WHY IT MATTERS: If you are replacing alcohol with THC-containing cannabis products under the assumption that it is automatically the safer choice, speak with a knowledgeable clinician first, because that assumption is not supported by current evidence for everyone. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: As alcohol consumption declines among Americans, cannabis and THC products are increasingly filling that behavioral and social role, raising legitimate questions about whether this represents a genuine health improvement or simply a substitution of one psychoactive substance for another. THC carries its own risk profile, including effects on cognition, cardiovascular function, respiratory health when smoked, and mental health vulnerability in predisposed individuals.