Weed Wars: Alcohol vs. Marijuana

As access to cannabis grows, so does its fame for boosting health. Legal weed is spreading fast, and the effects are amazing! Studies from places like California, Canada, and now New Zealand show that legalizing marijuana can do a lot of good for our health. Unlike alcohol, which can cause liver problems, heart issues, and even cancer, weed doesn't have the same scary side effects. In fact, there are no known deaths caused by marijuana, while alcohol kills over 36, 000 people every year in the U. S. alone. Legalizing pot seems to make people drink less alcohol. In New Zealand, after weed became legal, adults drank less booze. Not as much for teens, though. It's like adults are swapping their drinks for joints. But when it comes to opioids, things get tricky. While legal weed didn't make people use less opioids, it did make some folks more likely to start using them and even get addicted. Weed use went up after legalization, with adults puffing more and teens trying it more too. But hard drugs like cocaine and heroin didn't change much. So, while legal weed might help cut down on alcohol, it's not so clear about other drugs. It's a tough balance, and we need more time and research to see what really happens.