Can You Still Have a Drink with Delta 8 THC in Your System?

Both delta 8 THC and alcohol are known for being intoxicating, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot responsibly enjoy both at the same time. In fact, some people do mix these two together frequently, at home or socially, whether it be taking delta 8 and drinking a beer or throwing back a shot or two. Delta 8 and alcohol are both generally tolerated by the body in mild to moderate doses, and there is no distinctive interaction between the two that is a major cause for concern.

However, it is important to remember that everyone is unique, and therefore how this combination will affect an individual is distinctive. So, if you plan to mix the two together, go slow and make sure that you’re in an environment where you will not be driving, and can be comfortable should you need to lay down.

What Might Happen When You Mix Delta 8 and Alcohol

The effects of drinking alcohol and consuming delta 8 THC together are similar to the combination of alcohol and delta 9 THC, except delta8’s psychoactive properties are milder and pertain more heavily to the nervous system in particular due to the cannabinoid’s affinity for CB1 receptors. Ultimately, it is important to point out that delta 8 may temporarily lower blood alcohol levels, perhaps by its effects on the metabolism that determines how efficiently alcohol is metabolized by the body.

Also, taking delta 8 with alcohol is dose-dependent, as high doses of each can yield side-effects including:

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Disorientation
• Intense Intoxication
• Sleepiness

A Word on Those Who Take Medications

While many people can generally tolerate a drink after taking delta 8 THC, you should not mix these two together if you are on a medication of some kind. Delta 8 and alcohol can both interfere with how the body metabolizes specific medications, which can lead to elevated levels of certain substances in the body that can yield toxic effects. Mixing alcohol with most medications is dangerous in and of itself, but delta 8 can suppress the CYP3A4 enzyme, which is responsible for breaking down many medications, thus making the combination even more risky.

What Determines the Outcome

Knowing not just your tolerance but other factors as well is crucial in order to make sure that you do not experience side-effects associated with consuming too much of either of these substances, as this can also create different experience for everybody.

#1: The Amount of Each

Obviously, there is a big difference between taking puff of a delta 8 vape after drinking one beer and eating a potent delta 8 edible after taking several shots of liquor. How intoxicated you feel has a lot to do with how much of each substance you have consumed.

#2: The Type of Alcohol

Beer and wine are lower in alcohol concentration per liter than liquor, which means that drinking a full glass of gin after taking delta 8 will make you more intoxicated than drinking a full glass of beer.

#3: Delta 8 Milligram Strength

Delta 8 comes in different milligram strengths, telling you how many milligrams of the pure cannabinoid you are taking with each dose. So, two gummies, for instance, can differ dramatically in terms of how intoxicated they make you. Basically, the higher the delta-8 product’s milligram strength, the stronger its potential impact on your drinking experience will become.

#4: Delta 8 Delivery Method Type

Yes, the delivery method matters as well. For example:

• Vaping delta 8 offers fast, potent, and short-lived effects.
• Gummies on the other hand stay in the system for several hours while being a bit weaker, and also taking up to a couple of hours before the effects are really felt.

Overall, these factors then can determine how intoxicated you feel, and how long you feel the intoxication for.

#5: Your Tolerance to Both

Everyone has a unique tolerance to both alcohol and delta 8 in terms of their intoxicating effects. A person with a naturally high tolerance to each may feel only a mild buzz when combining them together, while a person with a low tolerance to each may feel very intoxicated, even when each product is taken in a relatively small amount.

#6: When You Last Ate

We know that alcohol’s effects hit you harder if you have an empty stomach, which is why mixing delta 8 with alcohol if you haven’t eaten in several hours can introduce a more intoxicating experience. For this reason, we do recommend that you eat within a couple hours prior to taking your delta-8 and having your drink, to avoid getting more intoxicated than what you might consider as manageable.

#7: When You Take Each Product

As the saying goes, “sometimes, timing is everything”. Taking a delta 8 gummy in the morning and having a beer at night means the products may not interact with one another at all, as the delta 8 THC will have worn off by then. Vaping delta 8 in between sips of wine, however, means that you will feel the peak of both of these substances in the body at once.