# Could cannabis be a viable alternative to alcoholism? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 14, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017 "2004-07-14T03:18:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/1 "2004-07-14T03:18:16Z")
If canabis were legalized and made available in all the same places as alcohol could it be a viable alternative for the alcoholic and so reduce alcoholism and binge drinking in the nation? What are the function reducing effects of cannabis compared to binge drinking? What are the long term biological effects? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/2 "2004-07-14T07:35:15Z")
One plus to weed, I suppose, is that you can’t smoke yourself to death the way you can kill yourself with alcohol poisoning. (There was an SD column about this.) But I don’t think legalization would make a difference in drinking. The most obvious negative health effect to smoking marijuana is cancer - smoking anything raises that problem - but it probably has fewer potential negatives than drinking overall. You don’t have to smoke it in any case. I’m sure you could find a ton of good information just by searching through some of the past debates about this. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/3 "2004-07-14T12:54:07Z")
I don’t think pot could ever be a viable alternative for alcoholics. My reasoning is pretty simple. I like to have a drink. Or even two or three, if it’s a weekend night and I’m out with friends. I like wine with dinner. I enjoy the effects, in moderation. I’m kind of shy sometimes. It helps with that. It loosens me up a bit. I’m not an alcoholic. I know when to stop. I never have a drink at inappropriate times. I’ve never driven a car or ridden my motorcycle while under the influence. But. . . I just don’t enjoy smoking pot. I don’t like it. It just makes me want to go to sleep. So, I wonder if someone who is truly addicted to alcohol could simply switch over to pot. I can’t imagine that it would be possible. I have no statistical or medical evidence whatsoever to back this up, but it seems pretty sensible to me. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/4 "2004-07-14T13:30:13Z")
I’m pretty sure that alcoholism results in a physical dependence. Pot wouldn’t help this situation and so offers no solution to the problem of alcoholism. Plus, a lot of people just smoke pot and then binge drink at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/5 "2004-07-14T18:13:21Z")
I know alcoholics who have gone through AA who smoke pot and say it helps them and I know alcoholics who went through AA who once smoked pot but now says it would lead them to alcohol. I guess it depends on the person. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/6 "2004-07-14T18:29:58Z")
I would think that anything that lowers inhibitions chemically would be risky for many recovering alcoholics. I also think that alcoholism has a number of psychological components that would not be addressed by switching to another drug. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/7 "2004-07-14T18:31:45Z")
That’s like asking if roach poison is a viable alternative to rat poison. Both of them are extremely bad for you. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/8 "2004-07-14T18:41:29Z")
AFAIK, pot is not physically addictive. It’s an ‘apples and oranges’ comparison. > [@Clothahump](#): > > Both of them are extremely bad for you. Only when abused…just like anything else. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/9 "2004-07-14T20:11:32Z")
> [@LMM](#): > > …But. . . I just don’t enjoy smoking pot. I don’t like it. **It just makes me want to go to sleep** … Bolding mine. I think this would help as, correct me if I am wrong, one form of alcoholism is binge drinking at night to force sleep. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/10 "2004-07-14T21:05:02Z")
Nope. Alcoholism is an addiction. Smoking pot won’t “scratch the itch” for an alcoholic. Note that most people that are trying to quit smoking have their most difficult times and most frequent slips after they’ve had a few drinks. A chemical that weakens a person’s resolve will hinder their efforts to break an addiction. Or in other words, what **cher3** said: > [@cher3](#): > > I would think that anything that lowers inhibitions chemically would be risky for many recovering alcoholics. > > I also think that alcoholism has a number of psychological components that would not be addressed by switching to another drug. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/11 "2004-07-14T21:32:57Z")
Completely anecdotal, but marijuana was a big help for me when I was kicking oxys. Some will say it’s just trading one addiction for another, I prefer to look at it as trading the rabid, angry, 2 ton gorilla on my back for a small, cute, spider monkey. ---
**Author:** ![PAWKK\_BO4LL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e7dd6/32.png) [@PAWKK\_BO4LL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PAWKK_BO4LL)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/12 "2004-07-14T23:24:11Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > That’s like asking if roach poison is a viable alternative to rat poison. > > Both of them are extremely bad for you. Not really, considering alcohol is obviously toxic at the amount those who are addicted to it consume. Marijuana, on the other hand, is non-toxic and studies indicate that the mild cognitive impairment that results from chronic consumption is gone after 30 days(when you are completely free of metabolites). In fact, it’s possible to be totally functional as a marijuana smoker, even if you are using it habitually. I’d say any detrimental effect(memory, mostly) is unlikely to be noticeable except through testing. ---
**Author:** ![Ryle\_Dup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ryle\_Dup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryle_Dup)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/13 "2004-07-15T01:08:44Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > That’s like asking if roach poison is a viable alternative to rat poison. > > Both of them are extremely bad for you. No you are completely and utterly wrong. Do you have a single cite to back up your statement about marijuana? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/14 "2004-07-15T02:00:50Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t think pot could ever be a viable alternative for alcoholics. ::raises hand:: I used to fuckin’ drink like a fish. Drink, drink, drink… hell, I have a video clip of myself chugging half a bottle of tequila (which I almost posted to the Straight Dope, but thought against it). Then I started smoking weed regularly. Now I think I have a drink every two or three weeks, and I’ve probably only been DRUNK-drunk once in the past eight months. 'Course, some people don’t like weed. Some people like alcohol more than they like weed. Some people like to get uber-smashed AND uber-blitzed. Your mileage may vary. > [@](#): > > Do you have a single cite to back up your statement about marijuana? Well, weed IS pretty carcinogenic, four times that of cigarettes. This is balanced, of course, by the fact that you need only a fraction of the weed to get a good effect… and it’s not physically addictive. Plus, if health is your concern, buy a vaporizer. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/15 "2004-07-15T02:34:14Z")
> [@PAWKK BO4LL](#): > > Marijuana, on the other hand, is non-toxic and studies indicate that the mild cognitive impairment that results from **chronic consumption** is gone after 30 days(when you are completely free of metabolites). Pun intended? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/16 "2004-07-15T05:21:42Z")
Since alcoholics already have the tendency to become addicts, it’s probably not a wise idea. Now, pot isn’t physically addictive, true. But for someone who is dependent on booze to get them through, wouldn’t they just start abusing pot the same way? (Note, I’m NOT going with the “pot is EVIL” theme. Just that it’s probably not a good idea for a recovering addict to get involved with something else.) It’s probably best to avoid any kind of mind-altering substance. Besides, it’s the behavior, the pattern of abusing substances that they’re trying to break. Substituting one for the other isn’t helping a person recover. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/17 "2004-07-15T10:05:16Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Since alcoholics already have the tendency to become addicts, it’s probably not a wise idea.Now, pot isn’t physically addictive, true. But for someone who is dependent on booze to get them through, wouldn’t they just start abusing pot the same way? I understand this. But wouldn’t an addiction to pot be healthier in the long run than an addiction to alcohol? > [@](#): > > (Note, I’m NOT going with the “pot is EVIL” theme. Just that it’s probably not a good idea for a recovering addict to get involved with something else.) I am not refering to recovering addicts, I am refering to suffering addicts. A recovering addict has no need for a drastic solution such as shifting substances. > [@](#): > > It’s probably best to avoid any kind of mind-altering substance. Besides, it’s the behavior, the pattern of abusing substances that they’re trying to break. Substituting one for the other isn’t helping a person recover. I am not looking for a recovery solution, I am looking for a safer alternative. The alcoholic (let’s face it, it’s me. you all knew that anyway) knows that recovery is unlikely, so he is looking for an alternative that will preserve his life past, say, 35. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/18 "2004-07-15T21:26:21Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > But wouldn’t an addiction to pot be healthier in the long run than an addiction to alcohol? Nope, you’d just be trading kidney failure for lung cancer. And I’ll repeat that pot is not physically addictive, though I know that people can become emotionally dependant on it. Someone with an addictive personality is going to become addicted to whatever it is that they do in excess…drinking, smoking, shopping, what have you. I don’t see how trading one excess for another would be of any benefit. ---
**Author:** ![PAWKK\_BO4LL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e7dd6/32.png) [@PAWKK\_BO4LL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PAWKK_BO4LL)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/19 "2004-07-15T22:55:19Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I understand this. But wouldn’t an addiction to pot be healthier in the long run than an addiction to alcohol? Yeah, I think so. Some people may claim that lung cancer is a potential danger and while that is obviously the case with tobacco, it is not nearly so clear-cut with cannabis. The nonsense about it being X times(anywhere between 4 and 20, apparently) more carcinogenic than cigarettes is just that - nonsense. As far as I know, no data exist that can justify such a comparison. Pure cannabinoids can actually cause tumors to regress. They can also prevent the neurotoxicity of some substances; alcohol may be one of them(withdrawal, at least). There are other problems with using marijuana instead of alcohol. One, there is synergy between the pleasurable effects of the drugs. It’s similar to tobacco in that way. Secondly, you can drink all night and get progressively more drunk - with marijuana, all you can do is maintain the intoxication with no increase in intensity. Third, it lacks the benefit of legality and widespread social acceptance. Unless you’ve got friends who enjoy smoking it, it’s likely you’ll be lonely getting high by yourself all the time. There’s no question that it’s waaayyy healthier than alcohol. I wouldn’t consider it a good substitute… but I’ve never been an alcoholic… just a pothead… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017/20 "2004-07-16T00:19:02Z")
> [@PAWKK BO4LL](#): > > As far as I know, no data exist that can justify such a comparison. I haven’t found any thus far either, but it’s still potentially harmful and carcinogenic. [Here’s an article to that effect from last year.](http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=6565) > [@](#): > > Regularly smoking three or four joints a week, even for less than six years, can impair lung function and rob the body of antioxidants that protect cells against damage that can lead to heart disease and cancer. > > “Smoking cannabis on a regular basis actually depletes your lung of protective antioxidant substances…and this may have chronic long-term implications for young individuals,” said Dr Sarah Nuttall of the University of Birmingham in central England. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-cannabis-be-a-viable-alternative-to-alcoholism/255017.md?page=2)