Ask a Stoner: Does THC Make Alcohol Stronger, or Vice Versa?

It doesn’t take Socrates to figure out that two mind-altering substances will make you more inebriated than one, but there's more to it than that.

By Herbert Fuego

November 19, 2020

Westword

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Dear Stoner: Does weed make booze stronger, or vice versa? Every time I only do one, I don’t feel it as much.
Hambone

Dear Hambone: It doesn’t take Socrates to figure out that two mind-altering substances will make you more inebriated than one. The spin we get from smoking a joint after a night out drinking isn’t a myth: Our bodies undergo chemical reactions every time we mix weed and alcohol that don’t happen when we stick to just one. According to a study from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, simultaneous use of cannabis and alcohol produces “significantly higher” concentrations of THC in the blood, while limited research from the ’90s shows that cannabis can delay the body’s absorption of alcohol, therefor slowing its effects. So not only does combining the two make us more dehydrated and liable to make a $30 Uber Eats order, it also makes us intoxicated for longer.

Sounds good in some cases, bad in others. Party responsibly.

Send questions to [email protected].

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