Does Cannabis Complement Hallucinogens?

Cannabis can give you a sense of relaxation, elevate your mood, and even evoke a heightened sensory perception. Those varied effects may differ depending on whether you smoke, vape, or ingest your cannabis. Distinct plant strains may produce diverse effects in your body. It can affect different people in different ways at different times. External or environmental factors may also affect your high.

Our lungs and stomach absorb the THC into the bloodstream. Then, our blood transports the THC to our brain and other organs. In the brain, THC acts on specific brain cell receptors. This is where cannabis can produce depressant, stimulant, and even hallucinogenic effects. So, what happens when other hallucinogens enter the equation? How does cannabis complement hallucinogens and psychedelics? The answer lies in the intersection of cannabis and psychedelics.

Cannabis and Hallucinogens

What Is a Psychedelic?

According to adf.org (Alcohol and Drug Foundation), psychedelics, also known as hallucinogens, are a class of psychoactive substances that affect perception, mood, and cognitive processes. Psychedelics can impact a person’s sense of time, emotions, and thinking. Moreover, psychedelics may cause hallucinations; namely, causing a person to see or hear things that do not exist or are distorted. Examples of psychedelics include LSD, Psilocybin, Mescaline, Peyote, MDMA, etc.

Psychedelics and Other Drugs

The effects of mixing psychedelics with other drugs can have varied and unpredictable effects. Psychedelics and stimulant drugs increase the stimulant effects. It can increase anxiety and increase heart rate, placing the body under stress. When hallucinogens are mixed with benzodiazepines (benzos) the effects include increased anxiety, sadness, and rapid heart rate.

Therapeutic Cannabis and Psychedelics    

Cannabis can be useful as a starting point for individuals undergoing assisted psychotherapy. Patients who do not feel ready for more intense psychedelics, often begin their journey with cannabis. Cannabis and psychedelics taken together are often useful in treating certain mental health disorders. For example, CBD may reduce anxiety and paranoia prior to a supervised therapeutic psilocybin trip. Notably, the intention and purpose for using cannabis and psychedelics plays a crucial role.

Cannabis and Psychedelics

Pursuant to a study, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, researchers surveyed cannabis and hallucinogenic users. The results reveal that cannabis enhances the mystical experiences exhibited by the hallucinogen. Further, the effect is directly proportional to the quantity of cannabis consumed. Particularly, the study discovered a link between cannabis and the likelihood of experiencing a “bad trip” or “challenging experience.”

According to the study, “low doses of cannabis tend to reduce the chances of suffering such an uncomfortable psychedelic escapade, while high doses increase the likelihood.” Researchers note that the strain of cannabis each user consumed could have impacted the study.

Combining Cannabis and Hallucinogens

While cannabis and hallucinogens undoubtedly influence one another, further research is required to determine the full impact. It appears that cannabis can complement hallucinogens. Still, cannabis can also contravene psychedelics, making it a volatile partnership. Be aware of the substances and quantities you put into your body. When combining cannabis and psychedelics, less is often more.