Author: Charles Frank

What happens when you mix cannabis and alcohol? Colorado Department of Transportation

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. The resulting unpleasantness is casually known as a green out. This can happen any time you’ve consumed to much weed — with or without alcohol. Additionally, some people experience a group of symptoms known as “greening out” when they smoke marijuana.

Many people know that combining alcohol with any drug increases the risk of overdose. The risk of alcohol overdose is more prevalent when combined with THC products. Combining cannabis products and alcohol can result in an increased risk of alcohol poisoning or alcohol overdose.

1. Combining the two drugs can amplify the side effects of each substance.
2. By combining the two at the same time, you increase that risk of impairment.
3. Even small amounts of edibles can produce strong highs, depending on the amount of THC and other cannabinoids that they contain.

If a person smokes marijuana and then ingests alcohol, it can result in higher levels of THC in the bloodstream. This is due to how the substances interact with the body’s systems. Alcohol and marijuana can both contribute to increased symptoms of depression. Combining these drugs can be especially dangerous for people struggling with low mood or depressive thought patterns. Using weed and alcohol together can intensify the effects of both drugs. It is safer to use either drug without the other, although the safest option is to use neither.

Alterations in judgment

Why do CDOT and law enforcement agencies believe this is an issue we need to address? While the use of cannabis is legal in Colorado, driving while intoxicated is not. You can receive 24/7 text support right away and at your convenience. There is no obligation to enter treatment and you can opt out at any time. The long-term issues on the mind are harder to distinguish. Increased THC absorption may also cause anxiety, panic, and paranoia.

Symptoms of alcohol overdose include confusion, unconsciousness, trouble breathing, seizure, and clammy skin. Alcohol overdose is more likely to happen when alcohol is combined with other drugs, including marijuana. Both alcohol and marijuana have a lengthy list of side effects.

Decreased Judgment

If alcohol is mixed with marijuana, it can result in side effects that range from uncomfortable to life-threatening. This is why medical marijuana is sometimes prescribed by doctors. But mixing marijuana and alcohol is not recommended even for those with prescriptions. Overdoing it is worse because the person may use too much alcohol. This sometimes leads to alcohol poisoning, which can be fatal. Other forms of cannabis, including edibles, can also interact with alcohol to cause most of the same risks as smoking cannabis.

Individuals who are drinking alcohol and consuming edibles should carefully monitor what they consume. However, it is safer to avoid edibles entirely when drinking alcohol. Not everyone reacts in the same way to weed, alcohol, or a combination of both, and many factors play a role in how a person will respond. However, it is helpful to understand the possible outcomes of mixing these drugs.

While there’s some research around the effects of drinking alcohol before using weed, there isn’t much about the opposite approach. Individuals who choose to mix the two should keep track of how much alcohol and weed they consume. Both weed and alcohol, together and on their own, are also potentially addictive and can lead to dependence and misuse. When mixing weed and alcohol, there are a lot of other variables to consider in addition to which one you use first.

Drinking alcohol after smoking weed

In a study at Harvard, the researchers found that smoking first followed by drinking results in less alcohol in the bloodstream. THC seems to alter the motility of the gastrointestinal tract in such a way that it lowers alcohol levels. When mixing weed and alcohol, the diuretic effects of alcohol increase.

By combining the two at the same time, you increase that risk of impairment. Weed use before alcohol may slow down the rise in blood alcohol levels, which can reduce or delay the sensation of being drunk. However, this finding comes from older research, and some people have questioned this study. In a 2013 study, 80 people participated in six testing sessions.

Research indicates that people who mix alcohol and cannabis are more likely than those who only drink alcohol to engage in sensation seeking behavior. If you want to mix the two, pay careful attention to how much of each you’re consuming, especially if you’ve never mixed them before. If you take medication, talk to your doctor before using weed, alcohol, or both.

If you use weed before drinking, pay extra attention to how much you’ve had to drink. If you aren’t careful, the duo can lead to a case of the spins or a green out, two reactions that can turn a fun night out into a nauseated night in. There may be additional risks because it is easy to overconsume edibles.

In each session, participants consumed a different combination of placebo, low, and moderate doses of THC and alcohol. Drinking alcohol before using weed can ramp up the effects of THC. But if you’re sensitive to weed or don’t have much experience using it, it’s best to avoid mixing the two. When a person has too much alcohol in their bloodstream, certain areas of the brain may not be able to function properly.

The order in which a person uses weed and alcohol may affect the outcome. Weed and alcohol together can also impair reaction times and other cognitive functions necessary for safe driving. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it causes people to produce more urine. Over several hours, this can lead them to become dehydrated, as they lose more fluid than they take in. Using alcohol and cannabis together could intensify this effect.

This physiological response can also trigger mental symptoms, such as feelings of panic or anxiety. If weed use does slow down the increase in blood alcohol levels, this may cause people to drink more than usual. In turn, this could increase risky behavior and the likelihood of alcohol poisoning.