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The Public Health Case for Legalizing Pot: It Could Replace Alcohol
Researcher Meenakshi Subbaraman, of the Alcohol Research Group, comments on casual marijuana use compared to alcohol.
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Alcohol Research Group
In a recent review of the scientific literature, researcher Meenakshi Subbaraman, of the Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute, found that marijuana can act as a substitute for alcohol for some people. In one survey of Canadian medical marijuana users, 41 percent said they replace alcohol with marijuana because pot causes less withdrawal, fewer side-effects, and better symptom management. In another survey, medical marijuana patients in California reported alcohol use at two-thirds the national rate.
As Subbaraman explained by phone, some people just want to wind down at the end of the day; whether they do it through alcohol or marijuana is personal preference. Legalizing marijuana, then, could allow some people to pick pot over alcohol without worrying about the potential repercussions of engaging in illicit activity.
Originally published by Vox
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