Edible marijuana: no such feast

Edible products have long been the favorite method of cannabis lovers for their health. But it turns out that marijuana ingestion carries its own risks, at least according to a new study published April 16, 2019 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Emergency room visits due to inhaled cannabis are more common than those attributable to edible cannabis, although the latter is associated with more acute psychiatric visits and more emergency visits than anticipated.

The research team found that people whose inhalation was high by inhalation were more likely to seek medical treatment in the emergency room for related health problems. But those seeking medical help after ingesting their weeds complain of more serious problems like psychosis and cardiovascular problems.

Mitch Earleywine, a professor of psychology at the University of Albany, explains that this probably has something to do with how marijuana moves in the body when it is ingested. The stomach can take hours for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical that gives the weed its psychoactive properties, through the liver. The body also converts THC into 11-hydroxy-THC during this period, giving it a stronger impact.

"The process literally takes hours longer than the approach of smoking, but the impact is invariably more dramatic and lasting," says Earleywine, who is interested in addiction and marijuana policies . "11-Hydroxy-THC crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily than THC, resulting in subjective effects that mitigate the impact created by smoking the same amount of THC."

The study on Colorado comes as cities and states of the country are working to ease restrictions on marijuana use. Colorado is among the 10 states that have legalized the use of cannabis for recreational purposes and treat it a bit like alcohol. Twenty-three other states have legalized the pot for certain medical purposes.

Review emergency room visits

Colorado researchers found a mix of results when they reviewed the emergency room records of marijuana users.

Andrew Monte, MD of the University of Colorado's School of Medicine, and his team reviewed the medical records of people who visited a large Colorado emergency room during a four-day period. years ending in 2016. Nearly 10,000 marijuana users complained to the emergency department. problems during this period, and more than a quarter were considered to have at least some problems related to cannabis. Less than 10% of this group – about 240 people – had ingested marijuana in an edible form.

In most cases, inhalers have sought treatment for Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), a rare condition that typically affects people who use marijuana intensively on a daily basis. Doctors still do not know how psychoactive substance abuse causes CHS, which causes severe nausea and vomiting.

The researchers found that marijuana users were the most likely to complain of acute psychiatric symptoms, intoxication and cardiovascular problems.

Do not smoke them if you have them

Anyone who has ever tried to prepare a plate of brownies in a kitchen knows that it can be difficult to predict how much THC has been incorporated into each serving. If it takes a while to feel the effects, some users may overdose by skipping the gun and backing up.

"As many titles point out, inexperienced users sometimes judge the dosage or do not wait the necessary time for the effects to begin, which leads them to renew the administration at ill-advised doses," said Earleywine. "Newcomers should find a labeled product, ingest it for 5 milligrams, wait at least 150 minutes (two and a half hours), savor the experience and consider taking more next time. "

Smoking, of course, brings its own set of long-term health problems that can result from filling your lungs with burned air. In 2014, the Canadian Center for Addiction and Mental Health attempted to address the various health concerns for each method of marijuana use by putting in place a set of guidelines for "safer cannabis use".

"Smoking cannabis (for example, smoking a joint) is the most harmful way to use cannabis because it directly affects the lungs," says CAMH in the guidelines. "There are safer and nonsmoking options like vaping or consuming edibles that are better for the lungs."

The delivery method is not the only factor to take into account for the possible impact on the health of marijuana use. Canadian experts have also urged users to opt for a "low potency" pot.