Booze Or Bud
Students go to college to further their education and gain experience for employment after graduation– that’s a given. However, as we all can admit with countless humorous anecdotes, college is also the place for experimentation, and I’m not referring to the ones in Hartline.
Drinking has been a favorite weekend pastime for decades with college towns across the country buzzing on Friday nights, and favorite pizza joints packed in the early morning hours. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that an entirely different ‘joint’ would begin to be a new gathering place for students.
Marijuana and Alcohol have been the height of media buzz for years. There are innumerable blogs, forums, bills, and individuals who are dedicated to getting their opinion on the matter out to the masses. With the increase of public interest, there have also been numerous studies preformed in order to divulge the facts of Marijuana and Alcohol.
THE FACTS:
Alcohol Marijuana
Legal for most Citizens over 21 Against Federal Law
$2-$3 per beer $4-$5 per joint
80 percent of college students drink 51 percent of college students have tried weed
Potential for Overdose No Potential
No Health Benefits Numerous, including as a pain reliever
88,000 Alcohol related deaths/per year Zero Recorded deaths
With the increased coverage of weed in the news, many question if alcohol is being replaced.
I do not believe this is the case. As popular as smoking marijuana is, drinking alcohol still comes out on top.
At parties, bars, or socials, most college students are looking for an energetic way to let off steam. As popular as smoking marijuana is, drinking alcohol still ranks number one. The effects that alcohol causes are altogether different from the buzz received from smoking marijuana. Weed tends to mellow you out and make you tired whereas alcohol tends to rev you up, for the time being.
Alcohol is also easier to come by, as it is legal for people over the age of 21 to purchase and consume. The majority of the younger crowds don’t seem to have much trouble getting their hands on it either.
When it comes down to it, most students would still buy alcohol over marijuana. Though marijuana comes off as the less hazardous choice, it’s still illegal in the majority of the U.S. and alcohol is just the easier, and seemingly more fun choice for students today. That may be the general consensus, but there are those who disagree. What do you think?
