violent crimes involving alcohol VS marijuana?

Question

people who are pro-marijuana legalization often say that the rate of violent crimes which involve alcohol is MUCH greater than the rate of violent crimes involing marijuana.

i've scoured many a government website, googling for hours, unable to find any support of this claim.

anyone have a reliable (ie: not wikipedia) source of statistics regarding violent crimes and specific drugs involved?

(note: there are many graphs/charts which compile drug-related crimes, but they do NOT include alcohol. likewise, the alcohol-related charts often lump all drugs [including marijuana] into one category. i'm searching for a specific alcohol VS marijuana figure.)

Answer 1

I don't know of a website with statistics, but it stands to reason that alcohol would cause more violent crimes - in my opinion, anyway.

Marijuana does not cause people to become agressive or violent, like alcohol does to many.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Although wikipedia isn't really given what it's due, I respect that you don't think it is a reasonable source. However, by looking at the effects cannabis (active ingredient: THC) creates, as opposed to the ones that alcohol does, you can see that THC creates more of a calming effect than a stimulating or aggressive one. In fact, the major health risk involved with non-smokers of marijuana (ie. oral consumption, vaporizer) is demotivation, which actually is sometimes permanent if THC is induced while the brain is rapidly developing, as in adolescents.
For complete information on recreational drugs, no site is more exact than errowid.org , including the DEA's official site. While admittedly designed for drug users, it is a valuable source when used with the "Trust and verify" method.

Answer 4

It's not just violent crimes, it's the killing of people even children and babies while driving under the influence of alcohol. there has never been an account of anyone being killed while under the influence of pot by itself. You need to do A LOT more studies. I have and I'm 50 years old. I've done many many reports both in high school as well as in college. You're just smoking up the wrong tree here bubilla. You've been out educated by a long shot.

Answer 5

Sorry, no stats just personal observation. I'm 49 yo and have used marijuana for 31 of those years. I have never met a violent stoner but I've observed quiet friendly people become rectums by taking the instantassholejuice.
Whereas the government seems to have an interest in keeping it illegal, gov. sites are not going to be a good resource, unfortunately, they are the ones compiling the stats. If they can't make marijuana look bad by itself then they'll lump it in category that will make it look bad.

Answer 6

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/crime/

It's actually hard to find specifics because they like to hide facts. Like the table I gave you the blend cocaine and marijuana on the same chart. We know there are a lot more violent crimes due to the sale, possession, distribution and use of cocaine than there is through Marijuana. It's only obvious! I mean there are civil wars over cocaine!


There is also the fact on how many drunk drivers wreck and kill another individual per year. Just because they didn't intend it to be a vehicular manslaughter does not mean that it's not a violent crime.

Answer 7

I attended a debate between the editor of High Times and the former head of the DEA, this very fact was brought up and the former head of the DEA said he could not recall one violent incident involving weed. Good enough statistic for you?

Answer 8

When aspirin and Tylenol kill more people each year than do all hard drugs combined, when alcohol and tobacco kill over thirty times more than all do hard drugs, we need to reassess not only our policy but our conscience as well.

Heroin and cocaine are listed as the most dangerous drugs of all. Yet before drug prohibition, use of opium, (much safer yet hard to smuggle) was much preferred over heroin and morphine. In Bolivia, where use of coca leaf, (infinitely safer yet hard to smuggle) is legal, few people use cocaine. If in fact we want to reduce the harms of drug use, we must regulate, tax and truly control distribution of all drugs to adults.

All else is folly and only serves to empower the most violent criminals on the planet.

Answer 9

Common sense.

When's the last time you saw a fight break out at a Grateful Dead or Phish show? Hippies and potheads don't fight.

I see barfights all the time.

Answer 10

Nope. But I would suggest that you would be hardpressed to find a violent pothead. That is a contraindication to the drug. It is not an halucinagenic - it is a depressant.