Marijuana Moment: Cannabis Drinks Help People Consume Less Alcohol While Improving Sleep And Mood, Study Finds

[Tokeativity]

Most people who consume cannabis beverages end up drinking less alcohol— and see improved sleep, less stress and reduced pain, according to the results of a new study.

The results come as Congress is considering whether to allow a currently scheduled ban on hemp THC products to take effect as scheduled in November or to extend the deadline to give lawmakers more time to craft regulations as an alternative to prohibition.

The research firm MoreBetter tested 36 different cannabis-infused drinks for the study, which involved 4,516 people who filled out self-report surveys each day for a period of three weeks.

Two-thirds of participants (65 percent) said they drank less alcohol during the research period while they were consuming THC beverages.

Fifty-six percent said they would consider using cannabis drinks “as a regular replacement for alcohol,” 53 percent reported a decreased craving for alcohol and 47 percent said they now prefer the THC beverage they tested over their usual alcoholic drink.

Participants also rated cannabis drinks as safer than alcohol—both with respect to health (87 percent) and socially (75 percent).

The change in consumption patterns “stuck” over time, MoreBetter said in an email blast about the results.

“We surveyed some participants again about 50 days after the study ended, well after the study product was gone,” it said. “63% said they were still drinking less than before. 2.4% said more.”

Beyond serving as an an alternative to alcohol, study participants also reported a number of additional benefits of THC drinks.

More than half (54 percent), for example, reported less pain after product use, 62 percent said they experienced less anxiety and 60 percent said their overall days were better when they used cannabis drinks.

Sixty-three percent said THC beverages improved their overall mood, and 62 percent said they were “more happy and joyful” when consuming them.

All 36 products involved in the study—which had between 1 and 10 milligrams of THC, with some also containing other cannabinoids such as CBN, CBG and CBD—showed a significant increase in sleep quality and ease of falling asleep.

The new findings are a follow up to earlier data that MoreBetter released last year, also showing that people who consume cannabis THC drinks reported reduced alcohol use and improvements in sleep and mood.

The most recent results, first reported by High Times, found that duration of sleep was also significantly boosted for 33 of the products, 31 of the drinks were tied to significant reductions in daily stress and 26 of the beverages were associated with significant decreases in pain.

The study was partially funded by the cannabis drinks brands whose products were tested, though MoreBetter says they had no role in the study design or data analysis.

Hemp derivatives with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill that President Donald Trump signed during his first term in office. But late last year, the president signed new legislation containing provisions that will redefine hemp to make it so only products with 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will remain legal after November 12.

The Senate recently, however, approved a funding bill that includes a provision to delay the effective date of the hemp product ban until December 11—a move that was supported by the White House. It’s not yet clear if the House of Representatives will follow suit, allowing the extension to be enacted.

A number of members of Congress from both parties have filed or are circulating legislation that would enact regulations for hemp products in lieu of broad prohibition.

That includes a new bipartisan House bill introduced this month to keep hemp THC drinks legal and federally regulated like alcohol.

The new MoreBetter results are the latest in a series of recent market analyses and surveys indicating that the cannabis sector, as well as the growing marijuana legalization movement, have proved to be a disruptive force for the alcohol industry.

A survey released last year, for example, showed that four in five adults who drink cannabis-infused beverages say they’ve reduced their alcohol intake—and more than a fifth have quit drinking alcohol altogether.

That survey was released shortly after a leading alcohol industry group added a company that makes THC-infused drinks to its membership roster for the first time, furthering signaling the cultural shift.

This also comes at a time when younger Americans are increasingly using cannabis-infused beverages as a substitute for alcohol—with one in three millennials and Gen Z workers choosing THC drinks over booze for after-work activities like happy hours, according to a new poll of 1,000 young professionals.

A poll released last year found that a majority of Americans believe marijuana represents a “healthier option” than alcohol—and most also expect cannabis to be legal in all 50 states within the next five years.

The post Cannabis Drinks Help People Consume Less Alcohol While Improving Sleep And Mood, Study Finds appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

View the live link on MarijuanaMoment.net