• Posted November 24, 2025

Could CBD in Cannabis Help Protect the Livers of Heavy Drinkers?

A study of more than 66,000 U.S. adults finds that heavy drinkers who also used cannabis were less likely to develop liver disease than those who drank heavily without using weed.

While the study authors were quick to say that this isn’t a recommendation to start smoking cannabis, the CBD component of the plant might help protect imperiled livers.

“CBD appears to calm inflammation and reduce some of the chemical signals that drive liver scarring,” said study senior author Dr. Juan Pablo Arab. “Our findings show that real-world cannabis use may have some of these same protective effects in people who drink heavily.”

He directs alcohol sciences at the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, part of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond. His team published their findings recently in the journal Liver International.

It’s long been known that alcohol overconsumption takes a toxic toll on the liver. In fact, alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of liver-related death worldwide.

In the new study, the VCU team tracked the liver health of a group of over 66,000 people over the course of three years. All of the participants had been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder between 2010 and 2022.

They were divided into three groups: One where participants also had been diagnosed with cannabis use disorder; a second where participants used cannabis but weren’t dependent; and a third who did not use cannabis at all.

The team found that among the patients diagnosed with cannabis use disorder, rates of ALD were 40% lower compared to the group that consumed no weed. The cannabis disorder group also had a 17% lower risk of serious liver complications and a 14% lower risk of death from any cause.

People who drank heavily and used marijuana at non-dependent rates also showed some protection against liver illness, the study found.

According to the authors, it’s not yet certain how cannabis might shield the liver. They pointed to prior animal studies suggesting that CBD might curb inflammation and oxidative stress within the organ.

Buildup of excess fat in the liver is a major cause of ALD, and it’s also possible that CBD could help liver cells process fat more efficiently, the team said.

So, should heavy drinkers rush to embrace cannabis?

Not so fast, said the authors. Marijuana comes with its own health risks, especially among younger users, they pointed out. 

“This study shows an association, not cause and effect,” said study co-author Dr. Butros Fakhoury, a VCU Health hospitalist. “Cannabis may have protective properties, but we still don’t know exactly how much, what form or what dose might be safe or effective. The goal isn’t to promote cannabis use, but to understand which parts of it might hold promise as medicine.”

The next step is try test out the liver-protecting potential of CBD, specifically, in a controlled clinical trial.

The authors note that CBD itself is not an intoxicant and has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat certain seizure disorders.

More information

There's more on alcohol-associated liver disease at the Cleveland Clinic.

SOURCE: Virginia Commonwealth University, news release, Nov. 18, 2025