November 8, 2011 – Alcohol causes far more damage to users and to society than does the use of marijuana, according to a new study published online in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the journal of the British Association of Psychopharmacology.

Researchers at the Imperial College of London looked at “the relative physical, psychological, and social harms of cannabis and alcohol,” reports Paul Armentano at AlterNet. They determined that marijuana smoking, particularly longterm, does some harm to the lungs and circulatory system, and increases certain mental-health risks (which is debatable).

But in contrast, the authors described alcohol as “a toxic substance” responsible for almost five percent “of the total global disease burden.”

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​”A direct comparison of alcohol and cannabis showed that alcohol was considered to be more than twice as harmful as cannabis to users, and five times more harmful as cannabis to others (society),” investigators determined. “As there are few areas of harm that each drug can produce where cannabis scores more [dangerous to health] than alcohol, we suggest that even if there were no legal impediment on cannabis use, it would be unlikely to be more harmful than alcohol.”

“The findings underline the need for a coherent, evidence-based drugs policy that enables individuals to make informed decisions about the consequences of their drug use,” the researchers concluded.

The findings are underlined by a just-published study, almost completely ignored by mainstream media, showing alcohol use increases lung cancer risk by 30 percent.

Alcohol use causes an incredible four percent of all deaths worldwide — more than AIDS, tuberculosis, or violence — according to a February 2011 report from the World Health Organization.

And a just-published study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that in the U.S. alone, an estimated 79,000 lives are lost annually due to “excessive” drinking. The study estimates that the overall cost of excessive drinking by Americans is $223.5 billion each year.

Health-related costs per user are eight times higher for those who drink alcohol when compared to those who use marijuana, and are more than 40 times higher for tobacco smokers, according to a 2009 review published in the British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Journal.

“In terms of [health-related] costs per user: tobacco-related health costs are over $800 per user, alcohol-related health costs are much lower at $165 per user, and cannabis-related health costs are the lowest at $20 per user [italics added],” the investigators concluded.

Much of the evidence showing that the risks of marijuana are small compared to those associated with alcohol is covered in the excellent book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People To Drink?, coauthored by Armentano with Steve Fox and Mason Tvert.

Given all the evidence of the enormously higher cost of alcohol use than cannabis use to society, you may be wondering why it’s considered socially acceptable for everyone from the President on down to be seen drinking a beer, yet smoking a joint is considered a big deal. And guess which one is against federal law? Source.

July 31, 2010 – It’s always 4:20 somewhere, and two Grande Prairie women figure the best way to celebrate is with a nice, cold shot of hemp-infused vodka.

Yes, someone has figured out how to put two of the world’s most popular vices — alcohol and cannabis — together.

“We think that this is definitely the best thing we’ve come up with so far,” says Stephanie Keough. The former bartender and her friend Brenda Magnusson are the creators of Stoked Vodka, an 80-proof infused with hemp extract. The liquor will be officially introduced at a launch party in Grande Prairie Friday (July 23).

“The response,” Keough says, “has been overwhelming.” They are, of course, selling a winning combo; the only surprise is that no one else had thought of it earlier. While other “cannabis vodkas” exist in other parts of the world, “there’s nothing else in North America currently other than us,” Keough says.

Keough and Magnusson, former colleagues at an engineering firm, landed on the idea over after-work drinks about a year ago. They were experimenting with mixes and Magnusson pulled out some hemp seed oil from her fridge. Hemp seed is a health product that contains essential amino and fatty acids and is said to improve circulation and blood pressure and nourish hair and nails. While derived from the same plant as marijuana, it does not have the same psychoactive properties.

The Liquid Chicks, as the two women have branded themselves, eventually took their concoction to Calgary’s Highwood Distillery to see how their idea could be refined.

The result is a quadruple-distilled vodka with a slight hint of hemp’s nutty flavour. “It just tastes like regular vodka, with a little bit of an extra kick to it,” Magnusson says. And because it’s been distilled once more than typical vodkas, she adds, it’s ultrasmooth.

“It goes well with anything,” Magnusson says. “I’ve given it out to a bunch of people and they’ve tried it. All of them said that they didn’t have a hangover next day and it didn’t make them feel nauseated the next day. So it’s really good vodka.”

Now, the women are working to get Stoked behind the bar and in liquor stores across Alberta. “It’s getting to the fun stuff,” says Magnusson, after a long haul riddled with roadblocks.

“Hemp is new; it’s controversial; you’re breaking barriers,” Keough explains. “Getting our label passed was really hard. It’s just the taboo behind it that makes it a little bit harder to get out there. And being the first too, of course.”

Throughout the production process, the women were often told: “It sounds like a great idea, but I’m sure if it hasn’t been done, it’s probably because it couldn’t be done.” But, says Keough, “we found out that we could do it so we just kept pursuing it.”

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Stoked goes for about $27 to $30 for a 750-mL bottle, a mid-to top-shelf vodka that Keough says will likely appeal to 18-to 25-year-olds. But because hemp is known for being environmentally cultivated, she adds, its reach will likely be even broader.

The vodka market is tough, and Stoked will be sharing shelf space with dozens of varieties that offer flavours from acai to espresso. But the two Alberta entrepreneurs are confident that what they have is unique.

“There’s nothing else out there that can compare,” Keough says.

“It’s not really a flavour. It’s not a raspberry flavour. It’s completely unique and completely different, and it stands out when you see a bottle on the shelf, I think.” Source.