefits observed in moderate drinkers, including lower rates of cardiovascular disease and possibly fewer colds, Murray said.
Last year, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study linking marijuana use to a greater risk of psychosis in teenagers, while another study claimed that the drug is “worse than cigarettes” for cardiovascular health. Still, because of marijuana’s largely illegal status, long-term studies on all its health effects have been limited — meaning more research is needed. Weed can also trigger temporary feelings of paranoia and hostility, but it’s not yet clear whether those symptoms are linked with an increased risk of long-term psychosis.
Alcohol appears to be linked more closely with weight gain, despite weed’s tendency to trigger the munchies.
The scans revealed that the drinkers’ brains had reduced gray matter and compromised white matter. Gray matter contains the majority of neuron cell bodies and axons and is responsible for helping the brain process information. It contains nerve fibers that help neuron cells communicate across different brain regions. As for marijuana, whose legalization for medical uses has been a matter of strong public policy debate for years, there is ample evidence that beneficial compounds can be found in the plant. Drinking can lead to alcoholic liver disease, which can progress to fibrosis of the liver, which in turn can potentially lead to liver cancer, Murray said. Alcohol is more likely than marijuana to interact with other drugs.
What are the Main Differences Between the Effects, Risks & Safety of Alcohol vs Weed?
- As a result of this changing legislation, researchers have been trying to find out more about how marijuana may benefit health, as well as the damage that it could cause.
- Alcohol is highly addictive and some people can have a genetic predisposition to alcoholism.
- Additionally, while you can have a cannabis overdose it’s not remotely fatal while an overdose of alcohol can cause lasting damage and even death.
- 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.
- However, they may vary based on who is using either substance, how much they are using, and in what ways they’re using it.
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. While the death toll may not be the same, the effect on drivers has been sufficiently observed. While, due to alcohol being legal for decades and drunk driving being illegal for a significant amount of time the law has preset blood alcohol levels to dictate how much alcohol is too much in your system while driving.
The research on other health effects of marijuana is inconclusive but should warrant some caution. One study linked the use of potent marijuana to psychotic disorders, but other studies suggest people with psychotic disorders may be predisposed to pot use. Research on whether smoked marijuana causes lung disease or cancer has yielded conflicting results, with studies that control for tobacco smoking finding no significant effect from marijuana on lung cancer risk.
When considering the combination of duloxetine and weed, it’s crucial to approach it with caution and under the guidance of a healthcare professional. While both substances can offer relief from similar conditions such as anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, mixing them may lead to heightened side effects or unpredictable interactions. Just one drink a day can raise blood pressure, trigger a dangerous irregular heartbeat or even shrink your brain, studies have found. Those are just a few of the many pitfalls of alcohol use, including the risk of cancer. The researchers looked at brain scans from about 850 substance-using adults ages 18 to 55 and about substance-using 440 teens ages 14 to 19, all of whom reported varying levels of alcohol and cannabis use. Similarly, the THC in cannabis causes an increase in levels of dopamine in the brain and this motivates people to keep using it.
Perspectives on People
However, excessive use can actually cause paranoia or nervousness. In certain cases, a patient can experience withdrawal symptoms after abruptly stopping use. Some relate to muscle control, such as muscle spasms, tremors, coordination problems, overactive reflexes, and loss of bladder control. Others relate to overstimulation, like agitation, restlessness, sleep issues, and uncontrollable excitement. It comes in the form of a helpstay reviews capsule that you take with water or another drink. The standard capsule immediately releases the medicine, providing a quick and strong benefit, while the delayed-release capsule slowly releases the medicine into your system, to produce a milder effect that lasts longer.
Weed Addiction Vs Alcohol Addiction
We strongly recommend that you consult with a physician or other qualified healthcare provider before using any cannabis products. The use of any information provided on this website is solely at your own risk. The problems occurring when the two drugs interact tend to be related to cognitive and motor function. Cognitive side effects include concentration problems, confusion, impaired judgment, and difficulty thinking.
Before getting into comparing alcohol and weed, it’s important to understand some of the factors that make the comparison tricky. 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 can cause cognitive impairment which can lead to poor judgment, decreased coordination, and memory loss and in some cases blackouts. It’s important to understand the distinct difference between alcohol and cannabis addiction. Cannabis is more likely to lead to a use disorder where you are habitually or are psychologically addicted to cannabis and want to use it.
