alcohol and weed

Because alcohol poisoning can be deadly, it is best to seek medical attention to make sure that your symptoms are not due to a dangerous blood alcohol level. Not everyone reacts in the same way to weed, alcohol, or a combination of both, and many factors play a role in how a person will respond. However, it is helpful to understand the possible outcomes of mixing these drugs.

Health Products

The authors of a 2017 review suggest that people who use alcohol and weed together typically consume more of both drugs. This higher intake may increase the risk of dependence on alcohol, weed, or both. If you are concerned about your level of alcohol or cannabis use, seek treatment from a mental health provider who works with substance use issues. This treatment may include formal treatment, such as rehab, and community resources, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Similarly, the THC in cannabis causes an increase in levels of dopamine in the brain and this motivates people to keep using it.

alcohol and weed

Adding alcohol to a high dose of THC impaired driving simulator scores by 17 percent. For example, a 1992 study had 15 participants smoke a placebo, a high dose of THC, or a low dose of THC on three occasions. On each occasion, they’d rank a different dose of alcohol, including a placebo, as a low dose or a high dose. However, this study was pretty small, making it hard to draw any firm conclusions. Plus, a similar (but equally small) 2010 study found that alcohol consumption didn’t have much of an effect on THC concentrations. The researchers found tommy lee alcohol significantly higher peak THC levels among participants who had alcohol versus those who had a placebo.

Weed And Alcohol: Mixing Marijuana And Spirits

In each session, participants consumed a different combination of placebo, low, and moderate doses of THC and alcohol. A study from 2011 evaluated performance on cognitive tasks among 21 heavy weed users who had consumed alcohol. Occasionally mixing alcohol and weed — also known as crossfading — likely won’t lead to major health problems.

Other Risks

Combining alcohol and cannabis can increase both substances‘ potency and subjective effects, so take your time, exercise caution, and always consume responsibly. Conversely, wine can produce more potent effects than beer when consumed with cannabis, due to its higher alcohol content. For context, many people consider beer and wine to be relatively equivalent drinks.

Alcohol and marijuana are both psychoactive substances, meaning they can change the way a person thinks and feels. Mixing the two can intensify these mind-altering effects, increase the risks of driving drunk and make a person sick. Others may drink alcohol before smoking marijuana to purposefully intensify the effects of weed.

  1. Edibles can also produce a very strong body high that can be lethargic and overly relaxing – much like the effect of consuming a large amount of alcohol.
  2. Weed appeared to slow down the rise of blood alcohol levels after consuming a high dose of alcohol.
  3. You may put yourself in risky or dangerous situations if you’re drinking or using marijuana, and an alcohol and marijuana combination makes this even more likely.
  4. Alcohol significantly impaired driving-related skills including critical tracking, divided attention, and stop-signal performance.
  5. The combination can heighten negative feelings and even trigger paranoia, increasing distress and the risk of harm to oneself or others.
  6. Talk to your doctor or reach out to a mental health professional to discuss your options.

Mixing weed and alcohol, also known as crossfading, can result in serious health problems depending on which one is consumed first, the quality of the substance, and the frequency of consumption. Although people usually mix marijuana and alcohol to get a more intense high, many times, the results are the opposite, leading to panic, anxiety, paranoia, blackout, overdosing, or greening out. Combining the two substances also leads to agreater degree of impairmentthan taking either one on its own.