Can You Mix Alcohol and Medical Marijuana?
More people are drinking alcohol and using medical marijuana at the same time. Both drugs are easy to access in our society, and both affect the body and the mind in similar ways.
Due to this easy access, people tend to believe that it’s okay to use alcohol and weed together. Yet combining medical marijuana and alcohol can be harmful for several reasons, from increased effects to adverse reactions.
Alcohol and THC in Marijuana
Marijuana contains many active compounds, but the main two are:
- THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component that causes a ‘high’ in most people.
- CBD, or cannabidiol, an anti-inflammatory compound that reduces pain and anxiety. CBD does not have psychoactive effects.
As a depressant, alcohol is a psychoactive drug; it has a definite effect on a person’s mental state. Mixing alcohol with another psychoactive drug like THC can cause issues with judgement.
Yet medical marijuana often contains little THC, with CBD as the active ingredient. So how does alcohol interact with CBD and can/should the CBD in medical marijuana be mixed with alcohol?
Alcohol and the CBD in medical marijuana
Given its lack of psychoactive effects, many people feel safe mixing CBD with alcohol. In fact, mixing CBD in cocktails and even beer appears to be a growing trend.
But despite the fact that CBD does not have psychoactive effects, it does act as a sedative in the body. From helping with sleep to relieving anxiety, CBD calms us through mild sedation. Which makes mixing it with alcohol, also a sedative, not such a great idea.
How Alcohol and CBD Interact
While alcohol can stimulate us, it’s also known to depress the central nervous system. CBD acts in much the same way; it can be energizing in moderate doses. Yet as noted, it relaxes the body and has a sedative effect.
Over time, alcohol use can lead to neurodegeneration. On a positive note, studies have found that CBD protects the body from the toxicity of alcohol. A 2013 study on rats found that CBD before binging on alcohol reduced neurodegeneration by almost 50%.
How does this effect work?
CBD may decrease alcohol in the blood, lowering the impact of damage on organs and brain cells. CBD may also reduce inflammation in the liver, which helps metabolize alcohol faster.
Yet these findings are not yet conclusive, and research is ongoing.
So, can medical marijuana be mixed with alcohol? There is not enough research on the topic to draw the conclusion that the combination is safe. Mixing alcohol and weed is generally considered risky, given the sedative effects.
Our Recomendation
Another thing to take into account is that both CBD and alcohol lower inhibition. Studies have also found that alcohol intensifies in effect if consumed within 4-8 hours of CBD. Which means taking both alcohol and medical marijuana together can mean a dangerous loss of inhibition and control.
The effects of alcohol and CBD vary from person to person. Which means it’s always difficult to predict how the combination will affect your body. Until we know more, it’s not recommended to mix the two. If you have any questions, please consult your doctor or book a medical card appointment with one of ours.
If you’re taking CBD oil, talk to your healthcare provider about consuming alcohol. Until more is known about this combination, you may run the risk of damaging your health, and that’s just not worth it.
