Cannabis users drink 27% less alcohol than non-users, new study finds
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Some people who use cannabis tend to drink less alcohol, according to a new study.
Researchers at Brown University’s Center for the Study of Alcohol and Drug Abuse sought to determine whether cannabis use had an effect on alcohol craving and consumption, particularly whether smoking marijuana could reduce alcohol consumption among heavy drinkers.
The randomized, controlled study included 157 adults aged 21 to 44 who reported drinking a lot of alcohol and using cannabis regularly (at least every two weeks).
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Each participant completed three two-hour “lab sessions” with different types of cannabis use. They were given one of two levels of THC or a placebo, then given the choice of drinking alcohol or accepting a cash payment.
Those who smoked cannabis with the highest THC level (7.2%) consumed about 27% less alcohol than those who smoked a placebo. They also reported an immediate reduction in the urge to drink.
Those who smoked cannabis with the highest THC level (7.2%) consumed about 27% less alcohol than those who smoked a placebo. (iStock)
Participants who smoked cannabis containing 3.1% THC smoked about 19% less alcohol.
“In our controlled laboratory study at a bar, after people smoked cannabis, they drank about a quarter less alcohol over the next two hours,” the study’s lead author, Jane Metrik, Ph.D., professor of behavioral and social sciences at Brown’s Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, told Fox News Digital.
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Cannabis had mixed effects on alcohol cravings, the researchers reported.
“We found a significant decrease in alcohol craving immediately after smoking cannabis, but no consistent effect on a different measure of alcohol craving,” Metrik said. “This suggests that cannabis may not exert a uniform effect on motivation to consume alcohol and that other mechanisms may also explain the impact of cannabis on subsequent alcohol consumption.”
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The study, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, was published last month in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Risks and limits
The study had limitations, the researchers acknowledged.
“The study only tested a single cannabinoid (THC) in smoked cannabis, meaning the results cannot be generalized to the wide range of cannabis products, formulations and other cannabinoids,” Metrik told Fox News Digital. “The study sample also consisted of individuals who used cannabis almost daily, so those who use cannabis less often may exhibit different alcohol-related behaviors.”
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Researchers also did not examine the effects of using cannabis and alcohol together.
Because the research was short-term and conducted in a “laboratory,” it is unclear whether the reduction in alcohol consumption would continue long-term or in real-world settings, they noted.
“In our controlled laboratory study in a bar, after smoking cannabis, people drank about a quarter less alcohol over the next two hours,” said the lead researcher. (iStock)
The study results do not support recommending cannabis as a substitute for alcohol in people with alcohol use disorders, the researchers said, because the long-term health effects and addiction risks of cannabis remain unclear.
“It’s important to understand that the impact of cannabis varies greatly among individuals,” Mitek said, noting that while the substance can reduce alcohol consumption in the short term, it also poses its own risks.
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“Our study is a first step and we need longer-term research before drawing conclusions for public health,” she said. “We do not have clear evidence of the long-term safety and effectiveness of using cannabis as a treatment for alcoholism. At this time, I would not recommend using cannabis to reduce alcohol consumption.”
For people who are already replacing alcohol with cannabis, Mitek recommends closely monitoring their consumption and being aware of the risk of cannabis use disorder. She also “strongly encourages” them to consider evidence-based treatments for alcoholism.
Experts weigh in
Marcel Bonn-Miller, Ph.D., a cannabis researcher at Ajna BioSciences in Colorado, noted that the study highlights current market trends, which show that alcohol sales have declined significantly as THC has become more accessible.
“In our controlled laboratory study at a bar, after smoking cannabis, people drank about a quarter less alcohol over the next two hours.”
“As many consumers report using THC drinks and other non-inhaled delivery methods as alternatives to alcohol, it would be important for future clinical trials to determine the effect of these formats on drinking behavior over time,” the researcher, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Riana Durrett, director of the Cannabis Policy Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, praised the study’s “rigorous” design.
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“Overall, the experimental design is a rare feature in this area of research because it can be logistically difficult to give cannabis to people in the lab (given its federal Schedule I status), so this is a truly unique study,” Durrett, who was also not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
The findings are consistent with the “sober Californian” trend, in which smoking cannabis can be a way to reduce the use of other substances, she noted.
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Although some people have reported that cannabis helped them recover from other substance use disorders, its effect has not been tested extensively, according to Durrett.
Although the study infers that cannabis use decreases alcohol consumption in a single session, the long-term effects of cannabis use on alcohol consumption are unknown. (iStock)
The expert agreed that although the study infers that cannabis use decreases alcohol consumption in a single session, there are some unknowns, including the long-term effects of cannabis use on alcohol consumption.
“So it’s still possible that in the long term, cannabis use will be harmful to alcohol use,” she said. “We also don’t know the net effect of replacing one substance (like alcohol) with another (like cannabis).”
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“It might be easy to believe that consuming cannabis instead of alcohol is a win, but we really don’t know whether or not this is true based on current research.”
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Durrett added: “Hopefully this study and others like it can add tools to our toolbox on how to reduce alcohol problems. »
Mitek noted that more research is needed to assess “clinically relevant alcohol outcomes,” particularly among people seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder.
