5 ms·

Alcohol is hands down terrible for the body. I'm becoming more and more convinced from scientific studies and my own observations that no amount, not even one g

Alcohol is hands down terrible for the body. I'm becoming more and more convinced from scientific studies and my own observations that no amount, not even one glass of wine a night, is physically beneficial. It's the psychological benefits outlined here that are much harder to persuade away - mediator of anxiety, social lubricant, escape into a little bit of fun. Nonetheless, for me, the physical toll is just not worth it anymore. Marijuana is even more difficult to dissuade. There is a physical toll to excessive smoking, but it's much less pronounced than alcohol, and seems largely non-existent when consumed in moderation, the equivalent of a glass of wine a day. The only inarguable cost is the time one isn't sober and able to be socially/economically/physically productive. Nonetheless this loss of time, too, seems more and more valuable to me, and my marijuana intake is naturally declining. As time goes on the statistics on alcohol consumption and substance addiction make more and more sense to me: a third of Americans don't drink AT ALL, most drink less than a glass a week, and most drug addicts naturally quit without intervention. Most of us come to the truth eventually, it seems.

voisin 3y ago
> but it's much less pronounced than alcohol, and seems largely non-existent when consumed in moderation, the equivalent of a glass of wine a day Do you have a source for this? I smoke marijuana (vaporizer) once or twice a week and always feel a twinge of guilt that I am ruining my lungs.
- spacemark 3y ago
  Just do a google scholar search for "marijuana lung damage" or similar and you will find that there is no clear evidence (yet) for correlation between consumption and lung cancer. There is convincing evidence for significant effects related to inhaling smoke - all the usual ones you'll also find with elevated PM2.5 levels such as emphysema, asthma, chronic cough, bronchial inflammation, etc. You will find disturbing (and growing) evidence linking marijuana use and heart health. Turns out regularly raising your heart rate and dropping blood pressure increases a host of risks for those susceptible to cardiac issues. On the order of 30% more risk for daily smokers. No doubt inhaling smoke is bad for you, but vaping a couple of times a week is definitely in the noise. You likely have more lung damage and risk to your heart from cooking food in your kitchen without proper ventilation (virtually 90% of homes). If you're smoking a joint a day then the scientific data should give you pause, assuming you're optimizing your life choices for health. Back to my original point - the equivalent to a joint a day would be several glasses of alcohol a day, and the health impacts are not even comparable (alcohol consumption is far worse overall).
recursive 3y ago
I don't think anyone there are many people that think drinking is physically beneficial. It kind of misses the point. No one thinks watching movies is physically beneficial, but they still do it.
- spacemark 3y ago
  I see a study or an article along these lines every couple of months: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-wine https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-wine
UberFly 3y ago
It CAN be terrible for the body, but since, from your own words, most drink less than a glass a week, it isn't a problem for most people.
safety1st 3y ago
Alcohol is not a great choice for moderating anxiety because it grants a short term benefit but a long term detriment (it actually raises anxiety levels for a day or two after you drink). If you need a substance to "take the edge off" - situational use of prescription pharmaceuticals like the benzos is a lot easier on the body and the mind. Note I say situational, in my experience doctors routinely over-prescribe and a daily benzo habit could lead to addiction and outcomes that are as bad or worse than binge drinking. That said I feel that the social benefits of alcohol are hugely undervalued by a lot of people who are stuck in a downward spiral where they lack social skills, they lack a broad range of social opportunities in which to develop those skills, the two problems reinforce each other and the most interesting things and people in life pretty much pass them by. There are a lot of these guys out there, they are tedious to be around, they don't get invited to much of anything, and they probably don't realize how much they're missing. Yeah alcohol is not healthy but it's not healthy to be isolated and alone either, as long as you don't have an addictive personality and you know when to stop, you should probably be having a drink here and there (and buying them for other people!) as a social lubricant.

voisin 3y ago

> but it's much less pronounced than alcohol, and seems largely non-existent when consumed in moderation, the equivalent of a glass of wine a day Do you have a source for this? I smoke marijuana (vaporizer) once or twice a week and always feel a twinge of guilt that I am ruining my lungs.

spacemark 3y ago
Just do a google scholar search for "marijuana lung damage" or similar and you will find that there is no clear evidence (yet) for correlation between consumption and lung cancer. There is convincing evidence for significant effects related to inhaling smoke - all the usual ones you'll also find with elevated PM2.5 levels such as emphysema, asthma, chronic cough, bronchial inflammation, etc. You will find disturbing (and growing) evidence linking marijuana use and heart health. Turns out regularly raising your heart rate and dropping blood pressure increases a host of risks for those susceptible to cardiac issues. On the order of 30% more risk for daily smokers. No doubt inhaling smoke is bad for you, but vaping a couple of times a week is definitely in the noise. You likely have more lung damage and risk to your heart from cooking food in your kitchen without proper ventilation (virtually 90% of homes). If you're smoking a joint a day then the scientific data should give you pause, assuming you're optimizing your life choices for health. Back to my original point - the equivalent to a joint a day would be several glasses of alcohol a day, and the health impacts are not even comparable (alcohol consumption is far worse overall).

recursive 3y ago

I don't think anyone there are many people that think drinking is physically beneficial. It kind of misses the point. No one thinks watching movies is physically beneficial, but they still do it.

spacemark 3y ago
I see a study or an article along these lines every couple of months: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-wine https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-wine

UberFly 3y ago

It CAN be terrible for the body, but since, from your own words, most drink less than a glass a week, it isn't a problem for most people.

safety1st 3y ago

Alcohol is not a great choice for moderating anxiety because it grants a short term benefit but a long term detriment (it actually raises anxiety levels for a day or two after you drink). If you need a substance to "take the edge off" - situational use of prescription pharmaceuticals like the benzos is a lot easier on the body and the mind. Note I say situational, in my experience doctors routinely over-prescribe and a daily benzo habit could lead to addiction and outcomes that are as bad or worse than binge drinking. That said I feel that the social benefits of alcohol are hugely undervalued by a lot of people who are stuck in a downward spiral where they lack social skills, they lack a broad range of social opportunities in which to develop those skills, the two problems reinforce each other and the most interesting things and people in life pretty much pass them by. There are a lot of these guys out there, they are tedious to be around, they don't get invited to much of anything, and they probably don't realize how much they're missing. Yeah alcohol is not healthy but it's not healthy to be isolated and alone either, as long as you don't have an addictive personality and you know when to stop, you should probably be having a drink here and there (and buying them for other people!) as a social lubricant.