Dear Alice,
Is it possible to die from a pot overdose?
Health topics
Answer
Dear Reader,
The short answer to your question is that it’s complicated. The term overdose (or OD) refers to the negative, sometimes fatal, effects of taking a large amount of a particular drug or combination of drugs that overwhelms normal physiological functioning. Although there have been no reported instances of fatal overdoses from marijuana, using too much marijuana at once may lead to acute toxicity. Some common symptoms of acute toxicity include: intense drowsiness or confusion, stumbling, vomiting, increased heart rate, or acute psychosis that resembles schizophrenia (such as experiencing hallucinations or extreme paranoia). Using large amounts of marijuana also increases the risk of unintentional injuries such as car accidents or getting into physical altercations. There are also some substances, such as synthetic marijuana, that increase the risk of fatally overdosing. Read on to learn more about how marijuana toxicity and synthetic marijuana can increase the risk of overdosing.
The main ingredient that gives users a high when consuming marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Depending on how it’s consumed, the amount of THC the body consumes can vary, with smoking marijuana being the highest potency. For many, THC leads to feelings of calmness and altered perceptions of time. However, if THC is in the body and someone experiences acute toxicity, they may experience more adverse side effects:
- Intense feelings of panic or anxiety
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Exacerbated symptoms of mental health issues (e.g., hallucinations, depression, anxiety)
- Sleepiness or passing out
- Increased blood pressure
- Respiratory problems such as increased heart rate or slowed breathing
If you’re using marijuana and experience any of these symptoms of acute toxicity, particularly with respiratory issues, it’s advised that you seek medical care. Otherwise, treatment for acute toxicity typically involves managing symptoms. Unlike alcohol, there is no consensus on the lethal dose of marijuana. The long-term effects of marijuana use, particularly with periods of acute toxicity, aren’t well-understood; however, some researchers believe there may be long-term effects such as developing respiratory diseases or interference in motivation.
This may not be the case for all types of marijuana. Synthetic cannabinoids, such as synthetic marijuana may increase the risk of overdosing. These synthetic drugs mimic THC by binding to specific receptors in your body, leading to similar types of highs from consuming marijuana. However, the effects of synthetic marijuana are much more intense and, in some cases, fatal. Synthetic cannabinoids may have more life-threatening side effects, such as brain swelling and seizures. This is because synthetic marijuana and other types of synthetic cannabinoids are sprayed with unknown chemicals, making it difficult to be entirely sure what is entering the body the drug is consumed. Overdosing, or experiencing acute toxicity, is more likely to be fatal from taking synthetic cannabinoids compared to natural marijuana.
So, while marijuana poses certain hazards, the possibility of dying from an overdose probably isn't one of them. However, synthetic cannabinoids increase the risk of fatally overdosing. Overall, the long-term effects of acute toxicity aren’t well-known. Additionally, for those interested in exploring their relationship with marijuana use, meeting with a health promotion specialist or mental health professional may provide some additional support.
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Informative links: other Q&As
Summary of informative links
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- Marijuana: Does it cause cancer?: It is not entirely clear if marijuana itself can cause cancer, but it has been shown to help with side effects from chemotherapy.
- What are blunts?: This Q&A explains modes of administration for marijuana.
Source 1: Marijuana and Public Health
SUMMARY: This is a web page from the CDC, which links to answers regarding other aspects fo marijauna use. The two sections linked are the most relevant to the reader’s question, which are “Is it possible to “overdose” or have a “bad reaction” to marijuana?” and “How harmful is K2/Spice (synthetic marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids)?” Both have brief information on the two questions, but offer a good starting point for research.
Source 2: Marijuana Toxicity
SUMMARY: This journal article talks about the toxicity associated with marijuana. The most relevant sections are “Etiology” and “History and Physical.” The etiology section discusses how dosage can affect marijuana intoxication. The history and physical section describes the symptoms oftentimes associated with marijuana usage.
Source 3: What Is an Overdose?
SUMMARY: This source from the American Addiction Centers talks about overdoses in general. The webpage primarily focuses on how overdosing on other drugs, rather than marijuana, may look like. However, it is still helpful in understanding what an overdose can consist of.
OVERALL CONCLUSIONS:
As mentioned in the original response, an overdose is when there are extremely high levels of drug toxicity in the body (Source 3). It is possible to overdose on most Schedule 1 drugs; for example, stimulants like Adderall, opioids like heroin, and depressants like Valium. For most drugs, it is difficult to determine if one is overdosing or merely experiencing side effects from mere use.
Unlike the use of other drugs, there has been no reported instances of someone overdosing on marijuana. Therefore, marijuana cannot be the sole cause of an overdose, let alone a death (Source 1). However, This does not apply to synthetic marijuana, which is not mentioned in the original response. Synthetic marijuana includes K2 and Spice (Source 1). They bind to cannabinoid receptors in the brain like THC in natural marijuana, but it is usually laced with other unknown chemicals that can then cause unpredictable effects to the user.
Additionally, it would be beneficial to discuss how marijuana toxicity works since the original response does not focus on how marijuana can tangentially cause overdose-like symptoms, so it should be discussed in the revised response.
The main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC (Source 2). Depending on how the marijuana is prepared and its mode of administration, THC concentrations may differ. When smoked, there is a rapid onset of symptoms, so there is an increased potency (Source 2).
The adverse symptoms experienced after exposure to a drug is referred to as “acute intoxication,” according to the NIH (Source 2). While other Q&As go into depth about the symptoms, it would still be helpful to mention again in relation to possible “intoxication.” In fact, marijuana can be associated with various effects that are very similar to an overdose, though it would not directly kill someone. These effects include psychosis, fast heart rate (tachycardia), agitation, vomiting, unsteady gait, and drowsiness (Source 3).
While these issues alone may not be the cause of someone dying, it could possibly lead to life-threatening issues. For example, if a person is vomiting and not fully conscious, they could choke on the vomit. Also, if a person continues to use copious amounts of marijuana, they could develop a pathological heart rhythm, which could lead to bigger cardiovascular problems.
Ultimately, since marijuana is still considered a Schedule 1 substance, it has a high potential of being abused. While it is not directly possible to overdose on marijuana alone, its excessive consumption could have negative, life-threatening effects on a user.
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