Which Is Worse: Marijuana or Alcohol? | Dr. Daniel Amen

One of the most common things people want to know is whether alcohol or marijuana is worse for your brain and overall health. The scientific evidence and the brain imaging work at Amen Clinics show that neither one is good for you. Alcohol is not a health food, and marijuana is not an innocuous substance. But is one of them more damaging than the other?

At first glance, it might seem that alcohol does the most damage to our brain health and general well-being because it is more widely used. Over 85% of American adults say they’ve consumed alcohol at some point in their lives, and nearly 70% say they’ve had a drink in the past year, as reported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Compare that to just 18% of Americans who said they used marijuana in 2019, according to the CDC. Although not as widespread, the harmful effects of marijuana on the brain may be greater. Let’s take a closer look at some of the worst consequences of drinking and marijuana.

Read More: https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/alcohol-or-marijuana-which-is-worse-for-your-brain/

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50 Comments

  1. @86crud on October 2, 2025 at 4:39 pm

    We don’t care. We’re going to be old anyway.

  2. @BIG_Monti on October 2, 2025 at 4:39 pm

    See this why y’all got shit fucked up that motherfuckers want us to drink but not smoke so let me get this right you want us to be overly aggressive ready to fight ready to do some stupid shit damn near kill ourselves while our liver is shutting down rather than building up blood clots and calming the fuck down yeah cause that makes a lot of fucking sense both of them have side effects but only one of them makes you actually want to hurt people

  3. @Carrie-i8r on October 2, 2025 at 4:39 pm

    Stoners always come across as lazy and unmotivated and dead boring.

  4. @AidoPotato-l4z on October 2, 2025 at 4:42 pm

    Was never really into weed but got hooked on booze. Recently kicked it to the curb. Already feeling better. Just f**king done with substances. And listen, I am fundamentally aware some people can use but not abuse both alcohol and weed, but for me it was all or nothing, therefore me, cutting it out completely is the best move.

  5. @jtg91181 on October 2, 2025 at 4:43 pm

    I use THC every day. I have a chronic illness that i’m dealing with, and THC helps me with so many things. I use it like medicine, because it helps me like a "traditional" medicine would. I’m all in for the use of THC, especially for medical issues.

  6. @RachaelMorgan-om4xw on October 2, 2025 at 4:43 pm

    Watching this report from CO of HM Department of the Bleeding Obvious, has aged me faster than a shot of 45% Turkish Raki and a bleeze of 1984 Moroccan Gold

  7. @googlemike111 on October 2, 2025 at 4:47 pm

    marjuana changed my life. I love porn.

  8. @cydonian0417 on October 2, 2025 at 4:48 pm

    Ask a cop who they would rather have to deal with – a stoner or a drunk. Marijuana doesn’t turn you into a combative, violent, belligerent asshole.

  9. @jimbosvidbits6166 on October 2, 2025 at 4:48 pm

    They are both just as bad. Either way, you are under the influence & intoxicated

  10. @michamuller3451 on October 2, 2025 at 4:50 pm

    MJ or Alc? Psilocybin is best

  11. @FatLady-u9l on October 2, 2025 at 4:51 pm

    So in other words, alcohol kills and marijuana makes you look old. So which one is worse

  12. @ZMoney-g9v on October 2, 2025 at 4:53 pm

    I’m pretty sure doctors are drug dealers

  13. @awen777 on October 2, 2025 at 4:55 pm

    I’ve watched them dance around this elephant in the room for seven decades. And when they aren’t doing that they are putting another layer of lipstick on the pig!
    Alcohol is literally the excrement (poop) from the yeast creatures and has a dosage that will kill you. Cannabis has no lethal dosage established. It’ always going to be about the money!

  14. @musicman4072 on October 2, 2025 at 4:57 pm

    Yes because I get more wise

  15. @ronmckee8132 on October 2, 2025 at 4:58 pm

    they both make YOU stupid

  16. @LegendaryHuman2000 on October 2, 2025 at 4:58 pm

    Not people in the comments acting like weed is meth. You guys are so stupid.

  17. @mariacelsa9971 on October 2, 2025 at 5:00 pm

    Definetly alcohol i never went to prison for weed

  18. @allencurnow9122 on October 2, 2025 at 5:01 pm

    Butt but I like marijuana

  19. @adomalyon1 on October 2, 2025 at 5:04 pm

    heavy pot use also causes a kind of immaturity,an emotional retardation which is hard to quantify. Heavy alcohol use just causes straight up depression which also is bad but easier to measure and identify.

  20. @kushcloud420 on October 2, 2025 at 5:04 pm

    Alcohol killed my uncle and led my cousins down a bad path I choose weed all the way

  21. @blmb047 on October 2, 2025 at 5:05 pm

    Weed is good for ypu

  22. @UR2Compliant on October 2, 2025 at 5:05 pm

    Neither one is good for you…so, I do both.

  23. @allencurnow9122 on October 2, 2025 at 5:07 pm

    🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😂❤😂❤

  24. @Si_Mondo on October 2, 2025 at 5:08 pm

    Bullshit! THC reverses the neurological amyloid plagues that causes the problems associated with alzheimers!

    Those plagues are the *result* of aging! This guy is a liar!

  25. @willowwisp-i9m on October 2, 2025 at 5:09 pm

    Never been molested by a man who smelled like weed, beer on the other hand…

  26. @dianelabier8562 on October 2, 2025 at 5:11 pm

    Alcohol ages people physically and mentally more than any substance out there. This last stat you provided is false

  27. @Leahlong11111 on October 2, 2025 at 5:11 pm

    This video has to be for views right ? Because I watered it 10 times🧐🧐 please clarify

  28. @paulpetersen5878 on October 2, 2025 at 5:11 pm

    Of course alcohol is worse lol you don’t see weed bar fights or weed destroying someone’s kidneys or turn a person into a major a hole

  29. @r.o.1330 on October 2, 2025 at 5:14 pm

    ….in moderation, both can be enjoyed.

  30. @James-p3m8j on October 2, 2025 at 5:15 pm

    Without giving metrics this is worthless.

  31. @RonaldDavis-o4q on October 2, 2025 at 5:15 pm

    My ass

  32. @andreafulton2381 on October 2, 2025 at 5:19 pm

    It is ALL in the genes. I’ve smoked on and off since 1968. At 71 yrs. I am healthy, & happy. Never been in the hospital, or very sick. I manage my diabetes 2 effectively. Worked all my life. There is only ONE thing that matters. QUALITY of LIFE. That can only be achieved with MODERATION in all behavior.

  33. @TakeLegend617 on October 2, 2025 at 5:21 pm

    Weed is sneaky devil

  34. @derikyeager2127 on October 2, 2025 at 5:21 pm

    Which one is WORSE? TF? Which one is better?!

  35. @joshlong7085 on October 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm

    62000 scans and we determined that all of ours lies are true. Then we investigated ourself and found we did nothing wrong. Trust us.

  36. @rickdevine4150 on October 2, 2025 at 5:23 pm

    Neither , they call it dope for a reason it doesn’t make you smarter

  37. @Carrie-i8r on October 2, 2025 at 5:26 pm

    It all depends on how much alcohol you drink. Some people don’t have a problem with it.

  38. @BIG_Monti on October 2, 2025 at 5:27 pm

    So let me get this right we’re concerned about aging, but not killing our fucking livers

  39. @erenkur3832 on October 2, 2025 at 5:28 pm

    Liver?

  40. @Falcorsky on October 2, 2025 at 5:29 pm

    Unless its 1800 and you are chopping off a limb there are no uses for alcohol "medicinally".

  41. @ajsb2624 on October 2, 2025 at 5:30 pm

    Clearly alcohol idc what nobody say

  42. @melbroderick906 on October 2, 2025 at 5:30 pm

    Weed kills ambition and poor food choices whilst the munchies have kicked in

  43. @jdsimons6115 on October 2, 2025 at 5:31 pm

    Alcohol is worse. Alcohol is one of the hardest drugs known to man. Alcohol destroys more lives than Heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine combined .

  44. @ajsb2624 on October 2, 2025 at 5:32 pm

    He clearly don’t know wtf he talking bout

  45. @StirlingWorden on October 2, 2025 at 5:32 pm

    Alcohol is far worse than pot

  46. @jamesblair5447 on October 2, 2025 at 5:33 pm

    Marijuana is also far more likely to trigger schizophrenia and other mental health issues.

    People think because you can’t overdose on it that it’s safe, but that really isn’t the case… Marijuana is extremely bad for your mental health. I don’t know a single person I would describe as “successful” who uses it regularly.

  47. @RoozEro-v3w on October 2, 2025 at 5:33 pm

    Weed is worse, one soldier that was in Afghanistan said he didn’t care dying and didn’t care about anything after smoking weed from Afghanistan while was there. Weed can make you feel you’re about to be killed for example, you think person is gonna kill you then you kill him and after weed goes away you realize you were wrong. Weed is even worse to get rid of after trying it, unlike alcohol. Weed ruins your brain faster than alcohol. Dementia and shit appears from weed and strange feeligs that alcohol won’t give

  48. @deGOOSE415 on October 2, 2025 at 5:34 pm

    Ain’t no one in the history of mankind has ever died from weed 😂

  49. @samibarnesprice08 on October 2, 2025 at 5:36 pm

    Just saying weed don’t do to you what alcohol can do….

  50. @WhitneyJustice-t9t on October 2, 2025 at 5:37 pm

    Show data. I eat weed every night and feel great!

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