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Many of us enjoy a refreshing aged beverage at the end of a workday or when sitting down to watch the game. Whether your drink of choice is beer, wine, or something a bit stronger, you may have recently had the urge to imbibe around the same time that you used your medical marijuana.
This begs the question, is it safe to mix alcohol and cannabis? And what should you expect when you do?
The Short-Term Risks of Combining Marijuana and Alcohol
In the short-term, mixing alcohol and marijuana can lead to heightened feelings of intoxication.
If you’re only having one drink and a small quantity of cannabis, the effects are unlikely to cause any problems. In fact, some people enjoy the sensation that a light alcohol buzz and cannabis can create.
But there are increased risks when it comes to overindulging.
The first of these is simply the enhanced intoxicating effect that occurs when you have both of these substances at once. Both alcohol and the THC found in cannabis products are psychoactive, meaning they influence your cognition and your judgment.
Research suggests that the combination of these two substances may be stronger than the sum of its parts; meaning, you are likely to feel more intoxicated than you would anticipate given the quantity of what you’re consuming. And for some, this combination can be uncomfortable, leading to feelings of dizziness or being “out of it.”
The reason? Alcohol inhibits your body’s ability to remove THC. If you continue to take medical marijuana while drinking, the THC will accumulate, resulting in greater intoxication than you might expect.
If you do decide to mix cannabis and alcohol, do so in moderation. Start off drinking a very small amount, and slowly learn how the combination feels in your body. And be particularly cautious of using more medical marijuana when you’ve had a drink. You will likely need less than you normally would.
Another fact that you should keep in mind is that cannabis is an antiemetic, meaning that it will reduce your likelihood of vomiting. In the case of binge drinking, this combination can prove deadly. Be sure to limit your alcohol intake if you have recently had cannabis.
The Long-Term Risks of Combining Cannabis and Alcohol
What about the long-term risks associated with using both products at the same time? There is little research for us to go off on when examining the long-term risks of co-consumption.
There are hypotheses that the combination could lead to overconsumption of alcohol, sometimes resulting in an addiction. And others that there could be potential cognitive effects. However, there is not enough research for us to draw conclusions one way or another.
When you combine weed and alcohol, you are likely to feel more intoxicated than you might expect. Be cautious if you decide to combine these two substances. Consume less than you normally would, and drink plenty of water. Smart consumption limits any potential risks, both in the short-term and the long-term.
If you are an Arkansan suffering from one of these 18 medical conditions you may be eligible to treat your ailment with medical marijuana, which includes both THC and CBD products.
Click here to learn more about what Arkansas Marijuana Card's state-certified medical marijuana doctors can do for you, or give us a call at (844-249-8714) and our friendly support team can walk you through the entire process, and set you up with an appointment.