Researchers have been working on determining the differences in how the body responds to alcohol and marijuana. They found that alcohol is much more toxic to the human body and to society than marijuana.
Alcohol use is a leading cause of aggression and violent crimes in America, accounting for nearly 40-percent of the violent crimes committed nationwide, reports The Washington Post. Researchers found that marijuana use is more likely to relax individuals.
The medical journal Psychopharmacology recently published a random controlled trial. Recruited were 21 regular marijuana users and 20 regular alcohol users consuming at least 2 – 3 drinks per day depending on gender. The research also included 20 participants that did not consume either substance.
Once the marijuana users were medicated and alcohol users were intoxicated, tests were conducted. Some of the tests conducted included matching positive and negative photos depicting behavioral reactions (aggressive and/or violent behaviors). Another phase of testing required participants to play computer games where the adversary of the game was computer controlled.
Those using marijuana or alcohol were given the tests twice, to determine the difference between sober reactions and inebriated or stoned reactions. In the group where participants consumed alcohol, more aggression was noted during the inebriated phases than sober phases. Marijuana users were less aggressive when medicated.
Given that these results are self-assessments based upon personal opinions and feelings, the study provides information suggesting that alcohol increases feelings of anger or aggression while marijuana results in calmer approaches to situations.
The researchers concluded that, “The results in the present study support the hypothesis that acute alcohol intoxication increases feelings of aggression and that acute cannabis intoxication reduces feelings of aggression.”
The conclusion of this study agrees with a study conducted in 2014 showing that domestic violence rates were lower in relationships where marijuana use is a factor.
(Photo: pressurelife.com)