Caffeine And Marijuana Research Paper

The Truth Behind Caffeine and Marijuana
Every day across America, coffee shops and convenience stores sell millions of cups of caffeine, a legal and seemingly safe stimulant. Marijuana, on the other hand, only recently became legal in four of the fifty states within the country. Most people immediately assume that because these states belong to the minority, they should not have legalized this drug, and because all states consider caffeine legal, then caffeine must serve as an acceptable stimulant for people of all ages. Assumptions such as these have caused the legislature to hesitate about legalizing marijuana everywhere, but caffeine has more damaging overall effects than marijuana due to its popularity, addictive properties, and undiagnosed

“Caffeine is the most commonly used mood-altering drug in the world,” according to a study done by the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit at Johns Hopkins University. In the study, the group states, “It is estimated that in North America between 80 and 90 percent of adults and children habitually consume caffeine” (“Caffeine Dependence”). This study proves that this drug affects not a small group of users, but in fact, nearly the entire continent. Marijuana, on the other hand, remains significantly less popular. According to a government survey done in 2012, “18.9 million Americans 12 or older (7.3%) had used marijuana in the prior month” (Motel). While some may consider this a significant number, it seems miniscule compared to the staggering amount of people who use caffeine daily. The effects of caffeine spread across not only a larger portion, but also a wider age range than marijuana, exposing more children and adults alike to the dangerous consequences of the

According to the Drug Policy Alliance, “A congressionally-mandated Institute of Medicine study found that fewer than 10 percent of those who try marijuana ever meet the clinical criteria for dependence,” (“10 Facts About Marijuana”) so for many users, the drug does not cause addiction or any further substance abuse problems. Scientists have, however, proven that caffeine hooks many more of its users. According to a study done at Johns Hopkins University, “In a population- based random digit dial telephone survey study, 40 to 70% of individuals who tried to quit caffeine use reported experiencing withdrawal symptoms” (“Caffeine Dependence”). Since many marijuana users do not ever meet the criteria for dependence, they do not experience the withdrawal symptoms that caffeine users often suffer when they stop using the stimulant. This means that caffeine can cause harm to more Americans than marijuana because of caffeine’s broader spectrum of