Alcohol, Cannabis and Synergistic Risk

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Although cannabis use is considered relatively benign, there is an increasing appreciation of the risks of cannabis over consumption and its burden on the healthcare system. However, there has been less discussion of the risks associated with the simultaneous consumption of alcohol and cannabis.

It is very common to be both a heavy cannabis user and a heavy drinker. According to data gathered by the US government, there are an estimated 1.6 million individuals reporting daily cannabis use and heavy alcohol use. 

The simultaneous use of both drugs increases the intoxicating effects of both substances. Ethanol is understood to increase serum THC levels, and this has been demonstrated to further impair judgement. Moreover, the antiemetic effects of cannabis may allow individuals to drink more and more quickly than otherwise.

Simulated driving experiments record increased impairment with the combination than with either drug alone and this effect is more pronounced in regular cannabis users. The combination can increase the level of intoxication from 0.04% BAC to the equivalent of a 0.14% BAC.

The combination is also known to increase the risk of fatal car crashes. Cannabis alone is associated with a 16% increase in the risk of car crash, whereas each cumulative BAC of 0.01% increases the risk of a car crash by approximately 10%. However, when cannabis is consumed with alcohol, this is associated with almost twice the increased risk, 19% increase from each 0.01% BAC.

In addition to these risks to motorists, cannabis use also directly increases the risks of alcohol poisoning. In fact, people co-administering cannabis make up the majority of all alcohol poisoning cases at 43%, over twice the number of cases associated with alcohol alone. 

A Cannabis Antidote Could Drastically Reduce Risks

Because the effects of cannabis and alcohol potentiate one another, eliminating the effects of either one could lead to a substantial reduction in the level of intoxication. No antidotes for alcohol intoxication exist, but the company Anebulo Pharmaceuticals ANEB has an antidote to cannabis intoxication in development called ANEB-001. Even if patients remain under the influence of alcohol, removing the component from cannabis and the above potentiation of alcohol should substantially reduce the effects on the individuals cognition and coordination.

The hope is that this drug can reduce all varieties of cannabis related risks (for instance psychosis, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, etc.) in addition to its use with alcohol. It is an antagonist of the CB1 receptor primarily responsible for the effects of THC on the central nervous system. The drug has completed Phase I clinical testing is the company is targeting entering Phase II clinical studies in cannabis users starting in 2021. 

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.