Alcohol vs Cannabis

[Jazzy]

Your thoughts on this?

 

[Nebulous]

The list is biased and exaggerated, but I do agree that marijuana is less harmful.

 

[DrLeftover]

Very biased.

For starters:

It has been shown that THC, the active ingredient in pot, is addictive.

This is the ultimate question for many people. In fact, when discussing addiction, it is rare that the addiction potential for marijuana doesn't come up. Well, this is one of many posts on the topic, and before some of the readers get all upset, please read the post in its entirety.

Some basic points about marijuana

The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain (CB1 and CB2). Since it is a partial agonist, it activates these receptors, though not to their full capacity. The fact that cannabinoid receptors modulate mood, sleep, and appetite to some extent is the reason behind many of marijuana's effects.

But how is marijuana addictive? What's the link to heroin?

What most people don't know is that there is quite a bit of interaction between the cannabinoid receptor system (especially CB1 receptors) and the opioid receptor system in the brain. In fact, research has shown that without the activation of the µ opioid receptor, THC is no longer rewarding. If the fact that marijuana activates the same receptor system as opiates (like heroin, morphine, oxycontin, etc.) surprises you, you should read on. The opioid system in turn activates the dopamine reward pathway I've discussed in numerous other posts (look here for a start). This is the mechanisms that is assumed to underlie the rewarding, and many of the addictive, properties of essentially all drugs of abuse.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/all-about-addiction/201001/is-marijuana-addictive-you-can-bet-your-heroin

Also


You will never convince me that deep breathing any sort of smoke is a Good for you.

 

[Dee]

Aside from the obvious subjectivity of the columns, I'm going to agree, as Nebulous said, that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol. However, some of what's been listed under the marijuana column hasn't been proven in enough studies with enough of the same results to actually call it a fact. Marijuana cures cancer? Pffft, please. Give me a break. It can help many people alleviate the symptoms of certain cancer, but it is most definitely not the cure for it.

I can't take this list seriously as I know that when alcohol is handled responsibly, it isn't very harmful and can actually be beneficial in some ways as well, so yeah this is totally biased.

 

[Jazzy]

I can't take this list seriously as I know that when alcohol is handled responsibly, it isn't very harmful and can actually be beneficial in some ways as well, so yeah this is totally biased.

Can you tell us some of the benefits of alcohol, please?

 

[DrLeftover]

I can't take this list seriously as I know that when alcohol is handled responsibly, it isn't very harmful and can actually be beneficial in some ways as well, so yeah this is totally biased.

Can you tell us some of the benefits of alcohol, please?

My pleasure.

The key is: Moderation.

We'll start here:

10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
By making these 10 lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol — generally more than one drink a day for women and men older than age 65, or more than two a day for men age 65 and younger.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974

 

[Dee]

I can't take this list seriously as I know that when alcohol is handled responsibly, it isn't very harmful and can actually be beneficial in some ways as well, so yeah this is totally biased.

Can you tell us some of the benefits of alcohol, please?

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/8-health-benefits-of-drinking-wine

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281

In much moderation of course, but wine can be beneficial.

The Benefit: Promotes Longevity

The Evidence: Wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than beer or spirits drinkers. Source: a Finnish study of 2,468 men over a 29-year period, published in the Journals of Gerontology, 2007.

The Benefit: Reduces Heart-Attack Risk

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers suffering from high blood pressure are 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack than nondrinkers. Source: a 16-year Harvard School of Public Health study of 11,711 men, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 2007.

The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

The Evidence: Red-wine tannins contain procyanidins, which protect against heart disease. Wines from Sardinia and southwest France have more procyanidins than other wines. Source: a study at Queen Mary University in London, published in Nature, 2006.

The Benefit: Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers have 30 percent less risk than nondrinkers of developing type 2 diabetes. Source: research on 369,862 individuals studied over an average of 12 years each, at Amsterdam's VU University Medical Center, published in Diabetes Care, 2005.

The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Stroke

The Evidence: The possibility of suffering a blood clot–related stroke drops by about 50 percent in people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Source: a Columbia University study of 3,176 individuals over an eight-year period, published in Stroke, 2006.

The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Cataracts

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers are 32 percent less likely to get cataracts than nondrinkers; those who consume wine are 43 percent less likely to develop cataracts than those drinking mainly beer. Source: a study of 1,379 individuals in Iceland, published in Nature, 2003.

The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Colon Cancer

The Evidence: Moderate consumption of wine (especially red) cuts the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent. Source: a Stony Brook University study of 2,291 individuals over a four-year period, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2005.

The Benefit: Slows Brain Decline

The Evidence: Brain function declines at a markedly faster rate in nondrinkers than in moderate drinkers. Source: a Columbia University study of 1,416 people, published in Neuroepidemiology, 2006.

Here's another one from a journal: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/111/2/e10.full

Again, this is an all-inclusive package. You also need to get good sleep, eat right, and exercise to reap the full benefits. AND some of this needs to be studied further, just like marijuana, to determine whether the studies reproduce similar if not exact outcomes. Of course, it's different for everyone, so speaking to one's doctor about drinking alcohol and the health benefits is also a good idea.

 

[Webster]

Cannabis, most definitely. Here's a Business Insider article on some of the health benefits of cannabis, as listed below:
-Treatment of glaucoma
-Helps in the reversal of the carcinogenic effects of tobacco smoking
-Controls seizures (including Dravet's syndrome)
-May help prevent cancer metastasizing
-May help deal w/anixety
-May help slow the progression of Alzheimer's
-Eases the pain of multiple sclerosis
-May help deal w/muscle spasms
-Helps lessen side effects from treatments for Hepatitis C
-Helps deal w/symptoms from inflammatory bowel disease
-Helps deal w/arthritis discomfort
-Helps w/metabolism
-Helps deal w/symptoms of lupus
-Spurs creativity in the brain
-May help eliminate Crohn's disease
-May help slow the progression of Parkinson's
-Helps alleviate PTSD symptoms
-Helps protect the brain following a stroke
-May help deal w/the effects of concussions & TBIs'
-Helps reduce the side effects of chemo & helps increase appetite
-Safer to use & consume than alcohol

 

[DrLeftover]

YUP, it is totally harmless:

Long-Term Effects of Cannabis on Brain Structure

16 April 2014

......

Self-rating questionnaires show a significant difference in the frequency and amount of cannabis consumption between the groups of regular and occasional smokers. However, they do not differ in age, in the years of cannabis use and or in the age at which consumption started (Table 1). The median value of the self-reported usual amount of cannabis smoked by regular users is higher than that of occasional consumers (0.4 g vs 0.3 g). The determination of cannabinoid time profiles revealed that the THCCOOH median level was significantly higher in regular smokers compared with occasional users (21 μg/l vs 0 μg/l just before smoking the joint). An equal difference was found for the participants enrolled in the same study and selected by Fabritius et al, (2013a) for the pharmacokinetic determinations.
MRI Results

When comparing gray matter volume between groups, we find that significant clusters showing a lower gray matter volume in regular cannabis users compared with occasional ones are located bilaterally in the temporal pole and in the parahippocampal gyrus. Additional clusters cover the left insula and the left orbitofrontal cortex (Figure 1). In contrast, three cerebellar clusters show the opposite behavior, with increased gray matter volume. Coordinates of the centers of gravity of the significant clusters are reported in the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space and are summarized in Tables 2 and 3.
...
In our study, we provide new arguments about the effects of long-term exposure to cannabis on brain structure integrity. We were able to support all the hypotheses raised in the introduction: (i) we demonstrate that regular cannabis use is associated with reduced gray matter volume in regions rich in cannabinoid CB1 receptors that are functionally linked to motivational, emotional, and affective processing. (ii) We complete our findings by showing that the magnitude of changes in these regions correlates with the frequency of cannabis use and (iii) is modulated by the age at which consumption was initiated.

We present a different scenario in the cerebellum where the increase in gray matter volume in regular users without any correlation with the amount of cannabis use may have a developmental nature. The line of research should move toward longitudinal studies in order to differentiate between consumption-related and developmental aspects of brain changes associated with long-term regular cannabis exposure.

http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v39/n9/full/npp201467a.html

 

[Webster]

*looks over towards Doc* Better cannabis than alcohol, my friend.

 

[+paradox]

both alcohol and cannabis are both good and bad, depending on the person, the situation and how much it's used...

pot statically is less harmful and better for different people for different things/issues...

both can be addictive to some yet not for others...

both can be the main reason for a death...

pot may cure cancer for some but at the same time wont work for others, just like any other drug/medication or something else...

drinking a glass of wine every night can help some but not others...


me personally, i think alcohol is worse than the plant, this has been proven over and over again...

 

[Webster]

YUP, it is totally harmless:

I never said it was completely harmless, Doc, but to continue my earlier thought, the benefits sure as hell outweigh the risks.

 

[DrLeftover]

I think we have a consensus.

You're probably better off without overdoing it with either one.

 

[Webster]

I think we have a consensus.

You're probably better off without overdoing it with either one.

On that we can agree, Doc.

 

[DrLeftover]

Oddly enough, this just hit the news this morning.

The terrible truth about cannabis: Expert's devastating 20-year study finally demolishes claims that smoking pot is harmless

One in six teenagers who regularly smoke the drug become dependent
It doubles risk of developing psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia
Heavy use in adolescence appears to impair intellectual development
Driving after smoking cannabis doubles risk of having a car crash
Study's author said: 'If cannabis is not addictive then neither is heroin'
The drug is currently legal in two states - Washington and Colorado
A further 21 states have allowed it to be used for medicinal purposes
Obama said earlier this year cannabis is not as dangerous as alcohol

Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2783111/The-terrible-truth-cannabis-Expert-s-devastating-20-year-study-finally-demolishes-claims-smoking-pot-harmless.html

 

[+paradox]

"the terrible truth" based on opinions and a study"

really?

anything can be harmful if you word everything correctly and take a few stupid studies and make what ever as facts... you can die by breathing, make sure you don't do it anymore... (;