Cannabis and Coffee

Cannabis and coffee are daily staples for many people. Some people enjoy marijuana and coffee separately, while others choose to mix them– but should you mix cannabis and coffee? Coffee is typically used for energy and focus, while cannabis is best known for its relaxing effects. Does it make sense to use these seemingly opposite substances together?

How cannabis and coffee interact isn’t fully understood yet. But the information we have on the topic suggests that they may interact in a fairly complex way. Cannabis and coffee both create effects by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). It is thought to help regulate a variety of bodily functions, including mood, appetite, and sleep. The way that cannabis and coffee interact with the ECS is complex even when each is used alone. And it appears that using both together does have an effect on how each works. But exactly how is still unclear.

Since caffeine is a stimulant and marijuana is known to be relaxing, it may seem like these two substances should always cancel each other out. However, that’s not what current research suggests. Instead, it seems like caffeine may sometimes dampen the effects of cannabis, while also sometimes enhancing the effects of cannabis.

What We Know About How Coffee and Cannabis Interact

There haven’t been many studies done on how cannabis and coffee interact. However, there have been two interesting, notable animal studies done on the topic. One of these animal studies looked at how caffeine affected THC dosage. While the other looked at how using caffeine and cannabis simultaneously affected memory.

Coffee and THC Dosage

An animal study published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2014 looked at how MSX-3 (a caffeine-like compound) affected the desired tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) dosage of squirrel monkeys. When the squirrel monkeys consumed low amounts of the caffeine compound, they wanted less THC. But when the squirrel monkeys consumed high doses of the caffeine compound, they wanted more THC.

The results of this study suggest that taking in small amounts of caffeine could enhance the effects of cannabis. While, conversely, taking in large amounts of caffeine could dull the effects of cannabis.

Right now, we definitely need more research in order to understand exactly how coffee consumption could affect someone’s ideal THC dosage since this was just a small study conducted only on animals. However, these findings provide an interesting starting point that will hopefully lead to a better understanding of how coffee may alter the impact of cannabis.

CBD and Coffee

So, it seems like using coffee and cannabis together may dampen the effects of cannabis sometimes, while boosting the effects of cannabis at other times. But what about if you use CBD alone, instead of a full spectrum marijuana product?

Unfortunately, we don’t know much about how Caffeine and cannabidiol interact, since the studies on cannabis and coffee have been largely focused on the combined effects of THC and caffeine. However, some scientists (and plenty of CBD fans) have speculated that coffee and CBD are a match made in heaven.

Coffee is a stimulant that can sometimes have irritating side effects, like anxiety and jitteriness. Many people find that CBD, which is thought to help ease anxiety and promote relaxation, can help with coffee’s pesky side effects. Some people also find that CBD helps improve the mental alertness they get when they drink their coffee. This could be because CBD modulates adenosine receptors, which are neurotransmitters that help control alertness, or because CBD may interact with serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps increase happiness and motivation. For now, we need more research to understand exactly how CBD and coffee interact. But it’s worth noting that, anecdotally, lots of people love the combination.

Cannabis Coffee: Your Consumption Options

If you want to consume coffee and cannabis together, there are plenty of ways to do it. Many people like to simply use their preferred consumption method alongside their morning or midday coffee. So, for example, if you like to vape your cannabis, you could just have your daily vape session as you sip your cup of joe. Then, in addition to pairing cannabis alongside your coffee, you can infuse your cannabis in your coffee.

There are numerous ways to make cannabis-infused coffee, but one of the easiest is by simply adding a cannabis tincture into a cup of coffee. You can add your tincture into your milk when heating it in a saucepan or add your tincture to your brewed coffee. If you’re wondering which tincture flavors work best for cannabis coffee, we’d suggest vanilla, mint, chicory, orange, or ginger. Note that this strategy also works perfectly with CBD oils and CBD tinctures!

While using a tincture you picked up at your local dispensary is the easiest way to infuse your coffee, you also could create homemade mix-ins to create a more gourmet experience. Cannabutter and cannabis-infused coconut oil are both popular mix-ins that can easily make a regular coffee into cannabis coffee. Or, if you like your coffee sweet, cannabis honey and cannabis sugar are also great choices. Cannabis-infused butter, coconut oil, honey, and sugar are all delicious options that are easy to make and wonderful to have on hand.

If you want a ready-made cannabis coffee experience, there are also a number of cannabis companies and green coffee shops that make marijuana-infused coffee products, like cannabis coffee pods and cannabis coffee bags. These cannabis coffee products offer an easy way to get your ideal dose of THC or CBD in a delicious, convenient package.

Final Thoughts: Should You Consume Cannabis and Coffee Together?

The research on cannabis and coffee is still in its infancy. So there’s a lot we don’t know about how these two substances interact. However, if you’re healthy and you have no problem using cannabis and coffee separately. You should have no issue using them together. There’s some evidence that shows coffee may amplify or dampen the effects of THC. So, it’s a good idea to take it low and slow when mixing coffee and cannabis together. As always, it’s best to start with a lower dosage than you think you may need. Then gauge your body’s response and adjust your dosage accordingly.