Learn / Alcohol vs. Marijuana: Is One Safer Than the Other?
Key Points
Alcohol and marijuana use are both socially acceptable, and they can both be dangerous. But is one safer than the other? That’s a complicated question—partly because “safety” means something different for everyone. No matter how safe a substance seems, addiction is always possible.
It may feel like almost everyone you know drinks alcohol. Around the world, this is one of the most socially acceptable substances. In 2021, more than 78% of Americans aged 12 and older reported using alcohol at least once in their lifetime.1
Alcohol addiction is more common2 than other drug addictions in the U.S. There’s no fixed timeline for how quickly or easily this condition develops. Depending on your genetics, your drinking habits, and other factors, it could take several years or just a few months for you to need treatment.
Several factors can give you a greater risk of addiction. For one thing, it depends on how long alcohol stays in your system. Some people get drunk faster than others, or have a naturally low tolerance to alcohol. If you keep drinking regularly, your tolerance will go up. That means you’ll have to drink more and more to feel the same effects. This cycle can quickly lead to addiction.
Binge and heavy drinking also play a significant role in developing alcohol use disorder. For many people, it’s perfectly safe to have a drink or 2 with friends on occasion. But if you’re getting drunk every day, or blacking out every time you go to the bar, you may be more vulnerable to addiction.
It’s easy to overlook the short and long-term consequences of excessive drinking.3 Alcohol abuse impairs your judgment, and it can lead to impulsive decisions. Experts note a few common short-term risks of heavy drinking:
With ongoing alcohol abuse, you’ll also face certain long-term risks:6
Alcohol affects everyone differently. It might be hard to notice when your drinking becomes a problem. So how do you know when you cross the line?
This question is very personal. Drinking might not cause any major problems in your life at first, or ever. But if you’re wondering whether you need help, you might be onto something. In a sober moment, you can take an inventory of your behavior by answering a few questions:
With a clearer sense of your own drinking habits, you can decide on next steps. However, only a professional can diagnose you with alcohol use disorder. If you think you need help, you can contact a rehab or share your thoughts with a specialist.
Between alcohol and cannabis, many people see marijuana as the lesser evil. You might not even know that weed is addictive.7 As legalization becomes more widespread in the U.S., so do studies shedding light on cannabis use, weed’s potential risks and benefits,8 and addiction.
When you use it safely, marijuana has many medicinal benefits.9 It’s especially helpful for people with chronic pain. Some see cannabis as a safer alternative to prescription opioids and other narcotics. Natural chemicals like THC and CBD, which appear in most strains of marijuana, also have several other effects.
For example, CBD oil can help with anxiety10 and depression. It can also protect against neurological issues like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
There’s no doubt marijuana can help people. But it’s up to you to decide if marijuana products will benefit you in the long run. Thinking about your relationship with substances is always a great place to start.
Whether marijuana is more addictive than alcohol is a complex question, and there’s no simple answer. On the surface, cannabis might seem like a medicine that does more good than harm. But just about any substance can be addictive11—even seemingly harmless ones like caffeine or ibuprofen. And marijuana is no exception.
The health effects of marijuana use, however, are generally less risky than those of alcohol. Many studies suggest cannabis has a lower risk for health-related harms12 like cancer, death from severe withdrawal, and liver damage. And one study found that marijuana has a much lower risk of overdose than alcohol. Still, we need more data on weed and addiction.
Abusing marijuana has both short and long-term impacts13 on your health. Some of its short-term effects might be enjoyable, but others are dangerous:
It can be even harder to recognize marijuana addiction than alcohol abuse. If you think you might need help, you can start by answering these questions:
If you answered yes to some or all of these questions, you might want to share your responses with a clinical expert. They’ll be able to give you a proper diagnosis and help you plan for the future.
Treatment for marijuana abuse16 normally includes a combination of therapies. Depending on where you go to rehab, you may have access to a variety of options: