Cannabis Drinks Help Drinkers Cut Alcohol Use by Half

For people trying to cut back on alcohol, a new study suggests an unexpected ally: cannabis-infused drinks.

Researchers at the University at Buffalo surveyed 438 adults who use cannabis and found something remarkable. Those who drank cannabis beverages reported slashing their alcohol intake in half, dropping from an average of 7 drinks per week to just 3.3 drinks.

The study, published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, is the first to explore cannabis beverages as a harm reduction tool for alcohol. While cannabis has been studied as an alternative to opioids, this marks new territory for addressing alcohol consumption, which is linked to at least seven types of cancer and nearly 200 health conditions.

About 56% of people in the survey drank alcohol, and roughly one-third had tried cannabis beverages. Most consumed just one cannabis drink per session, typically with 10 mg of CBD or less.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Nearly 63% of cannabis beverage users said they reduced or stopped drinking alcohol entirely after making the switch. Only 3% reported drinking more alcohol.

The Bright Side

The timing couldn't be better. Market research firm Euromonitor projects cannabis beverage sales will hit $4 billion by 2028, and more Americans are actively trying to drink less year-round, not just during "Dry January."

Researchers believe cannabis drinks work particularly well because they fit seamlessly into social situations. Someone at a party or bar can still hold a drink in their hand, but it's a cannabis beverage instead of an alcoholic one. They're packaged like beer or hard seltzers, making the transition feel natural.

Co-author Daniel Kruger notes that cannabis beverage users showed even greater alcohol reduction than people using other cannabis products. The similarity in how you consume them seems to matter.

The researchers caution that cannabis beverages are still a new option, and more studies are needed to understand long-term effects. But for the growing number of people seeking alternatives to alcohol, these early findings offer a promising path forward.

The team plans to continue tracking cannabis drink users over time and comparing different consumption methods to better understand this emerging harm reduction strategy.