US counties where medical cannabis is allowed saw a 15% fall in monthly alcohol sales, according to a study by the University of Connecticut and Georgia State University.
This offers weight to the argument that cannabis use may prove to be substitute for alcohol use rather than a compliment to it. The conclusion relies on an examination of the differences in the timing of marijuana laws between different states.
Cannabis is illegal under US federal law but is a complex legal patchwork at the state and district level, with recreational use legal in eight states and one district.
Even less is known about the effects of heavy and long-term use of cannabis than is known about alcohol, so its consumption is not advisable, whether or not it is legal. ■