Going California Sober: Research Indicates Marijuana May Help Cutting Down Drinking Consumption
Emerging research released in the American Journal of Psychiatry proposes that embracing a “California sober” approach might significantly assist people lower their alcohol use.
Research Methodology and Bar Lab Setting
A team of Brown University carried out a unique experiment where volunteers received cannabis cigarettes to smoke before entering a carefully constructed simulated bar environment.
- Subjects could choose to drink up to eight small drinks.
- The trial was repeated on three occasions with different tetrahydrocannabinol levels: high potency, moderate potency, and a 0.03% marijuana.
Great care was taken to mimic a authentic bar atmosphere, complete with dim lighting and beer taps to ensure subject authenticity.
“Our goal was to make sure that when presented with the chance, you would be really driven to consume alcohol,” explained the principal investigator.
Significant Results and Impact on Alcohol Use
Results revealed a marked decrease in drink intake after participants used marijuana:
- Drink consumption fell by nineteen percent after consuming moderate-THC cannabis.
- Reduction was more pronounced with high-THC marijuana, leading to a twenty-seven percent reduction compared to the control.
Broader Context and Future Research
Expanded legalization has spurred a significant rise in cannabis consumption, which has doubled over the last ten years.
Meanwhile, drink use is at a historic low, with numerous individuals turning to substitutes like weed.
It is important to note that forty percent of study participants were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder.
While cannabis might be a potential solution to excessive drinking, researchers caution that further research is required.
“It is premature to advise people in treatment for alcohol, ‘Proceed and replace cannabis, and it will be effective for you,’” the lead researcher commented.
