עבריתCannabis side effects - what are they? what worsens them?
- Saturday, August 19 2023 at 9:23
- Snir Mutzafi
- Cannabis 101
- 8 minutes
Let us put this out in the open, Cannabis CAN cause a variety of side effects, whether it is used for medicinal purposes or recreationally. Like any other drug or medication, it might differ from person to person. Some may experience none, while others may be affected tremendously. This article is meant for YOU! If you've tried it in the past and experienced some mild to nasty side effects, and also for the newcomers! If you haven't tried it before, and would like to prevent preventable side effects, join us on the dark side of – How to prevent and treat cannabis side effects. There is conflicting evidence and a real lack of factual proof, though there have been studies trying to research the side effects of cannabis consumption. When considering the adverse effects of Cannabis, the following factors should be accounted for:
Psychoactive – "HIGH" The main reason for the consumption of recreational Cannabis is characterized in:
Usually, this high appears between 20 to 30 minutes after smoking or inhaling cannabis, and can last up to 1-2 hours. You should consider the fact, that these psychoactive effects also causes mobile impairment that can and will affect your motor skills. A study whose objective was to compare the effect of two dosages of THC relative to alcohol took place in 2007. Test subjects were tested after:
What was measured?
Note that all subjects managed to tell apart the placebo cigarettes compared to the THC ones, minutes after smoking them. Subjective feelings and driving abilities were examined after consuming:
Average speed THC made drivers drive slower – opposite to alcohol. Number of collisions Out of 84 experimental sessions, 20 collisions were recorded, marked as a number too low for statistical analysis, but a pattern was demonstrated:
Reaction time to a second task whilst driving After smoking a higher dose of THC 17 mg, response time was considerably HIGHER than in:
Consuming 13 mg of THC and consuming alcohol marked also an increase in reaction time but less compared to consuming 17 mg of THC. Physiological strain A questionnaire (The Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory-20) on a scale of: 0 (“does not feel at all”) to 6 (“feels extremely”) was used before the treatment and after the drive and consisted of 20 questions inquiring about 5 dimensions: 3 of them after statistical analysis displayed main effects. Subjects who smoked 17 MG of THC (high dose) felt an increase in physical discomfort and physical effort compared to the other subject groups. Subjects who smoked 13 MG of THC (low dose) also felt higher levels of discomfort and effort. A lack of energy was recorded between the high THC dosage group and the alcohol-consuming one, both were higher than the other 3 groups. No difference was found in "lack of motivation". Sleepiness was not surprisingly highest after alcohol intake (color me shocked). THC influenced heart rate before and during the drive, the highest dose of THC of 17 mg increased heart rate by more than 50%, followed by the low THC dose of 13 mg, the alcohol intake group also witnessed an increase in heart rate. In conclusion, it is not recommended to drink under the psychoactive effects of THC, disregarding your country's specific law prohibiting driving, THC can be a traced in urine a few weeks after consuming it!
The symptoms in the previous title could also be caused by changes in your blood pressure, check your blood pressure if possible before and after consuming Cannabis. Cannabis can cause a decrease or an increase – this change in blood pressure can manifest in:
Since Hypertension is so prevalent, especially in the western world, there are a few points to consider, if you take medication for high blood pressure and you use Cannabis medicinally or recreationally. I advise you to monitor it even more closely, mainly before and after using Cannabis, if you notice radical changes – depending on your baseline, an increase or decrease, consult your physician and NOTIFY him/her about your cannabis use.
One of the most common side effects of cannabis consumption and is considered harmless. A large percentage of cannabis consumers experience it, but what causes it? A study conducted in 2006 on rats set out to examine the effects of cannabinoids on salivary glands, mainly the submandibular gland which is responsible for the majority of saliva production. Under the premise that cannabis receptors are located in those glands, and thus its connection to a reduction of saliva can lead to the dry mouth sensation, they concluded that: There are CB receptors in the saliva glands, both CB1 and CB2, the effects of THC causing the dry mouth sensation was simply the activation of those receptors. Now, I did mention it was a harmless adverse effect, but it has repercussions. How can a dry mouth affect your oral hygiene? It can lead to different oral diseases such as:
Not only does it affect you physically (literally), but it can affect self-perception and confidence, especially when the individual becomes aware of it by the surroundings. What worsens the Cottonmouth
One assumption is that cannabis, or more predominantly THC can influence a person's blood pressure, resulting in an increase in heart rate and either a reduction or an increase in blood pressure. This means that as blood pressure goes down, blood vessels go through dilatation and thus "bloodshot" eyes occur. Interestingly enough THC has been studied as a way to treat glaucoma for decades now. Do different routes of consumption matter? If we assume THC is the cause of bloodshot eyes then it does not matter in what way you consume Cannabis, edible, inhaled, sub-lingual, etc.
Another one of the most common side effects people confess to having after consuming Cannabis is a sense of anxiety. Paradoxically enough is that in recent decades, CBD has been brought up and examined as not only an anti-psychotic substance and a mitigating effect on THC, but as a treatment for anxiety. So is Cannabis a culprit for anxiety or the opposite - a reliever? Let us examine. A 2009 systemic review of known literature examining database taken up until 2008 suggests a high prevalence of anxiety disorders among infrequent cannabis users, but conclude that a direct relationship between Cannabis and anxiety has yet to be established or researched enough.
There is a shortage of data regarding the effect and influence of cannabinoids on the metabolic process regarding glucose, but there are studies and reviews on the matter. In one, 4,657 adult men and women were asked using a self-report in an isolated private room that inquired them if they ever smoked cannabis, how long has it been since the last time, and frequently used it in the past 30 days. Glucose and fasting insulin levels were examined via blood tests after 9 hours fast. The conclusion was 579 standing at 12.2% of those asked were currently consuming Cannabis, and 1975 (47.7%) were past users but have not used it in the past 30 days. what was found was an association between lower levels of fasting insulin and other markers with Cannabis usage Another cross date study examining the prevalence of diabetes in cannabis users in 2013. Analyzed data gathered from 2005 to 2010 by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey:
Results indicated that cannabis usage was associated with:
What YOU should be aware of?
If you have TYPE I or TYPE II diabetes and consume cannabis, it is our recommendation to monitor your blood sugar levels daily for at least the first few weeks of treatment or consumption, whilst monitoring your HBA1C every 3 months as well. If you encounter radical changes compared to what your baseline normally is, contact your physician, and make him aware of your cannabis routine. If you're not, and you experience the following after consumption of Cannabis:
A rare occurrence that manifests itself in:
Was first noted in 2004 – only a few dozen cases were reported. Unpleasant and debilitating in small groups of people but not life-threatening. Treatment of this RARE side effect – simply ceasing cannabis use, not consuming for a month or so was enough for a majority of those suffering from it. So let us conclude all of this long jabbering, when it comes to the adverse effects of cannabis you must take into consideration: