Final answer:
Combining alcohol and cannabis results in intensified symptoms like altered senses, impaired motor control, cognitive difficulties, and an increased appetite. Heavy drinking can cause blurred vision, poor judgement, and even coma or death. Long-term health issues may include cognitive impairments, increased cancer risk, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Step-by-step explanation:
Combining alcohol and cannabis can exacerbate the effects of both substances, leading to a range of symptoms due to their interaction. Some of these symptoms include:
- Altered senses, such as seeing brighter colors and changes in mood.
- Altered perception of time, with minutes potentially feeling like hours.
- Impaired motor control, including lack of coordination and trouble with body movement.
- Cognitive difficulties including issues with thinking, problem-solving, and memory.
- An increased appetite, often referred to as "the munchies".
- Euphoria at lower doses of alcohol, potentially transitioning to sedation with higher doses.
- Decreased reaction time, visual acuity, alertness, and behavioral control with alcohol use.
More acute symptoms may occur with heavy consumption of alcohol, such as:
- Blurred vision, slurred speech, and vomiting.
- Difficulty with judgement and increased likelihood of engaging in risky behavior, including aggression.
- Coma or death in extreme cases due to respiratory depression.
The combination can also lead to long-term health issues, such as:
- Cognitive and memory problems, particularly for those who began using cannabis as teenagers.
- Increased risk of certain cancers and liver issues like cirrhosis due to heavy alcohol consumption.
- Potential development of chronic conditions like fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) if alcohol is consumed during pregnancy.