Cannabis Interaction With Other Drugs Explained | 420 Evaluation
With the search trends for the term “medical marijuana card near me” spiking rapidly over the past few years, one thing is pretty clear- people in the US are accepting cannabis as a medicine with open hands. Cannabis has become a $6 billion dollar industry in the US this year. And as per an estimate, there are more than 3 million people right now that are using cannabis as a medicine. The stats clearly state that the herb coming out to be a great alternative to pharmaceutical drugs.
However, with the use of cannabis rising so rapidly, there is also a growing concern among potential cannabis users. And one of the most frequent questions that doctors get from people is if it’s safe to consume cannabis with other medications.
See, cannabis seems to be a great potential alternative to prescription drugs. However, given the controversial status of the herb at the federal level, we can’t just leave our usual medicines and rely on cannabis completely. Furthermore, even doctors say that you shouldn’t just abruptly stop using your usual medicines. Having said that, is it really safe to consume cannabis with prescription medicines?
Let’s take a quick look at what the experts have to say about this.
Some Drugs Can Increase/Decrease The Effects of Cannabis
If you are an experienced cannabis user or are aware of the cannabinoids present in it, you perhaps are aware of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This particular compound is one of the most well-studied cannabinoids of the cannabis plant. And, along with various therapeutic effects, it is responsible for the intoxicating effects of the herb.
Now, the thing you most likely don’t know is that THC is metabolized in your stomach by the enzymes we call Cytochrome P450 (CYP). In fact, the enzyme is responsible for more than 60 percent of the drugs you take. However, experts tell us that there are certain drugs that can sometimes make CYP work slower or faster than usual. And with this, the rate of THC metabolization may also vary.
In simple words, consuming certain drugs may make the effects of THC come in quickly or slowly than normal. And this may result in more extreme side effects due to the compound.
Cannabis Can Increase/Decrease The Effects of Some Drugs
We just learned that certain chemical drugs can affect the functioning of cannabis in your body. But this isn’t the only thing that happens when you consume cannabis with other drugs. You should know that the same phenomenon may occur the other way round too. Various compounds of cannabis, including CBD and THC etc., can affect the functioning of CYP. And this may result in an increased or decreased bioavailability of various pharmaceutical drugs.
Marijuana May Interact With Opioids
It is currently believed that cannabis may be able to help us combat the opioid crisis in the country. There has been much anecdotal evidence suggesting the same. A lot of people have reported cannabis helping them stop or at least reduce the use of opioids.
However, it’s important to understand here that we also have evidence proving that cannabis and opioids can interact. Opioids such as oxycodone, Fentanyl, and many others, research suggests, may heighten the high due to cannabis. Some antipsychotic drugs may also have similar effects.
Given all this, marijuana experts say that if you are planning on consuming cannabis with some of your medications, you should always consult a qualified doctor first. You should note that not all pharmaceutical drugs will have the same effects. But still, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
