What Happens To Your Body When You Get Drunk And Stoned At The Same Time?
Let's Get Weird Flickr, Courtesy of L.C.Nøttaasen and Stephen Stills; Modified by Gabe Bergado The intoxicating effects of alcohol and of marijuana have been widely studied, but their combined effect—getting "cross-faded"—is woefully underexplored scientific territory. Here's a look at what we know about how pot and booze together affect the brain. First, the basics: Marijuana contains THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which acts on the brain's cannabinoid receptors. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system. Trying to compare the two isn't even like comparing apples and oranges, says Gary Wenk, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Ohio State University. "It's apples and vegetables. They're very different drugs." An extremely simplified explanation would be to say that THC largely has cognitive effects, like paranoia and a distorted sense of time, while alcohol mainly affects motor skills, making it hard to walk in a...