Study: Smoking Cannabis May Reduce Short-Term Alcohol Consumption

A study published Tuesday in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that smoking cannabis can lead to lower short-term alcohol consumption.

The study The researchers from Brown University found that study participants who smoked cannabis with 3.1% THC reduced their alcohol consumption by 19% and those who smoked cannabis with 7.2% THC reduced their alcohol consumption by 27%.

“Following overnight cannabis abstinence, smoking cannabis acutely decreased alcohol consumption compared to placebo. Further controlled research on a variety of cannabinoids is needed to inform clinical alcohol treatment guidelines.” — “Acute Effects of Cannabis on Alcohol Craving and Consumption: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial,” Americal Journal of Psychiatry, 11/18/25

In an interview with Stat News, Jane Metrik, the study’s lead author and psychologist at Brown, warned against using the findings as a validation that cannabis is a less harmful substitute for alcohol, especially for those who meet criteria for alcohol use disorder or want to reduce their drinking.

“Under these controlled conditions, people are reducing alcohol consumption after smoking cannabis,” Metrik said. “We don’t know yet if that actually translates to fewer alcohol-related harms. … It’s far too early to recommend cannabis as a safe or effective substitute or harm reduction alternative to alcohol.”