Â
Marijuana is a drug that comes from the Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica plants , and the active component that makes it a psychoactive substance is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Being a psychoactive substance, marijuana use can have secondary effects on the human body, such as a sleep state, a feeling of well-being or a certain distortion of perceptions.
In recent decades, there has been a lot of debate and research about its positive impact on some health conditions. Furthermore, dronabinol is a synthetic form of THC that is currently used to control nausea and vomiting in people undergoing chemotherapy, and to increase hunger in people with AIDS. In addition, there are some countries that have legalized its consumption.
But since we know that many times the law and scientific evidence do not go hand in hand, don’t you think it is important to know if the consumption of marijuana can be harmful? And, if so, from what dose is its consumption no longer “safe”?
Does someone die using marijuana?
Marijuana use, whether smoked in the form of joints or consumed in the form of hashish (a paste of resin or sap from cannabis), can significantly limit a person’s judgment and motor skills. Therefore, consuming it before driving, or carrying out any other activity that requires special concentration, will increase the risk of an accident, which can be fatal . However, many scientists believe that the risk of dying from marijuana use is really low, but that does not mean that marijuana is safe, especially when used for a long time or in youth.
There are several studies that have linked unexpected deaths with health complications resulting from marijuana use, especially in relation to fatal cardiovascular arrest (after excluding other possible causes), and extreme dehydration as a result of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.
Despite these cases, when compared to deaths caused by other drugs, such as tobacco or alcohol, marijuana is considered by many to be relatively safe. The Centers for Disease and Prevention argue that it is unlikely that a person will die from a marijuana overdose , but, as we have already said, this does not mean that there are no risks.
Risks of marijuana use
Marijuana use can cause both short-term and long-term symptoms.
The most immediate effect of marijuana use is the depression of brain activity, in which one enters a state of drowsiness with unconnected and uncontrollable ideas. A psychedelic effect can also appear that alters the perception of time, space, colors,… Generally, it relieves tension and provides a feeling of well-being and euphoria, and it may seem that “it is worth consuming marijuana”, but feelings of anxiety, panic or paranoia can also appear, especially in people who have not previously used, or trigger a psychosis in people with schizophrenia, so not all the effects are positive.
In addition, regular users can develop respiratory problems (cough, wheezing, bronchitis, increased phlegm,…) and gastrointestinal problems (abdominal pain and cyclic vomiting syndrome). But that’s not all, there are studies that lead us to think that people who start using marijuana in adolescence may suffer from cognitive impairment and brain disorders.
Below we are going to detail in more detail some of the most dangerous consequences of marijuana use: cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, acute psychosis and cardiovascular problems.
cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
This syndrome is common in regular users of marijuana who have been consuming for a long time. It presents with alternating crises of severe vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain that usually subside after 48 hours. This excessive vomiting can lead to dehydration, which can be quite dangerous at times. People who develop this syndrome say that hot showers provide some temporary relief of symptoms.
Marijuana has a certain anti-nauseous effect on the central nervous system, but continued consumption means that this effect can be reduced, and since THC and other cannabinoids can increase the probability of stomach problems, it is not surprising that nausea and vomiting. Still, some people with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome find it hard to accept that marijuana causes this condition, seeing it as a remedy for nausea and vomiting, not a cause.
This syndrome can be treated with hydration and anti-nausea medication, to avoid the dangers of dehydration, although it is also advisable to stop using marijuana for a while to avoid the reappearance of symptoms.
acute psychosis
Acute psychosis is called a punctual episode , which is resolved in a short period of time, in which a person loses contact with reality and begins to have unusual behavior. It is usually linked to a traumatic or stressful event, to the use of toxic substances, such as cannabis, or to sudden withdrawal after prolonged consumption of some type of toxic substance. The affected person may experience mood disorders, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there), and delusions (having false beliefs about reality).
It may not seem like a big deal, since most episodes of psychosis are acute and transient, but marijuana and other hallucinogenic drugs are also linked to early-onset psychosis in people prone to psychotic disorders , such as schizophrenia. In other words, a person prone to schizophrenia could develop the disease over time, or never develop it, but marijuana use leads to an earlier onset than would have occurred naturally. Marijuana has also been linked to the development of mental illness in people who, prior to cannabis use, had no predisposition and had never developed psychotic problems.
Although it is true that reducing or eliminating marijuana use decreases the risk of having a first psychotic episode, unfortunately, those who have already developed a psychotic disorder cannot eliminate the problem by eliminating cannabis use. As we have already mentioned, the consumption of marijuana could trigger a psychotic disorder, so that, even if you stopped consuming it, the symptoms would not disappear; once marijuana has turned this switch on, there is no easy way to turn it off.
Cardiovascular problems
So far, marijuana use has been shown to cause the heart to beat faster, and to increase a person’s blood pressure immediately after use. This does not have to be a problem, since it is something limited in time, but if consumption is repeated for a long time, it can lead to cardiovascular problems.
Many studies suggest that smoking marijuana can lead to myocarditis, heart attacks and strokes, but it is really difficult to separate the effects of marijuana on the cardiovascular system, from the effects of the smoke itself. Smoked marijuana produces numerous substances similar to those found in tobacco smoke, which are harmful to both the lungs and the cardiovascular system. For this reason , more research is needed to know what the real impact of marijuana consumption is on the cardiovascular system.
In summary, the research on whether marijuana can cause death is limited, although everything points to the fact that it can happen, but very rarely. The fact that the consumption of marijuana is hardly fatal does not imply that it cannot have detrimental effects on the health of its users, since it can give rise to numerous problems, especially psychotic or mental ones. It should be noted that there is no “safe” amount that can be consumed to avoid this type of problem, since psychotic episodes can appear after consuming cannabis for a while or after the first time it is tried, it is a lottery. Therefore, we are still far from considering marijuana as a harmless substance .
References:
Brody, J.E. (2020). Is your heart ready for marijuana? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/es/2020/11/12/espanol/marijuana-cardiovascular-risk.html
Health Effects of Marijuana (2021). CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/health-effects/es/index.html
O’Malley, G.F., & O’Malley, R. (2020). Dope. MSD Manuals. https://www.msdmanuals.com/en/home/special-topics/recreational-and-intoxicating-drugs/marijuana?query=marijuana
Randall, K., & Hayward, K. (2019). Emergent Medical Illnesses Related to Cannabis Use. Missouri medicine, 116(3), 226–228. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6690288/
Â
