Your body, therefore, absorbs it more slowly, leading to lower blood alcohol levels. The higher your tolerance for alcohol or marijuana, the greater the amounts of it you are likely to consume, which can lead to dangerous levels of it in your system. This could cause severe impairments to your functioning and increase your risk of overdose.

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If you take medication, talk to your doctor before using weed, alcohol, or both. They may weaken the effectiveness of your medication or increase your risk for certain side effects. When mixing weed and alcohol, there are a lot of other variables to consider in addition to which one you use first. 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. For example, you might feel like you’re good to drive, but your blood alcohol level may be well over the legal limit.

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Cannabis, despite its medical applications, can cause cognitive issues, respiratory problems when smoked, and psychological dependence, especially in young adults. Both substances impair judgment, coordination, and reaction time — effects that intensify dramatically when combined. Responsible consumption is crucial, particularly when using these substances together. Preclinical and experimental research can be utilized to better understand the complex relationship between the co-use of cannabis and alcohol and related consequences.

Overdose is a medical emergency that can lead to brain damage from loss of oxygen, coma, or death. Alcohol is it bad to mix weed and alcohol can also hit you before you feel the full effects of cannabis, especially with edibles.9 This delayed onset can lead people to misjudge their level of intoxication. Common effects of combining the two include increased dizziness, nausea, and disorientation. Some people experience a severe form of dizziness that can lead to vomiting and extreme discomfort. The combination also significantly impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction time far more than either substance alone. The long-term use of both alcohol and weed may cause structural changes in the brain, with a combination of these drugs leading to more prominent effects.

Seek Treatment for Substance Misuse

Prioritizing your well-being and understanding the potential risks involved can help you make choices that align with your personal goals and promote a healthier lifestyle. Mixing alcohol and weed can also have negative effects on both physical and mental health. Alcohol is a depressant that can lead to liver damage, cardiovascular problems, and other health issues when consumed in excess. Weed, on the other hand, can impact respiratory health and contribute to mental health conditions such as anxiety and psychosis. When used together, these substances can potentially exacerbate these negative health effects. While uncommon, some users might experience more severe reactions like panic attacks or temporary psychosis.

• The heightened effect can lead to an increased risk of developing drug abuse problems down the line.
• Whether you’re a seasoned consumer or just curious, learning about what happens when these substances interact can help you make smarter choices about your consumption.
• For example, you might feel like you’re good to drive, but your blood alcohol level may be well over the legal limit.
• Chronic alcohol use can contribute to developing or worsening depression.
• Lukas and colleagues 71 assigned casual cannabis and alcohol users to a cannabis dose group (placebo, 1.26% THC, or 2.53% THC).

Midwest Recovery Centers understands that overcoming addiction is a question of healing the whole individual, body, mind, and spirit. Our therapy employs proven methods with some newer modalities of treatment to aid in your overall health. It needs to be closely monitored medically because of risks like alcohol withdrawal seizures and cannabis-induced sleep and appetite disruption.

• However, you can “green out” and experience a bad reaction from smoking too much marijuana or ingesting too much THC.
• However, this study was pretty small, making it hard to draw any firm conclusions.
• Healthcare providers play a critical role in screening for poly-substance use and providing appropriate referrals for treatment.
• The liver, responsible for metabolizing both substances, faces additional strain when processing them simultaneously, which may lead to accelerated damage with consistent use.
• Mental effects can include heightened anxiety, confusion, or feeling significantly more intoxicated than your consumption would typically cause.

The lower the concentration of THC in the kind of cannabis you consume, the lower the total concentration of it will be in your body. Amanda Stevens is a highly respected figure in the field of medical content writing, with a specific focus on eating disorders and addiction treatment. Amanda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Purdue University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, which serves as a strong educational foundation for her contributions.

Anxiety

The early warning signs of overconsumption often begin with physical symptoms such as dizziness. Mental effects can include heightened anxiety, confusion, or feeling significantly more intoxicated than your consumption would typically cause. Seeking help is a proactive step toward taking control of your health and well-being. Healthcare providers and treatment specialists can work with you to develop a plan that fits your life circumstances, whether you want to cut back or quit entirely. Treatment options vary widely and can be designed to your specific needs, from outpatient counseling to more structured programs.

Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency, so seek medical attention ASAP if you think you or someone you’re with is experiencing it. Talk to your doctor or reach out to a mental health professional to discuss your options. If you use weed before drinking, pay extra attention to how much you’ve had to drink. To err on the side of caution, assume you’ve had a bit more to drink than you actually have, or aim to drink less than you usually would without using weed. Read on to learn more about the potential reactions and what to do if you have a bad one. 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.

Mental and Cognitive Effects

One study conducted in France indicated that approximately 40% of sampled drivers under the influence of cannabis and involved in fatal accidents, also exceeded the legal limit for alcohol 40. This is consistent with research demonstrating the combined effect of cannabis and alcohol compared to either alone may have the biggest influence on driving tasks 41. High school seniors who used cannabis and alcohol together had the highest rates of unsafe driving compared to students who co-used the substances less frequently 15. Bramness et al. 42 conducted a retrospective cross-sectional forensic database study examining drivers apprehended by the police suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.

If you still want to consume these two substances, it’s important to have safety considerations. Whether you mix the two substances or use them separately, there are mental health consequences of consuming them. If you’re experiencing alcohol poisoning, you need immediate medical help. An alcohol overdose can lead to serious health consequences or even death. In serious cases, some people misuse both weed and alcohol because they struggle with a substance use disorder or an addiction. Drinking alcohol before smoking weed can amplify the effects of marijuana.

Findings from this research suggested that the performance impairment of driving-related skills attributed to alcohol were potentiated by cannabis. However, alcohol administration before cannabis administration did not significantly impact subjective ratings of “high,” heart rate, or THC plasma concentration. Similarly, Ramaekers et al. 68 assessed the separate and combined effect of alcohol and cannabis administration on driving performance during a balanced, 6-way, crossover design investigation. During separate sessions, participants were administered cannabis (0, 100, or 200 μg/kg) with and without alcohol administration (0.04 g/dl) and subsequently completed actual driving tasks. Cannabis and alcohol alone significantly impaired performance in the driving tasks, and the combination of cannabis and alcohol impaired driving performance to a greater degree. Subjects completed three alcohol conditions intended to sustain steady blood alcohol concentrations (0, 0.5, and 0.7 mg/ml) over 5 h.

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 dependence on alcohol, weed, or both. 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. This treatment may include formal treatment, such as rehab, and community resources, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

People who smoke weed after drinking alcohol often experience a stronger high. Whether you’re a seasoned consumer or just curious, learning about what happens when these substances interact can help you make smarter choices about your consumption. Even though these are legal, they can intensify unpleasant physiological reactions, like a racing heart, which might contribute to anxiety. All of this isn’t to say that you’ll definitely green out or have alcohol poisoning if you mix weed and alcohol –– it’s to make you aware of the risks if you go overboard with consuming one or both of these drugs. If you find yourself struggling with the use of alcohol and weed, it may be beneficial to seek help and support. Addiction or dependency on these substances can have serious consequences for your physical and mental health.

Because alcohol and weed are both depressants that act on the brain’s cannabinoid system, so taking them at the same time can have a dramatic effect on your brain chemistry. Understanding this composition is key to knowing how cannabis and alcohol interact. Your brain has its own cannabinoid system, and its role is to regulate brain chemistry.