Reports show that binge drinking is down in states where weed is legal

People seem to be learning that marijuana makes it easier to curb alcohol consumption.

There is a terrible drug epidemic presently underway in the United States that no one is talking that much about. Yet, it is a brutal beast that continues to kill off more Americans than opioids, the nation’s supposed arch nemesis, with the death toll skyrocketing to tens of thousands over the years. No, this isn’t some bizarre new powdered dope devised in the jungles of Colombia. We’re talking about alcohol here.

A recent federal study shows that alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled over the past decade. There are now somewhere around 73,000 people dropping dead each year in the U.S. because of booze. It’s a dire situation, too, one that continues to prove detrimental to the health of people from all walks of life. It’s just difficult for some to imagine that such a socially acceptable staple in our culture can be so dangerous.

As with anything, the only way a person can ensure they will not end up a casualty of the drink is to either quit or cut down immensely. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, safe alcohol consumption really only equates to two drinks per day for men and one for women. There have even been studies to emerge over the years, showing that no amount of alcohol is safe.

In 2009, a study published in Harm Reduction Journal found that medical marijuana patients in California were using less alcohol once they had access to legal weed. More than 50 percent of the hundreds of people surveyed said that cannabis had become a replacement for booze. Interestingly, even if a drinker doesn’t cut the booze out altogether, cannabis is still a viable option for cutting back to safer consumption levels.

Since marijuana is known for strengthening the effects of alcohol, people who use cannabis before they drink often do not use it as much. And, while there is still much to learn about the overall safety of cannabis, a study published in Scientific Reports indicates that marijuana is around 114 times safer than alcohol. As far as the available science goes, cannabis consumption does not lead to any of the ailments directly associated with booze. Therefore, the battle of the bottle may be a bit easier to fight with a little weed on your side.

Read the full article at TheFreshToast