Mixing Alcohol with Other Drugs
āMixing Alcohol with Other Substances
āUsing alcohol and other substances such as opioids, sleep aids, marijuana, or benzodiazepines together orā within a couple hours of drinking can increaāse risk of poisoning, even with moderate amounts of alcohol.
āUsing alcohol and other substances together can make their individual effects stronger and more unpredictable than using one substance alone.
Using alcohol with other substances can also increase the risk of:
āāāāāāāāāāInjury
āāāāāāāViolence
āāSexual risk behaviors
āāāāāāāChronic disease
Alcohol or other substance use disorders
āMixing Alcohol & Over the Counter or Prescription Medication
Mixing alcohol with certain over the counter or prescription medications, even when they are not taken at the same time, may: 
Create dangerous reactions
Make the effects of the alcohol or medications stronger
Make the medications harmful, less effective, or useless
Put the individual at risk for harmful, unintended outcomes (e.g., falls and serious injuries)
Impact the ability to drive, operate machinery, or conduct other activities
Lead to a variety of negative effects, including nausea, vomiting, headaches, drowsiness, fainting, and loss of coordination
Increase the risk of internal bleeding, heart problems, or difficulty breathing
Using alcohol with medications in a way other than prescribed or using alcohol while taking someone else's prescription can increase the risk of poisoning. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist about your medication(s) and the potential consequences of mixing the medication(s) with alcohol.
Commonly used medications that interact with alcohol include:ā
Disorder/Symptomā
āā
| Medication (Brand Name) |
Allergy, Cold, Flu
| BenadrylĀ® (Diphenhydramine), ClarinexĀ® (Desloratadine), ClaritinĀ® and Claritin-DĀ® (Loratadine), SudafedĀ® Sinus & Allergy (Chlorpheniramine), TylenolĀ® Cold & Flu (Chlorpheniramine), and ZyrtecĀ® (Cetirizine)
|
| Anxiety, Epilepsy | ValiumĀ® (Diazepam) and XanaxĀ® (Alprazolam) |
Depression
| ProzacĀ® (Fluoxetine), WellbutrinĀ® (Bupropion), and ZoloftĀ® (Sertraline) |
| Pain, Fever, Inflammation | AdvilĀ® (Ibuprofen), AleveĀ® (Naproxen), ExcedrinĀ® (Aspirin, Acetaminophen), MotrinĀ® (Ibuprofen), and TylenolĀ® (Acetaminophen) |
| Severe Paāin | PercocetĀ® (Oxycodone) and VicodinĀ® (Hydrocodone) |
| Sleep Problems | Prosomā¢ (Estazolam) and RestorilĀ® (Temazepam)ā
|
ā
Visit the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and āAlcoholism website for more information about commonly used medications that interact with alcohol.āā
For questions, please contact us at alcohol@cdph.ca.āgov.ā