Alcohol vs. Marijuana

ALCOHOL VS. MARIJUANA ALCOHOL MARIJUANA HOW MANY AMERICANS USE? AMERICANS WHO HAVE HAD AT LEAST 12 DRINKS AMERICANS REPORTED AS "CURRENTLY USING" IN THE PAST YEAR 52% MARIJUANA 5.9% WHAT'S THE RATIO OF EFFECTIVE TO FATAL DOSE? Marijuana >1000 1000 800 600 400 200 Alcohol 10 American Scientist • The Toxicity of Recreational Drugs DOES USE CAUSE CANCER? Chronic heavy drinkers have a higher incidence of esophageal cancer than does the general population. The risk appears to increase as alcohol consumption "We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use," increases. 50% "What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect." DONALD TASHKIN UCLA PULMONOLOGIST OF CANCERS OF THE MOUTH PHARYNX & LARYNX THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN MARIJUANA CUTS LUNG CANCER TUMOR GROWTH IN HALF ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IN HEAVY DRINKING National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Harvard University Division of Experimental Medicine 1 IN 25 DEATHS WORLDWIDE ARE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO 0000 ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION What states have medical marijuana laws? STATES WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS Alaska California Colorado Hawaii Maine Maryland Michigan Montana Nevada New Jersey New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island US CITIZENS LIVING IN A STATE WITH LEGALIZED THE REST OF THE US POPULATION MEDICAL MARIJUANA 17.51% 82.49% HOW MUCH CAN YOU POSSESS? STATE LIMITS ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD-HOLDER'S AMOUNT OF "USABLE MARIJUANA" ALASKA CALIFORNIA COLORADO HAWAII MAINE NEVADA MICHIGAN VERMONT %3D 1 ounce RHODE ISLAND NEW MEXICO CALIFORNIA REPORTED MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE BREAKDOWN CHRONIC PAIN 40% OTHER - 23% - NEW JERSEY MOOD DISORDERS 15% AIDS-RELATED 22% OREGON On October 22nd 2009 The D.E.A. released a statement about their new Marijuana policy: "It is not the practice or policy of DEA to target individuals with serious medical conditions who comply with state laws authorizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. We will continue to identify and investigate any criminal organization or individual who unlawfully grows, markets or distributes marijuana or other dangerous drugs." YOUTH MARIJUANA USE BY RACE / ETHNICITY (YOUTHS AGED 12-17, 2005) NATIVE AMERICAN / NATIVE ALASKAN WHITE BLACK ASIAN 2+ RACES HISPANIC 7.2% 7.2% 14.9% 1.5% 6.8% 6.3% YOUTHS WHO HAVE EVER SMOKED A BLUNT NATIVE AMERICAN / NATIVE ALASKAN WHITE BLACK ASIAN 2+ RACES HISPANIC 3.5% 4.5% 3.9% 1.1% 4.9% 3.4% Infographic by EJFOX.com LSD 1000