Cannabis and alcoholism: a way to kick the habit?

The use of medical marijuana as a therapy for people suffering from alcohol addiction is rarely discussed. Diseases such as cancer, arthritis, muscular dystrophy or Crohn's disease rightly capture most of the attention in debates about the efficacy of cannabis and access to patients. But can cannabis help people get off alcohol?

Addiction: the key to turning to cannabis

The greatest controversy over the efficacy of treating alcoholics with cannabis lies in the perception of weed as an addictive substance. For some, switching from alcohol to cannabis may simply be a way of moving from one addiction to another. Studies have shown that cannabis is not very addictive (about 10% of people), mostly due to habit rather than physical addiction, with no withdrawal symptoms, unlike opiates and alcohol.

Stopping alcohol too quickly can lead to withdrawal seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, hallucinations, tremors, etc. If left unattended, these symptoms can lead to death.

Cannabis, on the other hand, is not physically addictive and does not no lethal dose. Smoking can be stopped overnight without physical danger, and a country of smokers would certainly experience less domestic violence than a country of drinkers.

Health problems

While the clichés of the drug addict continue to follow regular cannabis smokers, it is clear that cannabis users avoid the damage that alcohol does to their bodies (liver damage, ulcers and gastrointestinal problems, heart disease, etc.). Visit therapeutic properties of cannabis can also help smokers prevent certain diseases.

Initial studies in Colorado show that legalization leads to lower teenage use, less cannabis-related crime and fewer traffic accidents.

Scientific studies

Dr. Tod Mikuriya was a fervent advocate of medical cannabis for a variety of therapeutic applications, including the treatment of alcoholism. In 2004, Mikuriya published a study involving 92 patients, all of whom had been prescribed cannabis to treat alcohol dependence. Mikuriya reported:

«As expected by patients seeking a doctor's agreement to treating alcoholism with cannabis, All participants found the treatment «very effective» (45) and «effective» (38). Effectiveness was echoed by other responses in seven questionnaires.»

The report continues:

«9 patients stopped drinking for more than a year, some for almost 19 years.

Many of the patients involved in the study experienced the symptoms of alcohol dependence after stopping cannabis. 29 of the patients in the study used alcohol to relieve their pain, and all turned to cannabis.

A significant proportion of the study participants, 44, drank to treat stress, anxiety or depression, some even to relieve an post-traumatic syndrome. The 44 successfully substituted alcohol for cannabis to relieve their psychological ailments.

A another study published in 2009 in the Harm Reduction Journal conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, recommends cannabis as a substitute for alcohol in the treatment of alcoholism. The study surveyed 350 cannabis users, showing that 40% used weed to control their alcohol consumption and 66% to replace prescription drugs. 26% also used cannabis as a substitute for heavier drugs such as cocaine or heroin.

The study was conducted by Amanda Reiman, who said:

«Substituting cannabis for alcohol has been described as a radical treatment protocol for alcoholism. This approach could be used to treat heavy alcohol consumption in the British Isles: people could use cannabis, a safer drug than alcohol with fewer negative side effects, if it were socially accepted and available.»

The study also reports that 65% of participants used cannabis as a substitute because it generated fewer negative side effects than alcohol, or hard drugs. 34% said they used cannabis because they didn't feel physically addicted to it, and therefore found it easier to stop. Some 58% of participants also said they used cannabis because it was better able to treat their symptoms.

In France, 49,000 people die every year from alcohol-related causes, second leading cause of death after smoking. In addition to its impact in terms of morbidity and mortality, alcohol misuse has social consequences in both the private and professional spheres. Heavy drinking is associated with the risk of serious crime, particularly violent crime, as well as accidents at work and reduced productivity.