Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug under the federal government, making it a challenge for scientists to conduct further studies and gather statics on the impact it has on your health. The federal government regulates cannabis through the Controlled Substance Act, which does not differentiate between the medical and recreational use of cannabis. The video above will present you with information and statistics on the health effects of alcohol and cannabis.
The video presents an interesting question to scientists, will marijuana users replace weed with alcohol if legalized or compliment alcohol with weed? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that there are 88,000 deaths each year attributed to alcohol, with 25,000 deaths being from direct overdoses. What's the death rate for overdoses on cannabis? There have been zero reported cases. Surveys have been conducted with medical marijuana users in regards to the use of cannabis and alcohol, but not recreational users. Even though so far nine states have legalized marijuana for recreational use.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder conducted a review on the effects of alcohol and marijuana on the brain. They looked at the effect on the brains tissue, "Gray matter is the tissue on the brain's surface that primarily consists of nerve cell bodies. White matter is the deeper brain tissue that contains myelinated nerve fibers, which are branches protruding from nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses to other cells and tissues." The findings from this review consisted of alcohol consumption being linked to long-term changes to the structure of white and gray matter in the brain. While marijuana use was found to have no significant long-term effects on in the brain.
Sources: Medical News Today
