Things change – and things are changing for beer? So what’s up with beer and marijuana?

Beer is universal, it is the 3rd most consumed fluid behind water and tea (surprise – not coffee).  China, the US and Brazil lead the world in consuming beer.  But things are changing again for the popular drink.  So what’s the buzz about beer and weed. With the increased popularity of marijuana in the Americas and Europe, beer is having to figure out a new path.  And we aren’t too sure beer and weed should mix.

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The first sign of trouble was in California when beer sales lowered during the first part of the week. Then Canada did a study and said beer sales were slightly shrinking with legal weed and they. Then data shows some people reducing beer consumption and replacing it with marijuana.  Another trend shows Gen Z is drinking less and consuming more…helping spur the trend of California sober.

So, can these two now rivals, mix? Well, it has been a common practice, but it comes with a warning. The combination results in a very specific kind of high. Known as a crossfade high, it is supposed to help you feel especially relaxed. This appears to be because alcohol increases the absorption of THC, ramping up the effects of the high.

But, there are downsides. Some have a really unpleasant high. This could be in the form of greening out, which is basically getting really nauseous, vomiting, and even getting sweaty and pale. Others might get really paranoid.

Unfortunately, when you use weed and beer at the same time, the situation can escalate to a lot more than a bad high. In some cases, the user could wind up with alcohol poisoning, which can sometimes lead to death. Here’s what happens when you mix weed and beer.

According to research published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, it seems marijuana impacts the bioavailability of alcohol, or how much is actually absorbed by the body. The results indicated marijuana users had a higher blood-alcohol level than if they had skipped the weed and just had beer.  Due to the absorbing rate, there is a risk of excessive drinking, which could cause alcohol poisoning with symptoms like passing out, hypothermia, slowed breathing, and seizures.

Marijuana is known to reduce vomiting and nausea. While it can be a medical benefit, but when drinking it can have serious consequences. The body often responds to over drinking by making us throw up, preventing alcohol poisoning

It is probably best to just be really careful, to stick with a small amount of alcohol and a small amount of weed and stick with a controlled environment, like you’re home, to make sure you’re safe.

The Fresh Toast is a daily lifestyle platform with a side of cannabis. For more information, visit www.thefreshtoast.com.

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