Patients with certain medical conditions, such as liver disease or mental health disorders, should also exercise caution when consuming both substances. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare provider before consuming alcohol and cannabis together. Starting low and going slow is important in avoiding any adverse effects of mixing weed and alcohol. This means starting with small amounts of both substances and gradually increasing the dosage as needed.
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This means you might be tipsier than you feel, increasing your risk for becoming overly intoxicated. Occasionally mixing alcohol and weed — also known as crossfading — likely won’t lead to major health problems. But there are a lot of variables to consider, including which one you use first and how you consume them. 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. combining alcohol and marijuana produces This treatment may include formal treatment, such as rehab, and community resources, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). However, use of edibles with alcohol could be unpredictable as many people do not feel the effects of the THC for a long period of time.
- Edibles produce a high that can be more potent and unpredictable at times – even for seasoned cannabis users.
- Extant research has shown that the ways in which alcohol is consumed can influence use and consequences, and this notion is currently reflected in protective behavioral strategies for alcohol use (Martens et al., 2007, 2005).
- Used together, alcohol and marijuana can also create paranoia, causing people to make flawed or even fatal choices.
- Contact a treatment provider today to learn more about available treatment options.
When someone uses alcohol and marijuana together, they might start to notice they feel the effects of one (or both) much more quickly and more pronounced than otherwise. Too much of a good thing can be a real bummer, even if the worst thing that happens is a bad hangover (or a bad “weedover”). Luckily, this is easy to avoid by just knowing your limits and not overdoing it.
Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of days using multiple alcohol products included liquor as one of those products. It is important to acknowledge that the consequence items included in the present study were heavily weighted toward alcohol-specific consequences, which may also explain the relation between using multiple alcohol products and consequences. More research is needed to determine the replicability of these findings in a sample that assesses more cannabis-specific (e.g., paranoia, lethargy) and SAM-specific consequences, though, to our knowledge, the latter have yet to be identified. Relative to using 2 cannabis + ? 2 alcohol products on that day, concentrate + beer and leaf + beer exhibited significantly lower odds of a negative consequence after adjusting for covariates (see Figure 2A). All leaf combinations had lower rates of cannabis use after adjusting for covariates, relative to using dual cannabis products and multiple alcohol products on that day (see Figure 2C). Only concentrate + beer and leaf + beer had significantly lower odds of experiencing a negative consequence after adjusting for covariates, relative to using concentrate combined with multiple alcohol products on that day (see Figure 3A).
Cross Faded: Understanding the Meaning, Symptoms and Risks
” Options included ‘beer’ (coded into no/yes), ‘wine’ (no/yes), ‘liquor’ (no/yes), and ‘beer alternative’ (no/yes). For the purposes of the present study, beer and beer alternative were collapsed into a single category. THC-infused beverages present a fantastic opportunity for cannabis consumers who would like an experience similar to drinking alcohol (but without any actual alcohol being involved). When it comes to beer, wine, and hard liquor, each can produce different results when mixed with cannabis. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it reduces (or depresses) activity in the central nervous system.
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Alcohol and marijuana/cannabis are frequently used simultaneously (i.e., SAM use). SAM use is complex and the ways in which alcohol and cannabis are simultaneously used may reveal differential effects. The purpose of this study was to examine day-level effects of distinct alcohol and cannabis product combinations on simultaneous use and consequences on that day. Mixing alcohol and marijuana can lead to an experience commonly referred to as getting “cross-faded.” In essence, cross-fading means feeling both the psychoactive effects of cannabis and the intoxicating effects of alcohol at the same time. This can happen with marijuana use on its own, but with an alcohol and marijuana combination, it’s more likely to happen due to the higher THC levels when you drink. While some people intentionally seek out this combination, it can be unpredictable—one substance can amplify the other’s effects, leading to stronger intoxication than either substance alone.
The researchers state that a critical factor to determine is whether or not the differences between users and non-users were provoked by exposure to alcohol or if these issues were present beforehand. Francisco Church is a rehabilitation specialist and the chief editor of Recovery Ranger. He creates this site to offer guidance and support to individuals seeking to overcome addiction and achieve lasting sobriety. With extensive experience in the field of addiction treatment, Francisco is dedicated to helping individuals access the resources they need for successful recovery.
These confidential conversations can help you understand whether professional intervention might benefit your use patterns. 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. Weed use before alcohol may slow down the rise in blood alcohol levels, which can reduce or delay the sensation of being drunk.
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- It’s important to remember that the effects of combining alcohol and cannabis can vary from person to person.
- Combining these two substances can lead to an increased risk of developing health problems or even addiction.
- Finally, it’s important to remember that combining weed and alcohol can be unpredictable, so it’s important to be aware of the potential risks before using this combination.
- While a small amount of alcohol isn’t likely to cause harm, drinking too much—either on one occasion or over an extended period of time—can take a serious toll on the individual’s health.
- It’s important to understand what happens when you mix weed and alcohol, in order to make an informed decision about whether or not to use the combination.
The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care. The size of the study makes it difficult to draw any firm conclusions, and a few other studies have failed to duplicate these results.
What Happens When You Mix Weed and Alcohol?
Some evidence also indicates that individuals consume certain alcohol products for specific reasons (e.g., consuming wine with meals; Callinan and MacLean, 2016; Kuntsche et al., 2006), suggesting within-person variability in alcohol product use. The present study characterized distinct day-level alcohol and cannabis product combinations and examined their influences on consumption and consequences in a sample of young adult SAM users. Notably, our effects represent using a given product combination on a given day, after accounting for typical product use and consumption across the assessment period for a given individual.
It’s also necessary to be aware of safe consumption levels for each substance and avoid exceeding them. Combining cannabis and alcohol can have unpredictable effects on the human body, and the interaction between the two substances can vary depending on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and an individual’s physiology. This is because both alcohol and THC, the active intoxicating compound in cannabis, are two different kinds of substances. Still, this is a pretty common combination that people try in an attempt to enhance the effects of both substances.
While many experience pleasant effects from THC, some people experience panic, anxiety, fear or distrust especially if they’re inexperienced or take more than they can tolerate. Treatment options vary widely and can be designed to your specific needs, from outpatient counseling to more structured programs. Many people find success with support groups, therapy, or counseling sessions that help address both the substance use itself and any underlying factors contributing to it. Alcohol can also cause people to feel more hungry than usual, which may lead them to overindulge on edibles. Weed and alcohol together can also impair reaction times and other cognitive functions necessary for safe driving. The American Psychological Association suggest that adolescents’ developing brains are especially vulnerable to long-term damage from weed use.
Some users experience an increase in creativity when combining weed and alcohol. This can lead to a more enjoyable experience, as users may find themselves more open to creative ideas and activities. Additionally, this combination can also lead to a more enjoyable social experience, as users may find themselves more open to conversation and social interaction. It’s also important to be aware of your environment when combining weed and alcohol. Additionally, it’s important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water throughout the experience. Limited research is available that shows the effects of smoking weed and then drinking alcohol.