According to the results of a new study, individuals who consumed cannabis-infused beverages reduced their alcohol consumption by nearly half. The research study, published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, was carried out by researchers at the University of Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions. As part of the study, a survey was administered to 438 anonymous adult participants who reported using cannabis in the past year.

Approximately one-third of participants reported consuming beverages infused with non-intoxicating CBD, while over half (56%) reported alcohol use. It was also found that those who consumed cannabis beverages were more likely to substitute cannabis for alcohol (59%) compared to individuals using other forms of cannabis (47%). In addition, participants reported that after starting CBD beverages, their alcohol consumption decreased by nearly 50%, from 7.02 drinks per week to 3.55.

“In the first study of its kind, we introduce the concept of having cannabis as harm reduction for alcohol. Cannabis has been proposed as harm reduction for other drugs such as opioids but not talked about as often for legal substances such as alcohol,” said the study’s principal author, Jessica Kruger, a clinical associate professor of community health and health behavior in UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions. “I think we have a long way to go before this is seen as mainstream as cannabis beverages are a new modality of use,” she added.

In the study’s conclusion, the authors noted that cannabis beverages may help replace alcohol and reduce related harms, offering a promising option for individuals seeking to lower their alcohol intake. These results were observed with low-dose, non-intoxicating CBD beverages, with 90% of participants consuming 10 mg or less, while the effects of intoxicating cannabis beverages were not assessed and may be even stronger.