An Alcoholics Guide to Cannabis Use

The other day I stumbled across a Reddit post written by a former drunk dog who switched to cannabis to quit drinking.

The post went like this:

I quit drinking about 16 months ago, but I started smoking more weed right away. Then I started vaping high strength waxes and shatter and drinking tonics with 100 mg THC per bottle. I have ingested massive amounts of THC. So obviously I was alcohol sober but not addiction free because I was taking THC. If you do – take note – I quit THC a few months ago and had severe depression for a couple of weeks afterwards. People say there’s no pulling out of the pot – they’re trying to sell you pot, or they just don’t know. There’s withdrawal, and it’s NOT fun. I’m sure the severity varies from person to person. So if you take pot, I would recommend small doses! Since then I have stopped. Maybe I smoke a flower once a month. (Pot is legal in my state)

Photo by Guillermo Nolasco via Unsplash

While it’s good that the Redditor in question managed to kick off high doses of weed and essentially break the cycle of addiction, it’s important to note that while weed can help you quit drinking, it can also fill the room can that alcohol addiction has created .

This is one of the main problems with substitution: you don’t necessarily get rid of the addiction simply by switching hats.

It also inspired me to write this guide from an alcoholic’s perspective and to establish a correspondence between certain types of cannabis consumption methods and how they translate into the world of alcohol.

Of course, it has to be said that this is purely subjective and should be taken with a grain of salt – or in this case, a grain of malt!

Joints – The beer of marijuana

Let’s start with the most consumed alcohol after baijiu, the world’s most consumed spirit – beer!

Likewise, the most popular way of consuming cannabis remains bud, which is predominantly smoked in joints. Approximately 37% of the cannabis product market share goes into flowering.

So a fitting comparison would be joints with beer. If you’re looking for a gentle way to consume cannabis that doesn’t hit you straight away, pipes or joints would be your best bet.

RELATED: Can CBD, Psilocybin Help Fight Alcohol Abuse?

Similar to beer, it is less intoxicating than the other products on our list and you can titrate your consumption.

Think of a joint as your six pack; You can take a few hits of it, and when you feel the buzz, you can turn it off.

I’ve been smoking a joint for days, just taking small hits here and there, so I think flower and beer have the most similarities when trying to equate the two vastly different substances.

Vapes – The wine of marijuana

Next, we’re starting to conquer vapes, which account for 32% of the cannabis market share. The reason I would say vaping is more like wine isn’t because of the THC levels, but rather because of the type of consumer that resembles wine drinkers.

First, vaping devices can get pretty expensive. Pax has lowered its prices, but the Pax 2 is still $150. A Pax 3 costs about $100 more. This price point sets her apart from the average flower consumer who could very easily smoke their weed in an apple if needed.

Photo by HighGradeRoots/Getty Images

While vaping doesn’t necessarily increase THC levels, it does refine the hit a little more by eliminating combustion from the equation.

I personally love vaping dry herb, it just allows you to get more bang for your buck in my opinion.

Concentrates – The spirits of marijuana

It’s a no-brainer to equate dabs with hard liquor. Some concentrates can boast a THC prevalence of 99%, which may sound like a lot, but you have to understand that you have a bioavailability factor to consider. Not all of the 99% THC will make it into your system.

Nonetheless, it’s an easy analogy that dabs could stone what vodka does with alcohol. It’s strong, it packs a punch, and you really don’t need much of it to get the job done.

If you’re looking for something serious, one dab is enough!

Edibles – The cannabis cocktails

Finally, let’s take a look at edibles and why I think of them as the cannabis cocktail.

First, it comes in all flavors and even in liquid form. Second, just like with cocktails that mask the taste of alcohol, you can totally have “one too many,” which will send you down a rabbit hole with serious consequences.

Photo by Sarah Pender/Getty Images

As with cocktails, the best approach to edibles is to pace yourself, and waiting at least an hour between edibles can help titrate your high.

RELATED: Why you need to be careful with edibles the first time

Technically, of all the means of cannabis use, edibles have the best chance of sending you to cloud nine. Because when the liver breaks down THC, it converts it into 11-hydroxy-THC, which is said to be 10x more potent than delta-9-THC.

How to quit alcohol with weed

As we saw in the original example, replacing your alcohol addiction with a weed addiction is not the way to go. However, with the little guide I’ve made for you here, you can get an idea of ​​how to replace and not abuse these cannabis products.

Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal depending on the severity of the addiction. Cannabis can help mitigate some of these effects, but if you’re trying to replace one addiction with another, cannabis won’t be of much help in the long run.

It’s best to have a game plan, and hopefully with this article, you should already have an idea.

Much luck!

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.