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Is Marijuana Safer Than Alcohol Essay

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Is Marijuana Safer Than Alcohol Essay
Is Marijuana Safer than Alcohol?
COM 172
December 4, 2012
Is Marijuana Safer than Alcohol?
It is Friday night, and you are getting ready to get your weekend stated. What to do is the question; to roll one or pour one. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States, whereas alcohol is legal and can be purchased anywhere. Marijuana and alcohol are two of the most commonly used recreational substances. Although using marijuana is not as dangerous as drinking alcohol.
Marijuana use is linked with addiction, respiratory, and mental illnesses. Increased heart rate and systolic blood pressure are also linked with marijuana use; however, the risk is as dangerous as the use of caffeine or tobacco (Ostrowsky, 2011). …show more content…
Marijuana gives the user a laid-back and calm behavior, rather than a violent or aggressive demeanor. Users report that marijuana makes them more calm, easy going, and provides them with a pleasant feeling. Even though marijuana use and violent behavior are associated, it is still hard to understand the connection (Ostrowsky, 2011). When the user experiences anxiety, phobia, and paranoia it can lead him or her to become aggressive. When the effects of marijuana are becoming scarce the user can become annoyed, which can lead to aggressive demeanor as well. Marijuana users are perceived to be violent because the drug has to be purchased in the street. Violence is known to take effect during these transactions (“University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute”, n.d.).
On the other hand, heavy alcohol use causes injuries, including traffic, domestic violence, dangerous sexual behavior, defects during pregnancy, miscarriages, stillbirth, and alcohol poisoning (“Centers of Disease Control and Prevention”, 2012). Alcohol and aggressive behavior has been linked in studies. Laboratory studies claim that alcohol does lead to aggressive behavior. Aggression is known to be caused by alcohol for some (Levinson, Giancola, & Parrott, 2011). Do to negative life circumstances, the increase in violent acts and behaviors are easily triggered by alcohol consumption (Bye,
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