Research in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse found that identical twins in states with legal adult cannabis use reported fewer negative effects from alcohol than their twins in states where cannabis is still banned.
In a study involving a group of 3,830 adult identical twins, researchers from the University of Colorado and the University of Minnesota conducted an investigation into whether or not there was a correlation between the legalisation of cannabis for adult use and the participants’ consumption of both alcohol and cannabis.
While one of the twins lived in a state that allows the purchase of cannabis for adult use, the other lived in a state where such purchases are illegal.
Remarkable Study Results
Researchers found that even though identical twins living in states where alcohol use is permitted had drinking rates comparable to those of their co-twins, those twins were less likely to report experiencing negative impacts as a result of their drinking.
The researchers came to the conclusion that:
“twins living in a state with RCL [recreational cannabis laws] reported fewer negative consequences from alcohol use than their co-twin living in a non-RCL state,”
referring to the legal status of cannabis in recreational settings.
“These results provide support the hypothesis that more liberal cannabis policies may result in fewer negative consequences from alcohol use.”
The researchers did find that twins living in states where cannabis is legal had greater rates of cannabis usage, a finding that is in line with previously collected data.
However, identical twins living in states where cannabis use is allowed were not more likely to report experiencing negative outcomes as a result of their cannabis usage than their co-twins who also used cannabis.
The findings are consistent with those of a study that was released earlier this year and found that twins living in places where cannabis is legal had lower levels of alcohol use disorder than twins living in other states.
More solid evidence that society is better with cannabis, not without.
