Mixing alcohol

As boozing is linked to vomiting, mixing alcohol with certain drugs can be dangerous. If a drug makes you unconscious, being sick can cause you to choke to death on your own vomit.

With depressants

As alcohol is a depressant taking it with other depressants, such as ketamine, Valium, diazepam or other tranquilisers, is dangerous. Mixing with the party drug GHB is the most risky, even drinking booze earlier in the evening, before taking GHB. G related overdoses often involve alcohol. Combining depressants can suppress breathing and consciousness, which can kill.

With ecstasy

Alcohol deadens the effect of ecstasy, and together both drugs can dangerously dehydrate the body.

With cocaine

Some people think drinking can calm them down if high on cocaine. But the mix can do the opposite.

The most common cause of cocaine-related deaths is mixing cocaine or crack with alcohol. The two drugs combine in the liver to make cocaethylene, which makes the effects of the coke stronger and longer lasting, and intensifies the harm done by both drugs. The heart is most vulnerable to damage by this toxic mix.

With HIV drugs

There are no significant bad reactions between booze and HIV drugs, but if you throw up within an hour of taking HIV meds you should take the dose again.