Going California Sober: Research Indicates Cannabis Could Help Cutting Down Alcohol Intake
New scientific investigation released in the American Journal of Psychiatry proposes that adopting a sober lifestyle involving cannabis approach could substantially help individuals lower their alcohol use.
The Study and Bar Lab Scenario
A team of Brown University conducted a novel experiment where participants were provided with cannabis cigarettes to consume before entering a specially designed “bar lab”.
- Subjects had the option to consume up to 8 small drinks.
- The trial was repeated on three occasions with varying THC potencies: 7.2%, moderate potency, and a placebo marijuana.
Great care was taken to replicate a authentic bar atmosphere, complete with low light and drinks on tap to ensure subject realism.
“We wanted to make sure that when presented with the chance, you would be really driven to consume alcohol,” stated the principal investigator.
Key Findings and Impact on Drinking
Results revealed a notable reduction in alcohol intake after participants used marijuana:
- Drink intake dropped by 19% after consuming 3.1% THC cannabis.
- Reduction was even more pronounced with high-THC marijuana, leading to a twenty-seven percent reduction versus the control.
Broader Context and Future Research
Expanded legalization has spurred a significant rise in cannabis consumption, which has doubled over the past decade.
Meanwhile, alcohol use is at a record low, with many opting for substitutes like weed.
Crucial to note that forty percent of study participants were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder.
While cannabis could serve as a possible alternative to excessive drinking, scientists warn that more study is required.
“We’re not ready to advise individuals in treatment for alcohol, ‘Proceed and substitute cannabis, and it will work out for you,’” the lead researcher noted.
