Alcohol and Marijuana: Combined Effects and Risks
Drinking alcohol before smoking weed can produce a stronger high, which may cause intense symptoms in some people. In the United States, the legal blood alcohol content tremor national institute of neurological disorders and stroke (BAC) limit for driving is 0.08% in nearly every state. It is never advised to operate a vehicle or machinery while under the influence of either alcohol or cannabis.
Behavioral Pharmacology of Cannabis and Alcohol Co-use
Both marijuana and alcohol are capable of providing one with a feeling of elation. This feeling may be enhanced when both substances are taken together. Marijuana can soften the sensation of being intoxicated which could lead to a person drinking more. Research is limited to what may happen if you smoke marijuana before drinking. There is the possibility that it can slow down the effects of alcohol.
Long-term health risks
Overdose is a medical emergency that can lead to brain damage from loss of oxygen, coma, or death. It’s important to be cautious and mindful of how mixing alcohol and marijuana can impact your well-being. When you mix weed and alcohol, you may experience side effects that range from unpleasant to serious. Generally, combining alcohol and weed won’t lead to serious health issues unless too much of the two substances is consumed. Cross-fading is a term used to describe the simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis. An addiction to alcohol is something that should be taken seriously, and it is important to know the signs to determine if you or your loved one is struggling.
What happens when you mix alcohol and weed?
People who smoke weed after drinking alcohol often experience a stronger high. As the research indicates, people who use both alcohol and weed together tend to consume more of both. Combining the two substances also leads to a greater degree of impairment than taking either one on its own. 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.
What Happens When Xanax and Cannabis Mix?
If you do get hungover, you might experience other effects, including headaches and diarrhea. Alcohol increases the absorption of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component found in marijuana. Marijuana contains both THC and CBD (along with hundreds of other compounds), and the value of each varies from one marijuana strain to the next. CBD is also derived from hemp, an entirely different cannabis plant that does not contain THC.
Researchers found that cannabis impairs driving ability in a dose-response manner, though the effect was smaller than for alcohol. However, when THC and alcohol were both on board, the risk of being deemed impaired greatly increased. Recent research has employed advanced simulated driving methods to assess the effects of cannabis and alcohol co-use. Hartman and colleagues [70•] investigated the effect of cannabis on driving with and without alcohol on THC blood concentrations in a within-subject study with six conditions. Participants drank alcohol (placebo or low dose) and inhaled 500 mg vaporized cannabis (placebo, 2.9%, or 6.7% THC) ad libitum for 10 min before completing a driving simulation. An interaction between cannabis and alcohol was observed in time spent at high speed; thus, cannabis may have diminished the propensity to increase driving speed following alcohol consumption.
- To err on the side of caution, assume you’ve had a bit more to drink than you actually have, or aim to drink less than you usually would without using weed.
- While awaiting medical attention, it is important to keep the person safe from harm.
- 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.
- It’s crucial to recognize the potential risks and take appropriate measures to prioritize mental health.
- In addition, evidence has suggested that marijuana can change how alcohol is metabolized in the body.
Mental health problems
Sure, research on the topic is ramping up a bit, but there’s still a lack of large, long-term studies. Learn about all the different cannabis consumption methods and which one is best for you. If you have any experience with cannabis, then you already have an idea of its unique flavor. No matter the cannabis methamphetamine oral route side effects ingredient, it adds an herbal undertone to any drink you mix it into. Before you can add cannabis to drink ingredients, it needs to be decarboxylated (“decarbed,” for short). This is because the active compounds in marijuana only become active with heat, which is why smoking is so effective.
Estimating intoxication can be challenging when combining alcohol and cannabis, but several tips and tricks can help. These include monitoring the number of drinks consumed, pacing consumption over time, and using tools like breathalyzers or blood tests to measure alcohol levels. This is because both alcohol and THC, the active psychoactive compound in cannabis, are two different kinds of substances.
Alcohol can increase the absorption of THC, upping potency, which can adversely affect many people. The general rule is that if you want to mix these two substances without greening out, smoke weed and then start drinking. Starting off your night on the beer and then moving on to smoking can end in disaster, but doing it the other way around is a pretty safe bet. Alcohol and shrooms interact because they can affect the brain in some of the same ways. Combining substances that act similarly intensifies the drugs’ effects, side effects, and potential risks.
On the other hand, weed and THC can affect you in a more calming way, depending on you and the strain. If you drink a little bit and smoke a little bit, you might not feel any immediate effects. But as you consume alcohol and weed together in larger amounts, you are likely to feel more intense symptoms. Let’s explore how alcohol and THC affect the body to better understand what happens when mixing alcohol and marijuana. Preclinical and experimental research can be utilized to better understand the complex relationship between the co-use of cannabis and alcohol and related consequences. In contrast, cannabinoid receptor agonists and endocannabinoids serve to escalate alcohol-seeking behavior and consumption [63, 64].
Take steps to get unhigh if you or somebody you’re with is feeling dizzy, nauseous, vomiting, or sweating. If a person experiences concerning side effects after consuming shrooms and/or alcohol, they should seek medical attention. These study conditions do not reflect real-life use of alcohol and psychedelics. In controlled studies, the risk of unsafe behaviors and side effects from illicit drugs is low.
The order in which people take the two substances may affect the experience and, if not taken responsibly, could also increase the risk of overconsumption. Understanding the effects of smoking weed and drinking at the same time can help us to better decide what is best for ourselves. While we do not recommend mixing alcohol and weed together, especially to the point of being drunk and high, the order in which you consume them can affect you in different ways. While it can refer to multiple substances, being cross-faded usually means consuming alcohol and weed together or being drunk and high at the same time. The effects of getting crossed can vary from person to person, and it may take different amounts of alcohol and weed to feel drunk and high at the same time. Yes, it raises the chance of adverse reactions and potentially dangerous interactions.
Mixing the two, also known as cross-fading, can result in unwanted effects. The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or cocaine addiction questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional. No, the symptoms of a cannabis hangover may resemble that of an alcohol hangover, but they are not quite the same. Symptoms of a cannabis hangover may include headache, fatigue, dry mouth, and brain fog.