(NEXSTAR) – Alcohol, tobacco and marijuana are all legal for those 21 and over in nearly half of the US. However, these three substances come with different regulations, taxes and, of course, health implications.
We asked three doctors across the country. “How do alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco rank when it comes to your health?” All three doctors agreed on which one was best.
First, there were some conditions. “Without large randomized controlled trials among these substances, it’s difficult to rank them in order of risk,” said a Washington, D.C.-based family medicine physician and weight-loss expert. He added that the intake of each substance also had a large impact on the risk of adverse effects.
Dr. Anand Akil, Behavioral Health Physician at the Cleveland Clinic, also noted that each individual has unique risk factors based on family history, pre-existing medical conditions, and more. But generalizing for the average person, Akil said alcohol was the worst, followed by cigarettes.
“Alcohol use is associated with more than 200 health conditions and diseases and damages every organ system in the body,” Akil said. “Depression, anxiety, dementia, cancer, heart disease, liver disease, and bone disease can all be caused by alcohol consumption. It has a lot to do with lung disease and cardiovascular disease.”
Dr. Kevin Most, chief medical officer at Northwestern Central DuPage Hospital, agreed. “I would definitely rank alcohol number one,” Most said in an article. Recent interview on WGN Radio. “Moderate amounts of alcohol are fine, but too much alcohol contributes to many ailments.”
Most said the harms of tobacco consumption could be greatly improved if people quit smoking earlier in life. “If people understand their risk of lung cancer based on how many years and how much they smoke, and if they quit smoking at a young age, their lungs can rejuvenate and return to near normal.”
But Glickman disagrees, ranking tobacco the worst, citing the fact that it has unproven health benefits. “Tobacco, I would argue, is the worse of the three substances, given that even in small doses there are no plausible benefits and considerable risks. Cancer, associated with increased premature death,” Glickman explained. “Alcohol, on the other hand, may be effective in small or moderate amounts, but poses risks when consumed in large amounts.”
Red wine, in particular, contains antioxidants, pointed to research Drinking up to one glass per day can reduce inflammation in your blood vessels. But all three doctors agreed with the doctor ranked least harmful to the average person’s health.
“I’m putting marijuana third because we know that marijuana has many medical uses and that it’s fine when used in a well-formed and controlled environment,” Most said. . He said chemotherapy patients often believe cannabis as the only thing they can use to keep their appetites up and get the nutrients they need.
Glickman said assessing the health and toxicity of cannabis is more complicated than the other two. “The available evidence suggests that cannabis may be beneficial under medical supervision as part of a treatment regimen, especially for certain conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, trauma, insomnia and muscle disorders. I am,” he said.
But Glickman went on to say that cannabis use not only impairs memory and concentration, but can exacerbate certain mental health problems. He said the data suggests there are additional risks for young people whose brains are not fully developed.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services guidelines There are no such guidelines for the safe use of cannabis or tobacco as to how much alcohol an adult can consume in moderation (up to 2 drinks per day for men and up to 1 drink per day for women).
“I think all three substances, even in moderate amounts, can have adverse health effects in some people and situations,” Glickman said. “There are no infallible vices.”
All three experts stressed that each person is unique and that you should always consult your doctor about your specific situation.
