Americans prefer marijuana to alcohol

By Jelena Martinovic

Though marijuana is still a Schedule I drug while alcohol is legal for adults over 21, nearly a third of over 10,000 Americans said it would be ideal if people used more marijuana and less alcohol, a new poll shows .

The YouGov poll results also showed that 20% of respondents think it’s a bad idea, Marijuana Moment reported.

Photo by Adam Jaime via Unsplash

Most respondents (38%) agreed it would be neither good nor bad, while 15% were undecided.

The poll also found that Democrats are more likely to say switching from alcohol to marijuana would be good (34%), compared to 18% of Republicans and 27% of independents.

In addition, 34% of 30-44 year olds said substitution would be good, while only 17% of over 65 year olds felt the same way.

Cannabis tax dollars surpass alcohol in several states

Still, in states where the plant is legal, a stronger trend towards selling marijuana can be seen.

New data has revealed that Massachusetts earned $74.2 million from marijuana taxes, compared to $51.3 million from alcohol for the fiscal half.

RELATED: Alcohol Vs. Weed: How the Two Affect Young Adult Brains

Illinois is another state where the sale of liquor brought in less tax money than marijuana. In 2021, recreational cannabis taxes exceeded alcohol taxes by nearly $100 million.

Photo by Tim Allen/Getty Images

Marijuana is safer than alcohol

Meanwhile, the never-ending debate rages on as to whether marijuana is safer and healthier than alcohol.

A 2015 study published in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that marijuana is about 114 times less deadly than alcohol.

The study included seven drugs, with alcohol being the deadliest on an individual level, followed by heroin, cocaine, tobacco, ecstasy, methamphetamines and finally cannabis.

RELATED: Marijuana is replacing alcohol during the pandemic and may have long-term benefits

As experts and advocates have pointed out, alcohol is strongly associated with negative long-term health problems such as fatal alcohol poisoning.

The same isn’t true for cannabis, as there are no documented deaths attributed solely to a marijuana overdose — according to the federal government’s own statements.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.