Going California Sober: Study Suggests Cannabis Could Help Cutting Down Drinking Consumption
Emerging scientific investigation released in the prestigious psychiatry journal suggests that adopting a “California sober” approach could significantly help individuals reduce their alcohol use.
The Study and Bar Lab Setting
A team of Brown University conducted a unique experiment where volunteers were provided with marijuana joints to smoke before entering a carefully constructed simulated bar environment.
- Subjects had the option to consume up to eight mini alcoholic beverages.
- The trial was conducted three separate times with varying tetrahydrocannabinol potencies: 7.2%, moderate potency, and a 0.03% marijuana.
Great care was taken to replicate a real-life bar environment, complete with dim lighting and drinks on tap to ensure subject realism.
“Our goal was to make sure that when given the opportunity, you would be really driven to consume alcohol,” stated the lead researcher.
Significant Results and Effects on Drinking
Results revealed a notable decrease in alcohol intake after participants used cannabis:
- Drink intake fell by 19% after using 3.1% THC marijuana.
- The drop was more pronounced with high-THC cannabis, leading to a twenty-seven percent reduction compared to the placebo.
Broader Context and Future Research
Expanded legal access has driven a significant rise in cannabis usage, which has doubled over the last ten years.
Meanwhile, drink consumption is at a record low, with many turning to alternatives like weed.
Crucial to note that 40% of study subjects met the criteria for alcohol dependence.
Although cannabis could serve as a potential alternative to excessive drinking, scientists warn that more study is required.
“We’re not ready to tell individuals in treatment for drinking problems, ‘Go ahead and replace marijuana, and it will work out for you,’” a study author noted.
