Momentary cannabis effects on alcohol use among adults trying to quit or cut back on drinking.

OBJECTIVE: Many individuals who couse alcohol and cannabis endorse using cannabis to drink less alcohol. However, cannabis use during or after alcohol treatment predicts worse alcohol outcomes. Examining whether cannabis use affects alcohol use, craving, and related cognitions within person will help clarify this discrepancy and inform treatment. We tested competing hypotheses in individuals' daily lives: cannabis as harm reduction (predicting decreased alcohol use/craving and increased alcohol-goal self-efficacy/motivation) versus cannabis as an obstacle to reducing alcohol consumption (predicting the opposite pattern). METHOD: = 27.3 years, 60% female, 72% non-Hispanic white). Participants completed ecological momentary assessment with 5+ daily reports for 21 days. Every momentary survey assessed self-reported cannabis use and quantity, alcohol use, alcohol craving, alcohol-goal self-efficacy, and alcohol-goal motivation. RESULTS: = .019). CONCLUSIONS: Adults who are trying to quit or cut back on drinking might perceive that cannabis use supports alcohol reduction efforts. Instead, cannabis use appears to be an obstacle to reducing drinking. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).