Can you mix CBD and alcohol? Here's what you should know

November 14, 2025 · By Joseph Wilde

You can mix CBD and alcohol, but it's not recommended. While research shows minimal interaction between the two, both affect your central nervous system and there's not enough long-term data to confirm it's completely safe.

Thinking about mixing CBD and alcohol? Technically yes, you can. But should you? That's where it gets murky.

Some people combine the two without issues. Others feel more tired or off-balance than expected. And while early research hints that CBD might actually protect against some of alcohol's harmful effects, we simply don't have enough human studies to say for certain what happens when you mix them.

What happens in your body

CBD and alcohol both slow down brain activity and help you relax. They're what's called central nervous system depressants. The concern is that combining them might amplify that relaxed feeling into something overwhelming - though interestingly, the evidence for this is pretty thin.

Both are processed through your liver using the same enzymes (CYP450), which can affect how your body handles each substance.

An early study from 1979 found that people taking CBD with alcohol had similar impairment to alcohol alone - the researchers noted there were "few differences" between the two. A more recent 2023 study backed this up, finding CBD had "minimal influence" on alcohol's effects.

The potential risks

Health authorities recommend caution when mixing CBD and alcohol, even though the evidence isn't conclusive. Here's why:

Extra drowsiness - Both can make you sleepy on their own. Together? The effect might be stronger, especially if you're new to CBD or drinking more than usual
Impaired coordination - Alcohol definitely affects your motor skills. CBD probably doesn't make this worse, but we can't rule it out
Lower blood pressure - Both widen blood vessels, which could cause dizziness or fainting
Poor judgment - Alcohol's already doing this. Adding CBD into the mix is just asking for trouble

One study found that mixing alcohol with cannabis nearly doubled drunk driving risk. Even if CBD specifically doesn't worsen things, why take the chance?

Could CBD actually help?

This is where it gets interesting. Some research - mostly in animals - suggests CBD might reduce alcohol's harmful effects:

Lower blood alcohol levels - That 1979 study found CBD reduced blood alcohol levels, though newer research suggests this effect is minimal
Liver protection - Animal studies show CBD might protect against fatty liver and alcohol-induced liver damage
Reduced cravings - Early human research suggests CBD could help people with alcohol use disorder manage cravings and stress

The catch? Most of this research uses very high CBD doses in animals. We don't know if normal doses work the same way in humans.

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If you're going to mix them anyway

Look, we're not here to tell you how to live your life. But if you do mix CBD and alcohol:

Start low - Keep doses small for both and see how you feel
Try CBD alone first - Know how it affects you before adding alcohol to the equation
Don't mix with other meds - Especially sedatives or anything processed by your liver
Space them out - Wait a few hours between CBD and alcohol if possible

The bottom line

Can you mix CBD and alcohol? Yes. Should you? Probably not regularly.

The research we have suggests the interaction is minimal, but there's simply not enough long-term data to say it's completely safe. Health authorities recommend caution, and so do we. When in doubt, keep them separate.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.