20 Reasons Marijuana May Be Better for You Than Alcohol

Drinking alcohol is legal above the age of 21 throughout every state in the United States, while marijuana is currently only legal for recreational use in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
 
That means that alcohol is safer, right? Or maybe it’s because better for your health?
 
Think again.
 

The issue with alcohol

Consuming alcohol and smoking pot can each have short – and long-term effects on your health. However, according to the CDC, alcohol leads to far more deaths each year (88,000) than weed (statistics not yet available).
 
Binge drinking (4 drinks for women or 5 for men in a 2-hour period) can lead to a buildup of alcohol in your brain that can shut down necessary bodily functions including breathing and heart processes. Additionally, excess consumption of alcohol can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, fibrosis of the liver and even cancer.
 
According to new research, turning to a glass or two of alcohol at the end of the day may be more harmful for your health than a few puffs of weed (from a vapor pen or non-smoke device). That is not to say that smoking weed is all sunshine and daisies.
 

The issue with weed

Weed does have it’s faults and should be used with care. Just like alcohol, weed may impair your balance and coordination, increasing your risk of hurting yourself or others. Marijuana may also increase the presence of psychiatric issues for people predisposed to such problems.
 
Because weed is typically smoked, smokers may develop bronchitis, inflammation of air passages or frequent coughing. For young pot smokers – think teens and pre-teens who are still growing and developing – there is concern for weed’s interference with brain development during these crucial developmental years.
 
Despite the drawbacks, there are a ton of health and wellness benefits from smoking marijuana in moderation.
 
Here are 20 reasons why smoking weed is better than drinking alcohol:
 

1. It Shifts Your Perspective

Marijuana use can relax your mind and body and allow you to see the things and the people around you in a whole new light. After use, you can experience the beauty of life, meditation or your yoga practice through an entirely different lens.
 

2. It Doesn’t Affect Prescription Drugs

While alcohol can interact with other drugs and increase or decrease the levels of the active prescribed medication in your system, marijuana does not do that. You can safely use marijuana without fear of impacting your prescription medication’s effectiveness.
 

3. It Can Make You Skinny

If you are looking to lose weight, consider smoking weed. While it might seem counterintuitive with the munchies as a known side effect, a study in the American Journal of Medicine found that people who use marijuana are often slimmer than non-pot smokers and have healthier metabolisms that process sugar more effectively.
 

4. It Helps You Connect the dots

Marijuana use can have some positive cognitive benefits, particularly an increase in creativity and generating new ideas. Smoking weed increases dopamine in your brain and lessens inhibitions, improving your ability to find associations between concepts.
 

 

5. It’s Calming

According to a study by Harvard University on medical marijuana, small doses of weed can decrease anxiety. Just be sure to find the right strain for you that doesn’t cause paranoia or increase anxiety.
 

6. It Improves Your Lung Capacity

Smoking marijuana in moderation does not harm your lungs (if you ingest it or use a smokeless method). In fact, it can increase your lung capacity when you take deep breaths while inhaling.
 

7. It Reduces Nausea

Marijuana can ease nausea and upset tummies. It can provide relief from nausea and vomiting, getting your belly on the road to recovery and even stimulating your appetite.
 

8. It’s Got the Big C

Cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical found in marijuana, has been found to turn off the ld-1 gene and stop cancer cells from spreading throughout the body in laboratory tests. This chemical, along with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has also been known to shrink the size of tumors.
 

9. It’s Good for Your Brain

Marijuana use can protect your brain from damage caused by a stroke and reduce the size of the affected area. Studies also show that weed use can protect your brain from trauma such as concussions and lessen brain bruising.
 

10. It Improves Gut health

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) that causes inflammation in the lining of your digestive tract, which can lead to weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea and pain. People suffering from Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can use marijuana to deal with digestive upset and treat gut function and immune system response. The CBD in marijuana can help regulate bacteria and intestinal function and help improve symptoms.
 

11. It’s A Pain killer

Marijuana reduces inflammation and alleviates pain and discomfort, especially for people with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic Lupus and multiple sclerosis. The THC in weed relieves pain by binding to the nerves and muscles in your body.
 

12. It Treats the Hep

Those suffering from hepatitis C – a slow progressing disease transmitted in infected blood, causing chronic liver disease – often experience nausea, fatigue, muscle aches, loss of appetite and depression. Treatment for hepatitis C requires harsh antiviral medications, but according to a 2006 study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, pot can help lessen the treatment side effects and improve treatment effectiveness.
 

13. It Helps With PTSD During Sleep

Marijuana affects sleep cycles and interrupts REM sleep, which can negatively impact your sleep. However, for those who suffer from serious nightmares or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), by interrupting REM sleep, you can prevent those dreams from occurring.
 

14. It Slows the Progression of Alzheimer’s

THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, can slow the formation of plaque in the brain and kill the brain cells that may be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Some believe it may even slow the progression of the disease.
 

15. Anyone for a Pre-Workout Bowl?

According to an article in Men’s Journal, using weed before exercise can improve your overall workout. It can help clear your mind and get you “in the zone” to focus on repetitive tasks.
 

16. It’s Used to Help Chemo Patients

Patients recovering from chemotherapy treatment for cancer can use weed to reduce pain and nausea and increase appetite. Happy munching!
 

17. It Reduces Seizures and Involuntary Twitching

Marijuana use can help control epileptic seizures by controlling the brain cells responsible for relaxation. CBD works with brain cells to quiet excess activity that is the cause of seizures.
 

18. It’s a Known Treatment for Parkinson’s

People suffering from Parkinson’s disease can use weed to reduce pain and tremors and improve sleep. Patients can also see improvement in fine motor skills after cannabis treatment.
 

19. It Treats Stress Disorders

CBD in marijuana can be used to treat PTSD. CBD regulates fear and anxiety in the brain and body and eases PTSD symptoms.
 

20. It’s a Glaucoma Treatment

Glaucoma – an eye disease that increases pressure in the eyeball and damages the optic nerve resulting in vision loss – is no match for marijuana. Weed can decrease pressure within the eye and slow progression of the disease, potentially even preventing blindness.
 
 
As you can see, marijuana can offer a variety of health and wellness benefits that you might not have imagined. As with anything, be sure to use marijuana in moderation. Also, think about your conduit of choice (smoke, vape pen, edibles).
 

 
What is your opinion regarding Marijuana vs. Alcohol? Chime in in the comments below.
 
This article and all included information is not intended as medical advice and does not treat or diagnose. Please consult your doctor for any health-related questions or concerns.
 
Featured image: laurenburvill.com

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