Study: Marijuana Can Help Curb Alcohol, Prescription Drug Abuse
A new study published in Harm Reduction Journal by researchers at the University of California, Berkley, suggests that marijuana is a safe and effective substitute for alcohol and prescription drugs.
In the study, 40 percent of marijuana users said they have used marijuana to control their alcohol addictions, 66 percent said they used marijuana instead of prescription drugs, and 26 percent said marijuana helped them stay off other illegal drugs.
According to lead researcher Amanda Reiman:
“Substituting cannabis for alcohol has been described as a radical alcohol treatment protocol. This approach could be used to address heavy alcohol use […] People might substitute cannabis, a potentially safer drug than alcohol with less negative side-effects, if it were socially acceptable and available.”
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Tagged with: alcohol and harm reduction and Medical Marijuana and SAFER by the author
21 comments
Excellent info….. Is MPP pursuing the writers of TV shows like: House, E.R., Grey’s Anatomy, The Doctors? A positive portrayal of Medical Marijuana can go a long way to educating the general public. Just a thought!
I am a recovering alcoholic who knows and believes in cannabis being useful to substitute for alcohol….I feel and do so much better with a little cannabis.
when I had tooth pains and had to see a dentist, he prescribed me hydrocodone. After taking the pill I was at work, I kept getting the urge to take more even though I didn’t need it, the pain went away but i still wanted more. When I got home, I smoked a little bit of Cannabis and the desire to take the pills went away. That is my true personal experience.
I’m hearing more, and more often that regular consumers of marijuana typically refrain from any moderate to heavy use of alcohol. It just seems to help calm any cravings and even gives you a different view of alcohol. And that view shows you that you can be much more mature and careful on marijuana. Whereas alcohol tends to cause recklessness, agitation, and greatly lowers your inhibitions.
This is 100% true. If we could somehow poll addicts in rehab, then I gurantee that you would find an overwhelming majority would agree that they could much more easily kick the hard drugs if they could use Cannabis in a controlled environment (ie their own home).
I used pot to quit drinking heavily and pretty much discarded all illegal drugs out of my life thanks to pot, and i didn’t have to appear like a boring guy to my friends! Go pot!
I was actually just a drinker, and ironically, i tried other hard drugs while drinking cuz I didn’t know what I was doing. I never do that on marijuana. I went from drinking 3 beers a day to 3 a week…
@ brandon. It is so much true. I was wasting a lot of money parting while in college drinking. Easily $150 a week in bar tabs. That went down to $10-$20 dollars a week in bar tabs, and $150 dollars worth of pot last me about 3 weeks, not one night with alcohol! It is safer, since i feel good – I drink less, and I can’t remember the last time I regret going out, do something stupid, or have the guts to drive intoxicated since I’ve incorportated marijuana into my social life. Sometimes it makes me want to leave early cuz I know i have to go to work instead of just being drunk and saying “Fuck everything!” lol..
I can attest to the cannabis over alcohol . I used to drink heavily, got into lots of trouble due to that. When I decided to stop my alcohol abuse, I strictly use cannabis. I smoked alot at first, but as I lost my craving for alcohol , my smoking of cannabis tapered off. I’ve went many years with out cannabis, picked it up again, then dropped it just as easy. Lets see you do that with alcohol or hard drugs.
Another study in our favor. I am waiting for some of these stories to make the news. WE WILL WIN!!
It also helps you to stop smoking cigarettes… I used to smoke about a pack a day for the past 15 years… been 3 months since my last cigarette… quit cold turkey… for the first week I would smoke a bowl when I had the urge for a cigarette…. after that first week the cravings were gone….
I can personally attest to this. There is another big one as well. People who used to do “Harry, riff, raw, evil, yips, rails…” should know. When you are caught chasing the white dragon Maryjane is by far the easiest way to not crave. I have been through the mill too many times to explain. I don’t do those bad things (19 years later) i used to do and FOR ME it is because of steady exercise and cannabis.
“Is MPP pursuing the writers of TV shows like: House, E.R., Grey’s Anatomy, The Doctors? A positive portrayal of Medical Marijuana can go a long way to educating the general public.”
Lt Van Buren on law and Order was diagnosed with cancer early this season, went into chemotherapy, became horribly ill, and in episode 8 decided to give medical cannabis a try at the urging of her family. She went to work and evidently smelled of it, and the Chief of Detectives showed up and told her he expected professional behavior from his officers. She was to shower, change her clothes, and use breath mints so she wouldn’t get caught. Then he gave her a contact number for a supplier. Evidently it gave her relief, because she had the munchies in episode 9 and ordered her detectives to bring her back some key lime pie when they got back from investigating.
I’m not sure you could ask for a better portrayal, and a sworn police officer in a state with no medical laws no less.
House had a cute scene where he walked in on Dr Wilson rolling a joint for one of his cancer patients. No controversy at all about whether it was an appropriate medicine, the scene treated that aspect as a given.
Seriously, you need to watch more TV!
Duncan @ #12
In the past, Drug Czars has been pursuing the writers on some of the most popular TV shows by using federal funds to get writers to change their scripts by adding some anti-marijuana statements.
It is best to let the writers do their own thing.
The arguement in my opinion shouldn’t be about cannabis being less harmful than other drugs be it nicotine, alcohol or aspirin. To be sure, it is but that will not convince anyone. The better arguement to make is that cannabis is far and away less harmful than cannabis prohibition…and so far only MPP has made that arguement in televised debates. Keep up the good work MPP! And please keep pointing out this verifiable and fundamental truth.
I have been taking Hydrocodone for 5 yrs now almost non-stop for multiple surgeries caused from Hernia, torn bicep, blown ACl…all caused from my job as a fireman . I cannot remember the last time i felt good. I pray for the legalization of Medical Marijuana in Texas. Itd be great not to be consantly constipated….hehe
Oh Rick, I too cannot remember the last time I felt physically good either. And believe me, I’ve tried to do everything possible, (minus cannabis), to get better.
Darn it, Prohibition causes so much heart ache.
I am totally pro legalization. And I’m not trying to discount the comments by persons who found that pot helped them overcome their alcohol concerns. I rejoice for you.
However, many of the hard care chronic alcoholics whom I know do not find the relatively mild euphoria of marijuana powerful or stupefying enough to serve as a substitute…least ways not without dealing with the life falling apart, denial, and other attendant issues associated with alcohol addiction.
But that it seems to help some is just another great argument for legalization.
@ Darth Nole. I don’t use twitter. If you are on myspace please ad me and we can add to our mutual reform network.
Anyone else please don’t hesitate to contact me about drug law reform.
Please click on, ” NM CANNABISM” and add me to your network on the space.
I am building up a strong grassroots support base in my area and around the country.
I need help.
For me it was a combo of one heavy dose of lsd followed by regular cannabis use. I used alcohol and heroin everyday for 15 yrs. but haven’t for the last 5 thanks to lucy inthesky and maryjane.
There is a really great informational site about drug abuse and addiction, http://www.drugabuseclinic.org/…you can find helpful information about the causes and symptoms of a particular drug addiction, as well as the treatment options that are available.
Also, there is a toll-free helpline, 1-800-714-8354 which you can call, and speak to a trained professional who will be able to help answer any questions you may have and will help to come up with next steps to get yourself back on the right track and on the road to recovery.
I hope this was helpful!
This is a fact, I was adopted becouse both my parents were very heavy drinkers and it runs in my family. I had my bout with it also for years. I have had multible fighting charges even a felony one, 2 DUI’s, one divorce and a messed up liver (due to the fact that since alcholisam runs in my family I have to drink a lot to get drunk). I began smoking pot instead about ten or so years ago and I will continue to do so becouse I quit drinking completly since then cold turkey even and haven’t got into trouble at all even a little since that time. Now I have a house I own, a beautiful daughter a wife and a life. Def go pot, stupid ass government doesn’t know anything.
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