Marijuana vs Alcohol
Drink Up? Or Toke Up? That is the Question
They were both icons of unforgettable eras: one, the glamorous nineteen twenties; the other, the revolutionary seventies. In the twenties, alcohol was sipped cautiously behind the walls of speakeasies; glasses clinking under the flashing lights of entertainment signs. The hippies of the sixties and seventies passed pipes of burning marijuana, promoting peace while protesting for the rights of millions of Americans. No doubt, both drugs have had a major influence on the country, both have had their “glory” days. After a time of prohibition, the once thought sinful substance of alcohol was re-legalized. Marijuana, on the other hand, remains illegal in the country of the United States. But through increasing medical knowledge, more is known about these drugs today than ever before. It’s knowledge that points to shocking conclusions. Based on the differences between the two drugs’ toxic levels, consequences of long term use, their association with violence and reckless behavior, and their benefits, could it be possible that we have the wrong drug illegalized?
For most people, the reason they choose to use alcohol or marijuana is because of the intoxication they bring. When compared to marijuana, alcohol has a far greater level of intoxication, which can easily lead to overdoses. In 2001 alone there were 331 reported cases of alcohol overdose deaths in the United States. Using just ten times the amount required to get the desired effect, what some may call a buzz, can lead to alcohol poisoning. So if a college boy goes out to the bars and decides to take shots with his buddies, and he knows (being an experienced college drinker) that it takes him two shots to start feeling nice, taking just 20 shots could reserve him a spot on a table at the morgue instead of on his best friend’s futon. On the other hand, it is physically impossible to overdose on marijuana. For the same college boy to die from an overdose of marijuana
They were both icons of unforgettable eras: one, the glamorous nineteen twenties; the other, the revolutionary seventies. In the twenties, alcohol was sipped cautiously behind the walls of speakeasies; glasses clinking under the flashing lights of entertainment signs. The hippies of the sixties and seventies passed pipes of burning marijuana, promoting peace while protesting for the rights of millions of Americans. No doubt, both drugs have had a major influence on the country, both have had their “glory” days. After a time of prohibition, the once thought sinful substance of alcohol was re-legalized. Marijuana, on the other hand, remains illegal in the country of the United States. But through increasing medical knowledge, more is known about these drugs today than ever before. It’s knowledge that points to shocking conclusions. Based on the differences between the two drugs’ toxic levels, consequences of long term use, their association with violence and reckless behavior, and their benefits, could it be possible that we have the wrong drug illegalized?
For most people, the reason they choose to use alcohol or marijuana is because of the intoxication they bring. When compared to marijuana, alcohol has a far greater level of intoxication, which can easily lead to overdoses. In 2001 alone there were 331 reported cases of alcohol overdose deaths in the United States. Using just ten times the amount required to get the desired effect, what some may call a buzz, can lead to alcohol poisoning. So if a college boy goes out to the bars and decides to take shots with his buddies, and he knows (being an experienced college drinker) that it takes him two shots to start feeling nice, taking just 20 shots could reserve him a spot on a table at the morgue instead of on his best friend’s futon. On the other hand, it is physically impossible to overdose on marijuana. For the same college boy to die from an overdose of marijuana