Alcohol and Marijuana: Combined Effects and Risks

alcohol and weed

Getting drunk or high can feel similar to some people, while others describe the sensations as very different. Of course, the way you feel when you’re intoxicated also depends on how much of the substance you consume. At the end of the day, the combined effects of weed and alcohol are unpredictable and often signs you were roofied dangerous. Marijuana and alcohol are the two most commonly used drugs in the nation, and people often use the substances together. Other forms of cannabis, including edibles, can also interact with alcohol to cause most of the same risks as smoking cannabis. Edibles are foods that contain marijuana or its active ingredients, such as THC.

A recent study has also shown that those who consumed alcohol had much higher levels of THC in their bloodstream compared to a placebo group. So if you’re planning to detox from marijuana, drinking alcohol is not advised. So long as both substances are legal to possess and consume in your jurisdiction, then yes, they are legal to combine. However, the legality of both alcohol and cannabis varies by state and country. While there are little to no restrictions on the possession of alcohol, the same cannot be said of cannabis in some parts of the country.

General Health

Combining weed and alcohol can increase the effects of both drugs and cause adverse reactions. The combination can also lead people to engage in unusual or risky behaviors. If you’ve mixed weed and alcohol and are having a bad reaction, it’s probably because alcohol seems to make the high from using weed stronger. This can happen any time you’ve consumed to much weed — with or without alcohol. A 2017 review of existing studies notes that people who use alcohol and weed together tend to consume more of both. This can increase your risk for developing a celebrities with fetal alcohol syndrome dependence on alcohol, weed, or both.

Mixing Alcohol with Marijuana

Therefore, you should be especially cautious about combining liquor and weed. Often referred to as “greening out,” alcohol and marijuana users can have an undesirable reaction when combining the two substances. Physical symptoms like nausea and vomiting are common, as well as sweating and dizziness. Depending on the individual and the amount consumed, users may experience altered senses (such as seeing brighter colors and have an altered sense of time) as well as have issues with cognition. There have been reports of delusions and hallucinations when taken in high doses.

alcohol and weed

Keep in mind that combining the two may be linked to a decline in cognitive function and an increased risk of dependence. Remember, consuming weed and alcohol together can make you feel either more or less intoxicated than you would if you were using just one or the other. A number of recent studies also focus on how combining weed and alcohol affects your driving. Those who consumed just alcohol had worse cognitive functioning than those who only consumed THC. Those who combined the two had reduced cognitive performance than those who only consumed alcohol.

  1. Contact a treatment provider about available treatment options.
  2. Weed and alcohol together can also impair reaction times and other cognitive functions necessary for safe driving.
  3. If using weed does indeed slow the absorption of alcohol, it might also delay feelings of drunkenness.
  4. A 2017 review of existing studies notes that people who use alcohol and weed together tend to consume more of both.

What is the legal alcohol limit?

Someone drinking alcohol may experience slurred speech, distorted vision and hearing, drowsiness, and nausea and vomiting. Alcohol poisoning can also occur, which can be deadly if not treated. Long-term alcohol use can result in heart-related diseases, liver disease, and unintentional injuries.

What happens when you mix weed and alcohol?

Long-term effects can include liver damage, brain damage, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of certain cancers. Additionally, alcohol can lead to addiction, which can subsequently devastate a person’s health and well-being. These symptoms can be even more intense if the marijuana is consumed as an edible. When marijuana is baked into or added to food and then eaten, it takes time for the food to digest and for the user to start experiencing effects. This delayed onset may cause the user to consume more than intended, creating a longer, more intense high.

Those who used alcohol and marijuana were more likely to drive unsafely than those who used alcohol and marijuana separately. They were also more likely to use the substances in a bar or party context, making it more likely that they would have to drive somewhere afterwards. The study authors found that people who felt “stressed, angry, tired, and/or out of control” were more likely to use both substances at the same time. can i drink alcohol while taking prednisone While people might use a combination of alcohol and marijuana to experience a more intense high, this can be dangerous. The effects of marijuana and alcohol on their own are unpredictable, and combining them makes this worse.

For example, smoking is rough on your lungs, but this risk doesn’t apply to edibles. Adolescents who use marijuana and alcohol together are more likely to develop drug and alcohol addiction, depression and other health and social problems . Mixing alcohol and marijuana increases a person’s chances of greening out because alcohol increases blood levels of THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana. Using alcohol and weed simultaneously also increases the chances of having unprotected sex with a partner, as well as other negative outcomes relating to legal issues, academia, and relationships.

But if you’ve been drinking a lot, it might be hard to tell the difference between a green out and alcohol poisoning, which can be life-threatening if not treated. Adding alcohol to a low dose of THC impaired driving simulator scores by 21 percent. Adding alcohol to a high dose of THC impaired driving simulator scores by 17 percent.