Learn about cannabis

420 daily Cannabis 101

Can Cannabis Help Treat Hangovers?

37 0

In my early 20s, my friends and I would take overnight trips to Niagara Falls where our behavior was anything but responsible. Without fail, we’d ride home the next morning in complete silence, teetering on the edge of puking up the spoils of our evening prior.

“You guys should just smoke some weed,” our always-high and jovial buddy would say, twirling his joint like a baton, seemingly averse to the after-effects of alcohol. “It cures a hangover. I swear by it.”

It turns out he might be right — kind of. Research and experts appear to agree that cannabis may not cure a hangover, per say, but it can effectively alleviate the rougher hangover symptoms that leave you cursing Jack Daniels’ name.

Research by the University of Colorado published in the journal Pharmacotherapy found that consuming cannabis — or, more specifically, cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive or non-intoxicating compound found in cannabis — reduced the monthly frequency of migraines from 10.4 to 4.6 for study participants, with 40% reporting positive effects. Researchers found that CBD’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties relieve the pressure of headaches, but said more study is needed on the use of different strains, doses and consumption methods to establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Cannabis is also used to treat cancer patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced nausea, meaning it’ll adequately assist with a self-inflicted hangover.

According to Dr. Roberta DeLuca, a retired physician and educator for Florida-based CBD Biocare, CBD can help ease hangover symptoms you might not have even considered, such as low blood sugar, gastrointestinal issues, muscular aches and pains, impaired balance, dizziness and impaired cognitive and motor skills.

Not unlike my friend, many social drinkers swear by cannabis as a hangover cure. In fact, DeLuca spoke to a client group about this very topic on behalf of Lift & Co.

“I was nauseous, had a headache and just felt like shit. So I went straight to the CBD,” one client mentioned. “Twenty minutes later, the nausea was gone, the headache was gone and my appetite returned. I felt better — I even managed to get some chores done around the house.”

“I took it before bed after a night of partying and woke up feeling great,” said another.

As for which cannabis strains are best, DeLuca recommends something with a high percentage of CBD, or a near 1:1 ratio of CBD and THC. If you’re stuck choosing between sativa or indica, opt for the former — a sativa strain will help get you out of bed and out the door.

And, as anybody who’s ever been high and/or drunk before knows, food is the indigestible enemy of the hangover. It’s actually better to eat before drinking, as it slows the rate at which the body absorbs alcohol. Obviously, eating healthier foods when you’re hungover will make you feel better in the long run (fruit for hydration, eggs and other proteins to better process alcohol, etc.), but I completely understand (and deeply relate to) the need for greasy and sluggish convenience at McDonald’s.

Unfortunately, any credence given to grease and carbs as a hangover cure doesn’t have any scientific basis. While drinking and hangovers make the body crave fat-laden foods , they certainly won’t help with an upset stomach.

Besides smoking or vaping cannabis , CBD can also be consumed via sublingual oils, topicals like balms and lotions, or homemade edibles (as long as you can tolerate food). Hydration and replenishing nutrients is also important, and Canada might eventually see products like CBD-infused coconut water, teas and kombucha when commercially made cannabis edibles and beverages become legal sometime next year.

The truth is there’s no proven cure for a hangover. Its sinister powers are far too great. But if you want to feel a little bit better and — I know this is a long shot, but — make it out of the house, cannabis can be a real pal.


Information provided in the article is based on user reported information and does not represent recommendations of healthcare professionals. The content is for general use and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making medical decisions or if you have questions about your health, new medical treatments or products you would like to try. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Source: Can Cannabis Help Treat Hangovers? – Lift & Co.

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.