Some research has found that cannabis has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuro-protective effects. However, users should make sure to understand health risks and contraindications before using marijuana as a treatment for concussions. There are common adverse side effects to marijuana use, such as anxiety, dry mouth, reduced coordination, dizziness, and red eyes. There is an interaction effect that people should be aware of between alcohol, other depressive substances, and cannabis.

Users should always talk to a health care professional about using marijuana as a treatment for concussion-related symptoms.

Note: THC alters perception of depth and time and slows reaction time, and users should never drive under the influence. 

Blood-thinning medications: Using cannabis while on blood-thinning medications may be contraindicated; please discuss cannabis use with your doctor.

Blood pressure medications: Cannabis is a vasodilator, and using cannabis with blood pressure medications, such as Lisinopril, may be contraindicated. Please discuss cannabis use with your doctor.

Marijuana use is not recommended for pregnant women, according to federal agencies in the United States. We understand that for women using cannabis for medical conditions, deciding to stop taking cannabis during pregnancy or breastfeeding is a complex topic. We recommend speaking with a healthcare provider who knows about cannabis and pregnancy. Also, women using medical marijuana as a treatment before pregnancy or who may become pregnant should talk to a healthcare professional.

An article by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes for Health (NIH), references several concerning studies. For example, a few studies have linked marijuana use during pregnancy or breastfeeding to adverse effects in children, including a higher risk for hyperactivity disorders. Another study found that women who use marijuana while pregnant may have a two times greater risk of stillbirth, but the results were confounded by smoking nicotine and second-hand smoke.

The Surgeon General has released an official advisory against marijuana use during pregnancy. This advisory has links to research studies concerning pregnancy and marijuana use; for example, the page references studies that have found that marijuana use during pregnancy can affect the developing fetus.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) “strongly advises against the use of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and marijuana in any form during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.”

Smoking and Vaping Hazards

Vape cartridges may not be the best way to consume cannabis, as residual solvents may remain in the cartridges, depending on the extraction method. Some states require stores to provide information on the amount of residual solvents in cartridges, but this information is not easily accessible.

Additionally, there is some evidence of impaired lung function in both long-term cannabis smokers and vape users. Initial research does suggest potential lung issues for users further down the road.

A recent study found that “Results indicate that chromium, copper, nickel, as well as smaller amounts of lead, manganese, and tin migrate into the cannabis oil and inhaled vapor phase, resulting in a possible acute intake of an amount of inhaled metals above the regulatory standard of multiple governmental bodies. Noncartridge heating methods of cannabis flower and concentrate were compared, and results indicate that the heating device itself is a source of metal contamination.”

Using a vaporizer with cannabis flower or cannabis oil is a better option for patients. The vaporizer heats the cannabis at a lower temperature but it doesn’t get hot enough to burn off some of the minor, medicinal cannabinoids and terpenes–so patients get a full cannabis profile. A vaporizer is safer for your lungs since you aren’t combusting the cannabis, as you would if you were smoking the cannabis. For an example of a vaporizer device, see pax.com.

Cannabis inhalers are devices that are safer and an alternative, as they are carcinogen-free and combustion-free.