Going California Sober: Research Suggests Marijuana Could Assist in Cutting Down Alcohol Intake
New research published in the prestigious psychiatry journal proposes that adopting a sober lifestyle involving cannabis method could significantly assist people reduce their drink use.
The Study and Bar Lab Setting
Researchers from Brown University conducted a unique study where volunteers received cannabis cigarettes to smoke before visiting a carefully constructed simulated bar environment.
- Subjects could choose to consume up to 8 small drinks.
- The trial was repeated three separate times with different tetrahydrocannabinol levels: 7.2%, moderate potency, and a 0.03% cannabis.
Great care was taken to replicate a authentic bar atmosphere, complete with dim lighting and beer taps to ensure subject authenticity.
“We wanted to make sure that when presented with the chance, you would be highly motivated to drink,” explained the principal investigator.
Key Findings and Impact on Alcohol Use
Outcomes revealed a notable reduction in drink intake after participants smoked cannabis:
- Alcohol intake dropped by nineteen percent after using 3.1% THC cannabis.
- Reduction was more significant with 7.2% THC cannabis, leading to a twenty-seven percent decrease versus the placebo.
Broader Context and Future Research
Increased legal access has spurred a major surge in marijuana usage, which has doubled over the last ten years.
At the same time, alcohol use is at a record low, with numerous individuals turning to substitutes like weed.
Crucial to note that forty percent of study participants were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder.
Although marijuana could serve as a possible alternative to heavy alcohol use, scientists caution that further research is needed.
“We’re not ready to advise people in treatment for alcohol, ‘Go ahead and replace marijuana, and it will work out for you,’” a study author commented.