Simultaneous Use of Cannabis and Alcohol is Dangerous

Numerous studies on the effects of cannabis and alcohol use have been done. But, all of these studies looked at the effects of each substance individually. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research will take the next step by publishing a study this month done on the effects of simultaneous use of cannabis and alcohol.

Researchers on the study analyzed data from the 2005 and 2010 National Alcohol Survey. This survey was completed by individuals aged 18 and older from all 50 United States. More specifically, there were 4,522 females and 4,102 males.

The participants were split into three groups. The first group were those who only used alcohol within the last 12 months. The second was those who used both cannabis and alcohol separately, and the third was those who have used both substances together.

The data showed that the people in the third group were two times more likely to drink and drive or harm themselves due to the influence of the substances. This is a scary fact because cannabis is being legalized across the United States and usage will only increase. If more people start to use cannabis while they drink, we may see a dramatic increase in drunk driving or injuries.

Authors on the study hope as cannabis popularity rises, manufacturers will add a warning label to their products.