There are many functional differences. In the interest of not writing a 10,000 word article, I’ll just touch on a couple.
Alcohol is a water soluble small molecule that often contaminates foods that we eat, for example fruit that has fermented for a few days before consumption. This was such a problem that our early evolutionary ancestors evolved a mechanism to detoxify alcohol. For this reason, even if you drink alcohol to the point of having severe symptoms of toxicity, your body is busy detoxifying it. You have to drink a lot of alcohol in a short time to overcome the body’s natural detoxifying process.
Marijuana, on the other hand, is not water soluble. Since it is fat soluble, it very quickly goes into fat deposits throughout the body. Thus, even though liver enzymes can destroy the active components of marijuana, much of it is bound up in fat instead of circulating in the blood where it can be processed when it goes through the liver. So marijuana can remain in the body for weeks after use.
Marijuana also has physical effects that alcohol does not have. For example, the epigenetic effects mentioned in the article. The word epigenetic refers to a process of chemically changing the DNA without changing its sequence. This affects gene expression, which, in turn, affects the function of the body. For example, if a neurotransmitter gene is modified in a way that decreases the production of the neurotransmitter, the function of that neurotransmitter is impaired, leading to impairment of brain function. And because epigenetic changes might never be reversed, this impairment can be permanent. Epigenetic changes can happen in germ cells, too, so they are passed down to future generations.
On top of that, exposure to chemicals in marijuana causes some kinds of cells to die. So if cells that are important for normal brain function die, they are gone forever, and brain function is permanently altered.
The brain develops until about age 25. People who use marijuana while their brains are developing are more likely to develop psychotic disorder than non users.
Hmm, I went on a little longer than I had planned...
Interesting post. I am very concerned about the impact of THC and psychotropic meds on young people and what it means for our future. There has been far too little study of the consequences of altering our brain chemistry and future consequences.
The list is lots longer...but thanks for the snippet of info...the public...who spends their spare time on mindless tv...smartphones...being inebriated,...etc.....wont listen. The chickens will come home to roost soon enough.
As soon as you feel any effected from alcohol, such as being "relaxed," you've overcome the body’s natural detoxifying process. So your statement could be considered correct only under some highly strained daffynition of "a lot in a short time."
Marijuana, on the other hand, is not water soluble. Since it is fat soluble, it very quickly goes into fat deposits throughout the body.
Where it's not binding to neuroreceptors, so having no mental effects.
Everything you said is true, except the phrase “our evolutionary ancestors”.
Adam was made from “slime”, and Eve was made from Adam. God put those words in Genesis because He knew some idiot by the name of Charles Darwin would come along and promote the silly idea that man is descended from primates.
Other than that, you are spot on. :)
Yes, but there are reports that there are at least 17 strains of cancer that pot actually attacks the cells and kills them, thus actually curing the person.
I’ve gone through the ravages of cancer, and didn’t do so with pot, but I knew those who did. They had an easier time of the pain, the heartache and often longer survival rates than those who just had to be demolished by chemotherapy.
I’m not “pro-pot”, but I can understand the need to study it. We received the ban on pot because of those who had a financial incentive to keep their industry and their government contracts (the rope industry with the Navy) from drying up. Hemp was a strong product, provided better materials and at a lower cost. That couldn’t be tolerated because then the lobbyists couldn’t suck on the government teat any longer.
It’s time we actually study and not from the pro-pot or anti-pot stance, but literally from the “What does it do to the body? What can it do? Does it have positive effects? Does it have negative effects?” We hear claims on both sides, but the level of true scientific study and factual based claims are not proven because there isn’t enough study.