Combining alcohol and marijuana can be dangerously potent. In essence, the effects of each substance enhance the other, making their combined impact stronger. For example, if someone is heavily drunk and then smokes a joint, they might feel not just more intoxicated but also significantly higher. Simply put, the effects of both substances amplify when used together. This makes it easy to exceed one’s tolerance (often leading to a “bad trip”), which can result in several hours of discomfort and vomiting, particularly for those unfamiliar with either ethanol or THC.
Is combining Alcohol and Marijuana a good idea?
As mentioned, the alcohol-marijuana combo can be potentially dangerous. This is because one substance amplifies the effects of the other and vice versa. It creates a cycle that can escalate to a point where the user cannot handle it. The severity depends on how much of each substance the person has consumed. If it’s not just a few beers but several shots, even one joint can lead to a severe reaction. Therefore, combining alcohol and marijuana is not a good idea — especially not for someone just reading about it online. Long-term use of these substances together can lead to strong addiction and damage the brain’s chemical structure, affecting the user’s mental stability.
“Combined use of alcohol and cannabis has increased in recent years among certain age groups, and it is well established that individuals who use both alcohol and cannabis (especially if they use both at the same time) are at increased risk for substance-related harms relative to individuals who use only one substance. Far less attention has been placed on the patterns, predictors, and psychological processes associated with alcohol and cannabis co-use, which may inform prevention and intervention programming.“
American Psychology Association
Ethanol and THC amplify effects
When ethanol and THC are combined, they interact in a potentially dangerous way, significantly boosting the effects of both. For example, a person who drinks two beers and smokes a joint might feel as if they have consumed four beers. The same is true for hard liquor, where the limit can be exceeded more quickly due to the higher concentration of ethanol. Experts support this view in their scientific research. Here’s a relevant excerpt:
“For many of the drug combinations, when subjects consumed ethanol they detected marihuana effects more quickly, reported more episodes of euphoria, and had higher plasma THC levels than when they consumed placebo ethanol. These data suggest that ethanol may increase the absorption of THC resulting in an increase in the positive subjective mood effects of smoked marihuana and contributing to the popularity of this drug combination.“
National Library of Medicine
What are the effects of Alcohol?
THC produces both psychoactive and euphoric effects, whereas ethanol mainly stimulates and depresses the nervous system. Simply put, alcohol has effects that are somewhat different from those of marijuana. When combined, the substances create a hybrid effect, with the dominant influence coming from the substance present in higher amounts. Consuming more alcohol generally leads to greater disorientation and a loss of control over motor and cognitive functions. Long-term alcohol use can also alter the brain’s chemical structure, leading to significant behavioral changes and psychological issues such as depression or anxiety, especially when the levels of the addictive substance are low.
