Find out if you can overdose on THC and how smoking THC differs from eating. Learn more about the negative health effects related to overdosing on marijuana. THC is the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana. When someone overdoses on marijuana, it's technically an overdose of THC.
THC causes symptoms such as anxiety, paranoia, psychosis and, in some cases, hallucinations. Every year, thousands of Americans are hospitalized for cannabis toxicity events. Some of the patients require emergency medical care. And, tragically, children are at greater risk of accidental ingestion when accessing cannabis products stored in their homes.
Children may mistake groceries, for example, for candy, which can cause a health emergency. Below, you'll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about marijuana. Marijuana, which can also be called cannabis, weed, marijuana or drug, refers to the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant contains more than 100 compounds (or cannabinoids).
These compounds include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which damages or alters the mind, as well as other active compounds, such as cannabidiol (CBD). CBD isn't harmful, meaning it doesn't cause a “high”. Marijuana refers to the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the cannabis plant. CBD is one of the many compounds, along with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), that may be present in the cannabis plant.
CBD doesn't cause a “high” on its own. CBD can be derived from hemp, which is defined as any part of a cannabis sativa plant with no more than 0.3% THC, or from non-hemp plants. However, some states have not removed hemp from their state laws on controlled substances, so the legality of CBD products differs from state to state. Scientists are still learning how CBD affects the body.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with an external icon, approved Epidiolex, a drug containing CBD purified from cannabis plants, to help treat seizure disorders. The FDA has concluded that this medication is safe and effective for its intended use. However, other commercialized uses of CBD may not be approved by the FDA. You can vape using electronic vaporization devices (i.e.
The compounds (or cannabinoids) in marijuana can also be extracted to produce oils and concentrates that can be vaped or inhaled. The oils, concentrates and extracts of the marijuana plant for smoking, known as “punctures”, are on the rise. There are health and safety risks for each of the different ways of using marijuana. Marijuana products that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can have health risks regardless of how they are consumed, as THC is harmful and can affect memory, attention, decision-making and risk-taking.
1 There are health and safety risks in each of the different ways of using marijuana, and scientists don't have enough evidence to show that using marijuana in one way is safer than another. For example, smoking marijuana can expose you and those around you to harmful chemicals, 5 marijuana and e-cigarettes, or the use of vaping associated with lung injury (EVALI). The marijuana plant has compounds that can alleviate the symptoms of some health problems. 1 While more states are legalizing the use of the plant as a medicine for certain conditions, scientists are still learning the ways in which marijuana can help or harm people.
For example, smoking marijuana can damage the lungs and respiratory system.1.Certain compounds in marijuana products can affect the brain or body in harmful ways. In addition, federal regulations on the quality and safety of marijuana products sold in state medical marijuana dispensaries have not been implemented. These products are not approved by the FDA. Research on the medical use of marijuana is still in its early stages, and much is still unknown about the plant and how it interacts with the body.
Currently, the FDA has approved a plant-based marijuana drug (Epidiolex), which contains purified cannabidiol (CBD) from the marijuana plant. The drug is approved to treat seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome), as well as seizures associated with the tuberous sclerosis complex, a rare genetic disorder that causes benign tumors to form in many parts of the body. In addition, the concentration or concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana products is increasing,6,13 and daily or almost daily use of marijuana is increasing,14 which could increase the chances of addiction and other health consequences. For more information, visit the CDC's addiction section or the National Institute on Drug Abuse pages on addiction science, the external icon, and marijuana/external icon.
People with marijuana use disorder, compared to those who use marijuana but don't have marijuana use disorder, are at greater risk of suffering negative consequences, such as problems with attention, memory and learning. Visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse for more information on addiction (external icon) and available treatments (external icon). For more information on the health risks and effects of marijuana, visit the CDC website on marijuana and its health effects. In some cases, these effects can result in unintentional injuries, such as a car accident, fall, or poisoning.
Excessive use of marijuana can occur especially when consuming marijuana-infused products, such as edibles and beverages, as it can take up to 2 hours to feel the effects of the drug. 1.Infants or young children who ingest marijuana accidentally are more likely to need to be admitted to the hospital compared to older children who ingest similar concentrations because of their smaller size and weight and the increased severity of symptoms. 16 Marijuana can be mixed with other substances, known or unknown to the consumer. Using marijuana in combination with other substances can cause a greater deterioration than when using marijuana alone and may increase the risk of overdose.
Learn more about marijuana and the possible risk of poisoning. Using alcohol and marijuana at the same time is likely to cause a greater disability than when using either of the two separately. 17. A greater disability may result in a greater risk of physical harm. Using marijuana and tobacco at the same time can also increase exposure to harmful chemicals that could cause greater risks to the lungs and cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels).
Learn more about marijuana and the risk of using other drugs. Synthetic cannabinoids (called spice, K2, and other names) are artificial chemicals and, despite the name, are not marijuana or cannabinoid drugs. 20 Synthetic cannabinoids are often sprayed onto dry plant material that can then be smoked or sold as liquids for use in vaping devices. Synthetic cannabinoids are part of a group of unregulated mind-altering drugs that attempt to produce effects similar to those of illicit drugs.
Their effects are not fully understood and can cause dangerous and unpredictable health effects due to their unpredictable chemical content. 21 Once these products are identified on the illegal market, the Drug Enforcement Administration adds them to the list of substances in List I. Drug Enforcement Administration external icon. Schedule I substances are illegal in the United States and are defined as substances that have no medical use and have a high potential for abuse.
There have been reports of serious injuries and deaths due to the use of synthetic cannabinoids, as well as regional outbreaks when a contaminated batch enters a specific community. 22 If you have more questions about synthetic cannabinoids, visit the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health page on synthetic marijuana or the National Institute on Drug Abuse page on synthetic cannabinoids.external icon. Breastfeeding people are encouraged to avoid using marijuana23. The health effects of marijuana use by a person who breastfeeds their baby are not yet fully understood, and the available data are limited and conflicting. However, we know that the chemicals in marijuana can be transmitted to the baby through breast milk.
In addition, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is stored in body fat and is released slowly over time, meaning that a baby could remain exposed even after a breastfeeding person stops using marijuana. More research is still needed on the effects of second-hand marijuana smoke. The known risks of passive exposure to tobacco smoke, including risks to the heart or lungs24, raise questions as to whether passive exposure to marijuana smoke causes similar health risks. Secondhand marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxic and carcinogenic chemicals found in tobacco smoke and contains some of those chemicals in higher amounts.
5 More research is needed to understand how passive exposure to marijuana may affect children. Secondhand marijuana smoke contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical responsible for most of the psychological effects of marijuana (or “euphoria”). THC can be transmitted to infants and children through second-hand smoke, and people exposed to second-hand marijuana smoke may experience psychoactive effects, such as feeling high, 25,26 Recent studies have found a strong association between reports of having someone at home who uses marijuana (p. ex.
Other research shows that marijuana use during adolescence can affect adolescent brain development and cause problems with attention, motivation and memory, suggesting that passive exposure to secondhand smoke could cause similar negative health effects for children. 29 We take your privacy very seriously. You can review and change the way we collect information below. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences.
If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so on our Privacy Policy page. Data from patient reports and product tests showed that vaping products that contained tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and that also contained vitamin E acetate were related to most cases. Marijuana products that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can have health risks regardless of how they are used, because THC is harmful and can affect memory, attention, decision-making and risk-taking. .
