Separate and combined effects of alcohol and cannabis on mood, subjective experience, cognition and psychomotor performance: A randomized trial.
Christine M Wickens, Madison Wright, Robert E Mann, Bruna Brands, Patricia Di Ciano, Gina Stoduto, Andrew Fares, Justin Matheson, T. George, Jurgen Rehm, Paul A Shuper, Beth Sproule, Andriy Samohkvalov, Marilyn A. Huestis, Bernard Le Foll
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry May 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110570 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Healthy cannabis users aged 19-29 years with recent history of binge drinking |
| Interventions | alcohol cannabis |
| Dose | alcohol target breath alcohol content 80 mg/dL; cannabis 12.5% THC |
| Duration | Four sessions; assessments before and approximately 75 min after drinking alcohol (1 h after smoking cannabis ad libitum) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Cannabis primarily affected mood and subjective experience, while alcohol primarily impaired cognitive and psychomotor performance, and their combined acute effects were additive at most. |
Abstract
Co-use of alcohol and cannabis is associated with increased frequency and intensity of use and related problems. This study examined acute effects of alcohol and cannabis on mood, subjective experience, cognition, and psychomotor performance. Twenty-eight healthy cannabis users aged 19-29 years with recent history of binge drinking completed this within-subjects, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Participants received: placebo alcohol and placebo cannabis (<0.1% THC); alcohol (target breath alcohol content [BrAC] 80 mg/dL) and placebo cannabis; placebo alcohol and active cannabis (12.5% THC); and active alcohol and cannabis over four sessions. Profile of Mood States (POMS), Addiction Research Centre Inventory (ARCI), verbal free recall (VFR), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and grooved pegboard (GPB) task were administered before and approximately 75 min after drinking alcohol (1 h after smoking cannabis ad libitum). Significant effects of condition were found for the POMS (Tension-Anxiety, Confusion) and ARCI (MBG, LSD, PCAG, Euphoria, Sedation), predominantly with greater increases emerging after cannabis or alcohol-cannabis combined relative to placebo. Significant effects were found for VFR (immediate total and delayed recall, percent retained), DSST (trials attempted, trials correct, reaction time), and GPB (non-dominant hand) predominantly with greater declines in performance after alcohol and alcohol-cannabis combined relative to placebo and/or cannabis. Cannabis appeared to affect mood and subjective experience, with minimal impact on cognitive performance. Alcohol appeared to impair cognitive and psychomotor performance, with minimal impact on mood and subjective experience. Acute effects of alcohol and cannabis combined were additive at most.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment Healthy participants | 2012 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 48 |
| Distinct Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Neural Activation During Emotional Processing Healthy, English-native, right-handed men who had used cannabis 15 times or less in... | 2009 | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial | n = 15 |
| Acute Effects of a Single, Oral dose of d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) Administration in Healthy Volunteers Healthy male subjects | 2012 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 16 |
| Modulation of Mediotemporal and Ventrostriatal Function in Humans by Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Healthy, native English-speaking, right-handed men of white race/ethnicity who had used... | 2009 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 15 |
| Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition Healthy volunteers with a history of light cannabis use | 2019 | Randomized, double-blind, within-subjects crossover | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Investigating sex differences in the acute effects of smoked cannabis: a potency-ranging, controlled administration, human laboratory experiment. Psychopharmacology August 11, 2026
- Does acute stress induced via cold water immersion increase blood THC concentrations in regular cannabis users? Psychopharmacology December 2025
- Subjective effects of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis versus alcohol-only use: A qualitative analysis. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors November 2023
Cites 13
- Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition Psychopharmacology May 1, 2019
- Tolerance and cross-tolerance to neurocognitive effects of THC and alcohol in heavy cannabis users Psychopharmacology October 30, 2010
- Psychedelic symptoms of cannabis and cocaine use as a function of trait impulsivity Journal of Psychopharmacology January 8, 2015
- Combined effect of alcohol and cannabis on simulated driving. Psychopharmacology May 2022
- Determining the magnitude and duration of acute Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)-induced driving and cognitive impairment: A systematic and meta-analytic review. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews January 23, 2021
and 8 more in the library