Study Says Weed Is 114 Times Safer Than Alcohol

The information might not be a total game-changer, but any study that promotes legal regulation will benefit each state that is considering legalization.

Not Available Lead
Image via Complex Original
Not Available Lead

If legalized marijuana starts falling like dominoes in more states, hug a scientist. A new study from Science Reports has found that weed is even safer than previously believed. It was already known that marijuana has a very low probability as a lethal substance, but the new study shows how far below alcohol, tobacco, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and meth, marijuana actually falls. The actual number is staggering.

The report discovered that marijuana is 114 times less deadly than alcohol. Researchers were able to determine this by comparing the lethal doses with the amount of typical use. Through this approach, marijuana had the lowest mortality risk to users out of all the drugs they studied. In fact—because the numbers were crossed with typical daily use—marijuana is the only drug that tested as "low risk."

1.

The report recommends that risk management would better be applied to already legal consumer drugs like alcohol and tobacco.  Similar to those easy-to-purchase items, the report staunchly "suggests a strict legal regulatory approach rather than the current prohibition approach." The information might not be a game-changer, but any additional study that promotes legal regulation will benefit each state that is considering legalization.

In other news, today is officially the day when it's legal to possess and grow weed in Alaska. Alaskans can possess one ounce of weed on their person, in public, and can grow up to six plants in their homes. It will take up to nine months to legalize stores in Alaska to purchase from, however. And you have to be at least 21 years old.

But blaze 'em if you've got 'em, Alask-ah!

2.

Oregon will become the fourth U.S. state after Alaska, Washington, and Colorado to legalize weed. That goes into effect on July 1, and you can have a ton more on you than any of the other states: up to eight ounces. However, you won't be able to smoke in public places, but you can walk to whichever house you're going to, and house parties will continue to thrive in "Weird" Portland. And like in Alaska, you have to be at least 21 years old to possess in Oregon.

[via The Washington Post/Gawker]

Latest in Pop Culture