Two Addictions Compared: Is Alcohol Worse Than Smoking?

It’s always been a debate whether drinking or smoking is worse for you, but they are two substances that can’t really be compared because they affect the body in different ways. What is important to focus on, however, is that too much of either can have detrimental effects on the body.

Comparing Smoking And Drinking

Both alcohol and cigarettes have widespread use, but drinking is more common because of the social atmosphere surrounding the activity. Statistics have shown that more people drink in the past month than those who are smokers. However, it is still possible to abuse both, which is why Drug and Alcohol Detox is so important to take care of these dangers.

The Short-Term Dangers Associated With Smoking And Alcohol

It is much easier for a person to die from the short-term effects of alcohol than smoking cigarettes. It isn’t possible for someone to overdose on nicotine and put themselves in a life-threatening situation, but it is pretty easy for someone to die from alcohol poisoning. On average, around six people die every year from alcohol poisoning.

Another big impact of the short-term effects of alcohol is that it is usually paired with driving. DUI accidents happen quite often because alcohol impairs judgment and motor skills, leading to drinking-and-driving related fatalities.

The Long-Term Dangers Associated With Smoking And Alcohol

Alternatively, both smoking and alcohol have long-term effects on the body that impact health. Smoking cigarettes alone can lead to a plethora of problems:

• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• COPD
• Cancer
• Tuberculosis
• Stroke

And that’s just naming a few of the complications that can arise from abusing cigarettes on a daily basis. Prolonged alcohol abuse, on the other hand, is not so widespread in the damage that it does, but can have a profound effect on the liver and also increases the risk of cancer.

This isn’t to account for the addictive nature of these substances so that the body becomes dependent on them. It has been shown that it is much more difficult for a daily smoker to quit cigarettes than for an alcoholic to quit drinking. It becomes even more difficult if they are addicted to both at the same time.

Is Smoking Worse Than Drinking?

On one hand, alcohol can cause a lot of damage, both to the drinker and those around them, after immediate consumptions, and can negatively affect one’s health with prolonged use. On the other hand, smoking doesn’t have any immediate short-term concerns but can lead to several health dangers in the future in the long-term.

However, there are more smoking related deaths (480,000 people a year) than alcohol-related causes (88,000 people a year), leading to smoking being considered worse than drinking.

That isn’t to say that you should choose one bad habit over the other. Neither is good for your health, so if you’re already addicted to either substance, it’s important that you seek help before the damage to your body becomes irreversible. Contact a treatment center as soon as possible if you’re concerned that you may have a substance abuse problem.