Marijuana Supporters Point To New Study In Case Against Criminalization

With more and more states legalizing medicinal and recreational marijuana use, pressure is building on the federal government to revise its own regulations regarding the drug. As more becomes known about the effects of smoking pot, supporters say the case for classifying marijuana alongside substances like alcohol and tobacco is growing too strong to be ignored.

Smoking A Joint Safer Than Having A Beer?

Surprising results of a new study published by Scientific Reports show that weed may be the safest way for adults to catch a buzz. The study examined the risk of death associated with individual use for substances including alcohol, tobacco, heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Marijuana was found to be the least deadly of all the substances examined, a shocking 114 times less deadly than alcohol.

Perhaps even more surprising were the figures regarding the deadliness of alcohol, which was found to be the most deadly substance— above both heroin and cocaine.

The Case Against Criminalization

Proponents of the decriminalization of marijuana are pointing to results like these in their case against the federal government’s classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug. By maintaining marijuana’s criminal status, the federal government could eventually overturn the legalization process that is spreading from state to state and the conflicting laws have led to some heated court cases.

However, critics say that studies like these only further misconstrue the public’s perception of marijuana. In states where the drug has been legalized, many worry that the risks associated with cannabis use, especially at a young age, are overlooked. While marijuana may not be the deadliest drug, its psychological effects are still a concern.