Both the results of marijuana and alcohol on the human brain have been commonly studied separately, however the exact same thing cant be stated about the combination of the 2.
Credit: Delamere.
As a growing number of states in the United States legislate marijuana for recreational use, its not uncommon to see individuals smoking a joint or taking an edible while drinking a beer or a glass of white wine. What occurs when you mix marijuana and alcohol? Is it safe? Is it fun?
Scott Lukas, a professor at Harvard Medical School, led a 2011 study that is amongst the couple of to investigate what happens in the brain while cross-faded and came to some surprising conclusions. Its safe to say that drinking, followed by smoking cigarettes increases the results of both drugs and, in many cases, can trigger unpleasant negative reactions.
What occurs if you consume alcohol and smoke weed at the exact same time?
Bottom line: mixing alcohol and cannabis prevails, but the mix can be rather harmful if a user does not do it in small amounts. Its finest to adhere to simply among the 2.
Image: quickmeme.com
To begin with, its essential to keep in mind that marijuana (or THC to be more particular) and alcohol are two psychedelic compounds that are far from being comparable to one another. THC, the primary psychedelic compound found in cannabis, acts upon the brains cannabinoid receptors triggering its signature high, together with adverse effects like paranoia, a distorted sense of time, attention deficit, and more. Alcohol, on the other hand, depresses the nerve system with considerable repercussions to motor skills– strolling in a straight line can be an arduous mission while in a drunken haze.
Strangely enough, in a second study run by Lukas and associates, the scientists discovered smoking very first followed by drinking lead to less alcohol in the blood stream. THC appears to change the motility of the intestinal system in such a method that it decreases alcohol levels. This hold-up in the experience of being intoxicated may prompt individuals to consume more alcohol than they would have done otherwise.
Combining weed and alcohol could also be potentially unsafe for people with heart issues and also increases the danger of accidents due to the enhancer motor impairment compared to specific usage of either drug. Scientists from the Boston Medical Center and the University of Victoria found that people who passed away in crashes including cannabis had 50% greater chances of likewise having alcohol in their system.
One might believe that if you drink and smoke at the same time, the 2 effects will combine. Lukas noticed that subjects who smoked a joint and likewise consumed a lot of alcohol (a couple of shots) had twice as much THC in their blood than those who didnt drink at all.
The explanation involves the reality that alcohol opens up blood vessels in the intestinal tract assisting the THC to be soaked up more efficiently.
While all this might sound like mixing the 2 at moderate levels can make for a more pleasant experience, its crucial to keep in mind that integrating alcohol and cannabis improves not only the high but also the lows. Impaired judgment and increased heart rate– typical symptoms while high up on weed– become much more extreme. A 2010 study found that heavy marijuana users who got fairly intoxicated with alcohol and after that smoked a joint consisting of THC suffered problems to vital tracking, divided attention, and stop-signal efficiency that were higher than those by alcohol alone.
Its likewise worth noting that cannabis has an antiemetic impact, suggesting it makes it harder for the body to vomit. As you might know, vomiting is the bodys first line of defense against extreme alcohol intoxication. In extreme cases, a user may choke on the vomit and die.
What happens when you blend cannabis and alcohol? Off, its crucial to keep in mind that marijuana (or THC to be more particular) and alcohol are 2 psychoactive compounds that are far from being comparable to one another. Lukas noticed that topics who smoked a joint and likewise drank a lot of alcohol (a couple of shots) had twice as much THC in their blood than those who didnt consume at all. While all this may sound like mixing the 2 at moderate levels can make for a more satisfying experience, its crucial to note that integrating alcohol and marijuana boosts not only the high however likewise the lows. A 2010 research study discovered that heavy marijuana users who got fairly intoxicated with alcohol and then smoked a joint including THC suffered disabilities to important tracking, divided attention, and stop-signal efficiency that were higher than those by alcohol alone.
Those who took in and smoked alcohol self-reported that the high was activated much faster and rated their high as much better, but only to a point. Alcohol poisoning can be deadly and ought to never be taken lightly.
