Marijuana adverse effects

Mannion V Case report adverse effects of taking tricyclic antidepressants and smoking marijuana. Can Earn Physician 45 2683—2684, 1999... 

Wilens TE, Biederman J, Spencer TJ Case study adverse effects of smoking marijuana while receiving tricyclic antidepressants. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 36 481 85, 1997... 

Long-term, regular marijuana smoking has adverse effects, but these were not immediately apparent to its users when the drug became popular in the 1950s and 1960s. - Since there is not a rapid onset of withdrawal, many smokers deny that it occurs. THC is retained in the fat cells of the body, and withdrawal takes place only after a period of abstinence of from several weeks to a month after a person stops..—... 

Several recent studies of chronic marijuana users, conducted independently in half a dozen countries, indicate that the drug has no apparent significant adverse effect on the human body or brain or on their functions. 

Hypersensitivity reactions are rare, but a few have been reported after inhalation. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions, particularly affecting vascular tissue, have been recorded with chronic systemic administration. Tumor-inducing effects are difficult to attribute to cannabis alone. Animal studies have shown neoplastic pulmonary lesions superimposed on chronic inflammation, but such pathology may be primarily associated with the tar produced by burning marijuana. The most serious potential adverse effects of cannabis use come from the inhalation of the same carcinogenic hydrocarbons that are present in tobacco, and some data suggest that heavy cannabis users are at risk of chronic respiratory diseases and lung cancer. 

Nabilone is a synthetic cannabinoid and has properties similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (the active constituent of marijuana) which has an antiemetic action. It is used to relieve nausea or vomiting caused by cytotoxic drugs. Adverse effects include somnolence, dry mouth, decreased appetite, dizziness, euphoria, dysphoria, postural hypotension, confusion and psychosis. These may be reduced if prochlorperazine is given concomitantly. 

Drugs of abuse, like cocaine and heroin, are excreted in breast milk in amounts that may be clinically effective such exposure is formally contraindicated during breastfeeding. Although no adverse effects in the infant have been reported in the case of mothers using marijuana, caution should be exercised. 

Sarafian TA, Magallanes JA, Shau H, et al. Oxidative stress produced by marijuana smoke An adverse effect enhanced by cannabinoids. Am J RespirCell Mol Biol 1999 20 1286-1293. 

ADVERSE EFFECTS Dronabinol has complex effects on the CNS, including a prominent central sympathomimetic activity that can lead to palpitations, tachycardia, vasodilation, hypotension, and conjunctival injection (bloodshot eyes). Patient supervision is necessary because marijuana-hke highs e.g., euphoria, somnolence, detachment, dizziness, anxiety, nervousness, panic, etc.) can occur, as can more disturbing effects such as paranoid reactions and thinking abnormalities. After abrupt withdrawal of dronabinol, an abstinence syndrome manifest by irritability, insomnia, and restlessness can occur. Because of its high affinity for plasma proteins, dronabinol can displace other plasma protein-bound drugs, whose doses may have to be adjusted as a consequence. Dronabinol should be prescribed with great caution to persons with a history of substance abuse because it also may be abused by these patients. 

Taken together, these hndings indicate that endocannabinoid signaling may directly mediate diverse functions from early embryonic development to birth. All these processes are potential targets for exogenous carmabinoids, which may account for many adverse effects of marijuana and carmabinoids on pregnancy outcome. 

These findings suggest possible roles for AEA signaling via CBRs in modulating sperm production and may account, at least in part, for the adverse effects of marijuana smoke and cannabinoids on sperm production in humans and laboratory animals (Schuel et al., 1999 Schuel et al., 2002a). 

I have never used marijuana, or any of these other drugs either. . . and I have never smoked cigarettes. I believe marijuana is a carcinogenic [cancer causing], and does have other adverse effects upon the user. However, it is hard for me to be unduly hard upon marijuana users since I do drink alcohol, and believe that alcohol is potentially far more harmful to the user than marijuana, and the actions of people who have used alcohol are potentially far more harmful to other people. ... 

Wayne Hall and Nadia Solowij, Adverse Effects of Cannabis, Lancet 3B2, 1998. This is a scientific analysis of every harmful effect ever attributed to marijuana. 

Acute physical and psychological effects. Marijuana intoxication has an adverse effect on attention span, short-term memory, and psychomotor performance. Anxiety and panic attacks can occur, primarily in new users who are not familiar with marijuanas eflFects. At very high doses, some people experience delusions and hallucinations. There are no cases of fatal marijuana poisoning and humans are very unfikely to be able to ingest a fatal dose. The eflFect of marijuana intoxication impairs motor and cognitive abilities necessary to safely drive a car or operate machinery. The extent to which marijuana is involved in auto accidents is unclear. Many motorists intoxicated with marijuana drive more slowly and carefully and take fewer risks. However, there is an increased risk of accidents after using marijuana, but marijuana alone does not appear to contribute a great deal to accidents. Marijuana in combination with alcohol does. 

The adverse effects of marijuana have been reviewed Use of marijuana is highest in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, followed by Europe. Use in the USA typically begins in the middle to late teenage years and peaks in the early and middle 20s. The effects depend on the dose, the mode of administration, and what Timothy Leary called the set and setting , i.e. the user s state of mind (thoughts, mood, expectations, previous experience with the drug, and attitudes towards the effects of marijuana) and the physical, social, and cultural environment in which it is used [2 ]. 

In the second study volumetric MRI data of brains were collected in 35 children, mean age 12 years, with intrauterine exposure to cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana (14 cocaine-exposed and 21 noncocaine-exposed) [37 ]. The children with cocaine exposure had lower mean cortical gray matter, total parenchymal volumes, and smaller mean head circumference. As the number of exposures to prenatal substances grew, these specific measured areas showed further reductions in size. Even though the sample size was small, this study has provided relevant information on the adverse effect of prenatal drug exposure among older children. 

The subjective impression that sensation is heightened by marijuana appeared to find some objective confirmation in earlier reports which pointed to an increase in hearing acuity. Both the studies in question, however, showed certain defects (19 ). A more recent investigation in 30 subjects with placebo controls did not detect any effect of marijuana smoking on standard audiological tests, though it is fair to point out that this experiment was designed to detect adverse effects rather than any increase in the auditory performance of these normal subjects... 

The involvement of the cerebellum in the psychoactive effects of marijuana and in changes in rCMR is consistent with the view that THC interacts with the high concentration of CB1 receptors in this brain area. Decreases in the cerebellar rCMR in habitual marijuana users may reflect the effects of chronic exposure to the drug. Functions known to be associated with the cerebellum, such as motor coordination, proprioception, and learning, are adversely affected both during acute marijuana intoxication and in habitual users. 

Donovan et al. (1996, 1997) completed an open study evaluating the use of valproic acid (Depakote) in adolescent outpatients with marijuana abuse or dependence and explosive mood disorder (mood symptoms were not classified using the DSM FV Diagnostic System). Eight subjects were prescribed 1000 mg of valproic acid (Depakote) for 5 weeks, in addition to regular therapy sessions, but did not receive any other psychotropic medications. All subjects showed a significant improvement in their marijuana use (p <0.007) and their affective symptoms (p < 0.001), although both outcomes were measured only by self-report. The most common adverse events were nausea and sedation. No subjects discontinued because of these side effects, nor were there any reported interactions between the valproic acid (Depakote) and substances of abuse. 

Marijuana also impairs sustained attention. In a 30-min vigilance task, hashish users exhibited more false alarms than non-using control subjects 257 This finding is consistent with the observation that the impairing effects of marijuana on sustained attention are most evident in tests that last 30 to 60 min tests with durations of 10 min are not adversely affected by marijuana.11... 

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