Cannabis Overdose: True or Not?

Before you puff on that joint or bite on that brownie. Make sure you are not less informed. 

Sure, cannabis can be therapeutic for your ailments. But this drug belongs to the Schedule 1 category. Why? Because it can alter your mind. It is psychoactive. This is why not everyone can have their hands on it. But for those who really need it can get a cannabis card in San Fransisco and get some from their nearest dispensary. 

But, again when you use cannabis. It is important to be informed about its benefits and side effects, myths and facts. One such topic of discussion is regarding cannabis overdose. Some say it can happen while others are quite sure. So what is the truth? Let’s find out.

Is cannabis overdose possible?

Short answer. Yes. 

‘Too much of anything is bad.’

Every drug has a dosage for a reason. If you go beyond that limit, you will experience side effects. Similarly, if you smoke too much of cannabis or have an extra brownie, you will experience the effects of cannabis overdose. 

Is cannabis overdose lethal?

A question that follows cannabis overdose is regarding its lethality. 

You must be wondering. Whether it is sleeping pills or painkillers, an overdose of either can be fatal. So does it apply to cannabis as well? No. It is highly unlikely to die of a cannabis overdose. You can even say it is impossible. Because for anyone to die of a cannabis overdose, he or she must consume one-third of their body weight or about 1500 pounds, all at once. 

Be aware

Even though Cannabis is not potentially lethal. You must be responsible for it. THC found in cannabis can influence a lot of your abilities which are required for day-to-day work. So, before you go on to use cannabis to treat yourself. Be aware of the following aspects.

 Effect

The psychoactive component of Cannabis, THC, works by manipulating your central nervous system. So, it has the ability to alter messages sent by your brain. This is why cannabis is very effective for pain and inflammation as it regulates pain signals and your immune system. It also slows your response system, lowers your Blood pressure and distorts your balance. While some may benefit from these effects, others may not. So if you have plans to of driving or any other activity which involves rapid response. Postpone it after using cannabis.

Variables

If you started using cannabis after hearing of someone’s positive experience. Do expect to have the same effects as them. Certain variables like age, sex, tolerance, history, environmental factors, mental states and type of ailment( if any) make cannabis a very unpredictable drug. These variables also decide your dose. So you may need more or less to achieve any effects.

Strains

You cannot go buy this drug by simply asking for ‘cannabis’. It does have a single type. There are several like weed, hash, hemp and even these types can be different depending on the strain they are derived from. Each has its own level of THC and effects. So yes, you have a big variety to choose from.

So how do you know if you or your friend has overdosed? Here are some symptoms:

• Extreme fatigue
• Impaired physical movement
• increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty in breathing
• Anxiety
• Vomiting
• Hallucinations
• Seizures

If you do experience these symptoms. Do not panic. Here are some ways to deal with a cannabis overdose.

If you are not able to tolerate the symptoms, just sleep it out.

• Add some food into your system.
• Hydrate.
• Call an ambulance or visit your nearest hospital in case the symptoms are severe. 
• Prevention is better than cure. Buy your cannabis from a reputed source and do your research.

So yes, cannabis overdose is possible but not lethal. If you are using cannabis, for medical reasons or not, just be responsible and enjoy the benefits.