Edibles and Alcohol: What Happens When They Mix?

Is it safe to mix edibles with alcohol? Many people mix alcohol with cannabis and you might have heard some people refer to this as crossfading (1). 

Despite some concerns surrounding the mixing of alcohol and edibles, this can be safe when done responsibly. 

Taking your edibles to a party to share with your friends is fun. However, a few points are worth considering before you mix your edibles with alcohol. 

Edibles

A vast range of cannabis edibles are on offer. Common examples include baked goods, drinks, supplements, chocolate, and confectionery. 

Cannabis gummies are in high demand right now because they’re simple to make and you can easily control how much CBD or THC goes into each batch. 

Since cannabis gummies have increased in popularity, many people have asked whether mixing their edibles with alcohol is safe. 

The quick answer is yes. Mixing your cannabis gummies with alcohol is fine when done so responsibly. So if you’d like to take your gummies to a party, that’s fine. 

However, before you mix your edibles with alcohol, you should know a few things so that you can keep yourself and others well. 

How does alcohol affect edibles?

First, you need to understand the interaction between alcohol and edibles as studies have shown that alcohol can boost the absorption of cannabis compounds (2). 

As a result, these compounds might enter your bloodstream faster and could have a considerable effect on your body. Pacing yourself is highly recommended since the effects of mixing alcohol and cannabis are unpredictable otherwise. 

Experts say you should start with a low dose or small amount of edibles first. From here, you can monitor your situation and if you feel fine, you can try another dose later if you want to. 

However, beware that it can take up to 60 minutes before you notice any effect from your edibles after the initial ingestion (3), and it may take less time when you’re drinking alcohol. 

Since edibles can take some time to produce an effect, you might want to space them out. For example, you could have one edible every 30–60 minutes. 

Once you know how much your body can handle, you can try higher doses or larger amounts. 

If this is your first time, start low and go slow. There’s no need to rush and your safety should always come first. 

Besides limiting your edibles, it might also pay to limit your alcohol. Having more alcohol increases the amount of significant interaction with your edibles. 

The take-home message is that mixing edibles and alcohol can have unpredictable effects if you aren’t careful. So always proceed with caution until you know what your body can handle. 

You should also encourage your friends to do the same. It’s wise to ask them before offering them any edibles if they know what happens when alcohol and edibles mix. 

Can mixing edibles with alcohol make you sick? 

Too much of anything can be a bad thing. Too many edibles on their own can make you unwell, just like too much alcohol on its own can also make you sick. 

When you combine edibles and alcohol, you need to limit both to avoid feeling sicker than you usually would from having either of these substances on their own. 

For example, you can experience nausea and vomiting from drinking too much alcohol and consuming too many edibles can also cause similar symptoms. 

Therefore, when you mix too many edibles and drinks, the nausea or vomiting may be much worse. 

If you limit the number of edibles and alcohol you have when mixing them for the first time, you’ll get an idea of how this combination affects you. 

If you start to feel unwell, you can cut back or stop for the night. However, when you take too many at once, you’ll have a harder time controlling your symptoms. 

Knowing your limits will certainly reduce the risk of becoming unwell and will enable you to have a more enjoyable experience. 

Common side effects

Everyone reacts differently to edibles and alcohol when they’re mixed. For example, some people might react more to alcohol, while others respond more to edibles. 

As mentioned above, the side effects from the edibles and the alcohol can also combine to make one particular symptom worse. Or you might experience separate side effects from the edibles and the alcohol at the same time. 

Another important factor to consider is whether you use CBD or THC oil in your gummies. You might notice that you can tolerate one compound more than the other when mixing your edibles with alcohol. 

Understanding the different side effects of CBD and THC will enable you to identify which compound you can tolerate more with alcohol. 

The potential side effects of CBD are (4): 

• nausea and vomiting
• dizziness 
• reduced appetite
• diarrhea
• impaired cognition 

The potential side effects of THC are (5):  

• nausea
• dry mouth 
• red eyes
• dizziness 
• headache
• impaired cognition
• anxiety
• increased heart rate
• increased appetite

Serious side effects

Severe side effects often require urgent medical care and you shouldn’t hesitate to call for help if you or anyone else needs some. 

Alcohol and cannabis are depressants, substances that reduce brain activity, making you sleepy and less responsive. This can also affect your breathing. 

When these two substances are mixed in excessive amounts, they can have a greater effect and depress your brain activity significantly. 

Although this sounds quite alarming, you need not panic. These side effects are uncommon and can be easily avoided. 

How to sober up

If it feels like you had a little too much, then the best thing you can do is cut back or stop. Try not to panic as this will only make the feeling worse.  

If you want to try something to ease your symptoms, you could try sobering up. To sober up, try drinking some water and have a meal rich in carbohydrates, such as a bowl of cereal or some bread.

However, most of these side effects only go away with time, so you just need to relax while you wait it out. 

How to prevent excessive intoxication

As mentioned, low doses of edibles and limiting your alcohol is vital to prevent excessive intoxication. 

To ensure that your doses of CBD or THC are low, you can try microdosing. Many people have turned to microdosing as it helps them manage their dose safely while drinking.  

A microdose is a tiny fraction of the original dose. For example, instead of adding a full dose to your batch of gummies, you can add 10 % of what you would normally. 

Since alcohol can boost the absorption of cannabis compounds, microdoses will reduce this interaction between alcohol and cannabis so you can still have fun while staying safe. 

The hangover

The day after mixing alcohol and edibles, your hangover could hit you harder than what you’d typically expect. 

Therefore, keeping your schedule free the next day is advisable so that you can stay at home and rest. Remember to stay hydrated and take care. 

Summary 

Mixing alcohol and edibles can be fun when it’s done so responsibly. While you may feel some side effects, these are easily managed or can be prevented. Should you feel unwell, don’t hesitate to call for help because your safety is a priority.