Cannabis is typically considered to be relatively harmless when compared to other “drugs” by those that actually know anything about the plant and how it interacts with the human body. However there is still the chance that one or several of the over one hundred cannabinoids like CBD and THC that are contained within the cannabis plant could potentially have a negative interaction with other substances and medications. Even though the Department of Health states the following with regards to cannabis, “Serious adverse effects are rare with cannabis or its constituents. Marijuana has low to moderate dependence potential; the active dose is very far below the lethal dose.” It is still definitely worth looking into any potential negative interactions that it may have with other medications.
While there are entirely too many medications out there to take into account, there are several well known types of medications and substances that have a tendency to interact negatively when combined with cannabis. For starters, when cannabis is mixed with alcohol (which tends to happens fairly regularly) feelings of drowsiness, lack of motor control, and dizziness normally increase. This can be an issue for some folks that may have had one too many and decided it was a good idea to get high on top of it, often leading the poor soul to pass out or get the dreaded “spins” and spend the remainder of the evening praying to the porcelain god. Either scenario is sure to ruin a good time.
Cannabis has also been shown to affect the effectiveness of certain anticoagulant medications such as Xarelto, Eliquis, which are often prescribed to reduce the risk of blood clots. Using cannabis while taking these types of medications can sometimes increase the risk of uncontrolled bleeding from wounds that would normally pose no threat to one’s overall health. Cannabis is also known to enhance the sedative effects of commonly prescribed antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications like Lexapro and Xanax, which can also lead to folks that mix the two spacing out dozing off under the combined effects. it should be noted that certain cannabis strains have anxiolytic properties so combining marijuana with an anti-anxiety medication may be a bit of overkill.
Marijuana use may also hamper the effectiveness of certain antiviral medications like Ageneras which is used to treat HIV so it is very important for folks that are taking these types of medications to consult with their doctor if they do plan on using cannabis while being treated for such serious conditions. Common sense should always play a major role in determining whether or not you should use cannabis if currently undergoing treatment for any condition but as with any medicine, we highly urge that folks honestly discuss their cannabis use with their physicians to ensure that there won’t be any unexpected medical complications from enjoying one of our favorite herbs.
Have you had any negative interactions when combining cannabis with one of your medications? Are there any types of medications that you would add to the list?
