Acute and chronic adverse effects of cannabis use

Acute adverse effects

• Anxiety and panic, especially in naive users
• Psychotic symptoms (at high doses)
• Road crashes if a person drives while intoxicated

Chronic adverse effects

• Cannabis dependence syndrome (in around one in ten users)
• Chronic bronchitis and impaired respiratory function in regular smokers
• Psychotic symptoms and disorders in heavy users, especially those with a history of psychotic symptoms or a family history of these disorders
• Impaired educational attainment in adolescents who are regular users
• Subtle cognitive impairment in those who are daily users for 10 years or more

Possible adverse effects of regular cannabis use with unknown causal relation

• Respiratory cancers
• Behavioral disorders in children whose mothers used cannabis while pregnant
• Depressive disorders, mania, and suicide
• Use of other illicit drugs by adolescents

Source: Review | www.thelancet.com | Vol 374 October 17, 2009
Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis Use by Wayne Hall, Louisa Degenhardt

For over two decades, cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, has been the most widely used illicit drug by young people in high-income countries, and has recently become popular on a global scale. Epidemiological research during the past 10 years suggests that regular use of cannabis during adolescence and into adulthood can have adverse effects. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies have established an association between cannabis use and adverse outcomes. We focus on adverse health effects of greatest potential public health interest—that is, those that are most likely to occur and to affect a large number of cannabis users. The most probable adverse effects include a
dependence syndrome, increased risk of motor vehicle crashes, impaired respiratory function, cardiovascular disease, and adverse effects of regular use on adolescent psychosocial development and mental health.

Op-Ed: Follow-up Q&A to 'Marijuana: Just the Facts'

- New Canaan Advertiser

On Tuesday evening, May 8, at Saxe Middle School auditorium, the New Canaan Parent Support Group and New Canaan Cares hosted Dr. Kevin Hill and a panel of experts to discuss marijuana — the medical facts and risks. Dr. Hill, who is an author,...

Dr. Kevin F. Tulipana: Medical marijuana proposal opens ethical and legal issues

- Tulsa World

Marijuana use also causes the acute effect of altered sensorium and the long-term effects of potential neuropsychological disorders including schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder as well as respiratory complications such as chronic bronchitis...

Some California hospitals report uptick in ER visits for marijuana

- Ventura County Star

By some accounts, the legalization of recreational marijuana in California has coincided with a spike in the number of people seeking medical help for cannabis-related incidents. But the severity of the problem, if it exists, is an open question, as...

Virtual Reality: The Alternative To Marijuana And Opioids For Pain Management

- Forbes

One of the most common references of VR applications is its use as a “pain-killer”, and is even more relevant today with the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States which has resulted in almost 100 people dying every day due to opioid drug overdoses...

Is Cannabis an Effective Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis? | The ...

- The Marijuana Times

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, painful autoimmune disorder that commonly affects the feet, hands, elbows, knees, wrists and ankle joints. RA occurs...

Missing from Wolf's opioid disaster declaration

- Bucks County Courier Times

An estimated 20 percent of patients presenting to physician offices with noncancer pain symptoms or pain-related diagnoses — including acute and chronic pain — receive an opioid prescription. Many of these patients do not take all According to a...

United Nations Panel Releases First-Ever Review of Marijuana

- Marijuana Moment

In terms of the potential risks of marijuana use, the committee first acknowledged that nobody has ever died from an acute marijuana overdose and described cannabis as a “relatively safe drug.” Research indicating that marijuana use was associated with...

Can Cannabis Control Depression?

- MedShadow (blog)

Some studies suggest that marijuana usage has a negative impact on mood; that cannabis use over time can cause or worsen depression. Other risks of cannabis use include “the acute risk of impaired judgment and driving,” says Kevin Hill, MD, MHS...

Found in the archives: Methamphetamine, its manufacture and the risks to human health

- New Zealand Doctor Online

Use of methamphetamine increases the heart rate, with acute hypertension commonly occurring, and can trigger presentations including anxiety, hallucinations, psychoses, aggression and severe agitation. Chronic vascular People living in a house that...