Those who consumed just alcohol had worse cognitive functioning than those who only consumed THC. Those who combined the two had reduced cognitive performance than those who only consumed alcohol. A study from 2011 evaluated performance on cognitive tasks among 21 heavy weed users who had consumed alcohol. However, this study was pretty small, making it hard to draw any firm conclusions.

JAMA Internal Medicine

Chronic alcohol use can lead to liver diseases such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis, gastritis and pancreatitis. In general, marijuana is considered less harmful than alcohol but alcohol can be considered more socially acceptable. After all, you can only purchase cannabis products at dispensaries where in some states you can purchase alcohol in supermarkets. Additionally, alcohol is more socially acceptable in public use or work situations while using cannabis at a work function could be looked down upon. Considering the statistics you just read about marijuana-based crashes, 40 percent of car crash deaths in the US involve alcohol, and 30 percent of deaths involve alcohol above the legal limit for driving.

The use of marijuana, however, seemed to have no significant long-term effects on brain structure. There is no disagreement among experts, and most likely the population at large, about the need for more studies on the effects of marijuana use on our bodies and brains as more states vote to legalize it. Maxwell celebrity fetal alcohol syndrome thinks we need to learn more about how marijuana affects people not just physiologically but also mentally and spiritually. He also points out that since the legalization of marijuana, there has been increased hospitalizations in psychiatric and inpatient hospital settings.

Some compounds that are found in marijuana are using the same pathways to be metabolized as other common heart medications.” This includes blood thinners, anti-cholesterol medications and some blood pressure medicines. Based on these findings, the researchers believe that drinking alcohol is likely to be much more harmful to brain health than using marijuana. Since 2012 when voters in Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana, and subsequently seven other states followed, science has been trying to catch up to the law.

1. This chemical surge provides temporary relief from negative emotions and can produce increased confidence, sociableness, relaxation or elation.
2. Additionally, there is evidence marijuana can worsen psychiatric issues for people who are predisposed to them, or bring them on at a younger age.
3. Even if two drugs score similarly in Nutt’s analysis, the underlying variables behind the scores can be completely different.
4. This isn’t to suggest that cannabis drinks are more risky than alcohol, which has many unhealthy effects.

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. B lives in Georgia, a state where only medical marijuana is allowed. Therefore, B began using hemp-based gummies laced with delta-9, the most abundant form of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the part of the cannabis plant that creates a high.

Alcohol is not only more addictive it also can cause more lasting damage to your health than cannabis. While excessive marijuana use can take a negative toll on your health many of these side effects can be reversible. It’s possible to develop an emotional and/or physical dependence on both substances. The drug policy experts I talked to about Nutt’s study generally agreed that his style of analysis and ranking misses some of the nuance behind the harm of certain drugs. Daily and near-daily marijuana use is now more common than similar levels of drinking in the U.S., according to an analysis of national survey data over four decades. A 2017 review of existing studies notes that people who use alcohol and weed together tend to consume more of both.

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In the study, published in the journal Addiction, researchers looked at brain scans of 853 adults between the ages of 18 and 55 and 439 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18. Each of the participants reported their alcohol and marijuana use. In sheer numbers, of course, many more people still drink alcohol on occasion than use marijuana, which is now legal for recreational use in 24 states and Washington, DC, and for medical use in 38 states and DC. During the early stages of drinking, the brain releases more of the “feel good” chemical dopamine.

The adverse health effects of alcohol

The study included the brain images of 853 adults who were aged between 18 and 55 years and 439 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18. The team notes that any reduction in the size of white or gray matter or a loss in their integrity can lead to impairments in brain functioning. Across the U.S., however, it is increasingly becoming legalized for both medicinal and recreational purposes. 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.

Drug and Alcohol Review

It can damage brain cells and lead to deficiencies in neurotransmitters. It affects gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which can cause relaxation but long term use of alcohol can affect your levels of GABA or glutamate in the nervous system. Alcohol can lower inhibitions but it can also impair judgment, coordination, and memory. Suffice to say that alcohol causes more deaths due to violence, accidents, car crashes, and disease than cannabis to the point where there are ever-growing statistics tracking these numbers.

Some users also find themselves unable to stop using cannabis despite the negative impact on their life or health, resulting in cannabis use disorder (CUD). Many cannabis users report the “munchies,” a phenomenon where pot users have increased appetites and cravings while high. Because cannabis affects cannabinoid receptors in the olfactory bulb in the brain, food can smell and taste more intense.