Cannabis and Prescription Medications: How to Be Safe and Responsible When Using Weed
Please note that this blog is not to be considered medical advice. Always consult your physician for more information and/or questions related to your specific medical history.
How Cannabis Interacts With Prescribed Medications
THC and CBD are both metabolized through the liver by the same enzymes that metabolize around 60% of the prescription medications many individuals take. That's why when taking a dose of THC or CBD with prescription meds, there could be an interaction (with CBD generally more likely to interact than THC).
Generally speaking, there are a few different reactions that could occur with cannabis and prescription medications.
A change in the dosage of the prescription medication — especially going from a very low dose to a high one — can be dangerous. Plus, taking additional medications that cause sedation can negatively interact with cannabis and amplify the sedative effect.
Sometimes reactions between cannabis and prescription drugs can be delayed depending on how the medication is metabolized. For example, the medication Gabapentin Enacarbil, a form of Gabapentin, is metabolized differently than a regular or extended-release form of Gabapentin. CBD and THC have also been shown to affect common medications like Warfarin, Theophylline, and Clobazam.
It's worth noting that opioids and cannabinoids haven’t generally been shown to have a negative interaction. Research shows that people who consume opioids and cannabis together may actually decrease their opioid doses.
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TALK YOUR DOCTOR REGARDING YOUR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS AND HOW THEY MAY INTERACT WITH CANNABIS.
The Grapefruit Effect in Cannabis Medicine
Grapefruit is similar to THC and CBD because it is metabolized by the same liver enzymes as many prescription medications. Many physicians will warn a patient not to take a particular medication with grapefruit because it can affect how the medication is metabolized in their body and cause an interaction.
The following list provides some common drug categories and specific medications that have a “grapefruit” warning. While not yet fully proven, they could cause some issues if consumed with THC and/or CBD.
Antibiotics and Antimicrobials and Weed
Amoxicillin, Penicillin Gentamicin, Tetracycline, Tobramycin, Cefalexin, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin, Azithromycin, Sulfamethoxazole, Augmentin, Flagyl, Amoxil, Cipro, Keflex, Bactrim, Levaquin, Zithromax, Avelox, Cleocin
Anticancer Medications and Weed
Abraxane, Adriamycin, Carboplatin, Cytoxin, Daunorubicin, Doxil, Ellence, Fluoricil, Gemza, Halavan, Ixempra, Methotrexate, Mitomycin, Mitoxantrone, Tamoxifen, Taxol, Taxotere, Thiotepa, Vincristine, Xeloda
Antihistamines and Weed
Zyrtec, Chlor-Trimeton, Benadryl, Allegra, Claritin, Alavert
Antiepileptic Drugs and Weed
Keppra, Carbamazepine, Gabapentin, Depakote, Lamotagrine, Dilantin, Topiramate Clobazam, Tegretol, Lyrica, Lamictal, Phenytoin
Blood Pressure/Blood Thinner Medications and Weed
Lisinopril, Norvasc, Losarten, Hydrchlorothiazide, Metoprolol, Carvedilol, Furosemide, Cozaar, Clonidine, Toprol-XL, Lasix, Valsartan, Prinivil, Zestril, Coreg, Ramapril, Vasotec, Labetalol, Diovan, Lopressor, Toprol XL, Lasix, Microzide, Clopidogrel/Plavix, Warfarin/Coumadin
Cholesterol Medications and Weed
Lipitor/Atorvastatin, Lovastatin/Mevacor, Pravastatin/Pravachol, Rosuvastatin/Crestor, Simvastatin/Zocor, Ezitimibe/Zetia, Fenofibrate/Tricor, Gemfibrozil/Lopid
Corticosteroids and Weed
Cortisone, Prednisone, Methylprednisolone, Dexamethasone, Betamethasone, Hydrocortisone
Erectile Dysfunction Medications and Weed
Avanafil/Stendra, Sildenafil/Viagra, Tadalafil/Cialis, Vardenafil/Levitra
GI Medications for GERD or Nausea and Weed
Nexium/esomeprazole, Protonix/Pantoprazole, Prevacid, Aciphex, Prilosec/Omeprazole, Zofran/Ondansetron, Promethazine, Reglan, Meclizine, Transdermal Scopolamine Patch
Heart Rhythm Medications and Weed
Amiodarone/Cardarone, Flecainide/Tambocor, Procainamide/Procan, Quinidine, Tocainide, Inderal/Propranolol
Immunosuppressants and Weed
Prednisone, Cyclosporin, Neoral, Prograf, Inuran, Azathioprine, Tacrolimus
Medications to Treat Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mood Disorders and Weed
Citalopram/Celexa, Escitalopram/Lexapro, Fluoxetine/Prozac, Paroxetine/Paxil, Sertraline/Zoloft, Olanzapine/Zyprexa, Quetiapine/Seroquel, Risperidone/Risperdal, Geodon, Clozapine, Lithium, Valproic Acid, Ativan/Lorazepam, Trazadone, Ambien/Zolpidem, Clonazepam/Klonopin, Valium/Diazepam
Pain Medications and Weed (may increase side effects of these meds, but may also work together)
Codeine, Fentanyl, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone/Dilaudid, Meperidine, Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Tramadol, Norco, Vicodin, Lortab, Demerol, Percocet, Roxicet
Prostate Medications and Weed
Terazosin/Hytrin, Tamsulosin/Flomax, Silodosin/Rapaflo, Prazosin/Minipress, Doxazosin/Cardura, Alfuzosin/Uroxatol
Finally, below are several other medications that should be closely monitored when co-administered with cannabinoids because they are metabolized by similar liver enzymes and may affect how the prescription medication will work in the body.
Monitor the effects of these prescription medications with cannabis:
Acenocoumarol, Alfentanil, Aminophylline, Amiodarone, Amitriptyline, Amphotericin B, Argatroban, Busulfan, Carbamazepine, Clindamycin, Clomipramine, Clonidine, Clorindione, Cyclobenzaprine, Cyclosporin, Dabigatran Etexilate, Desipramine, Dicoumarol, Digitoxin, Dihydroergotamine, Diphenadione, Dofetilide, Dosulepin, Doxepin, Ergotamine, Esketamine, Ethinyl Estradiol, Ethosuximide, Ethyl Biscoumacetate, Everolimus, Fentanyl, Fosphenytoin, Imapramine, Levothyroxine, Lofepramine, Melitracen, Meperidine, Mephenytoin, Mycrophenolic Acid, Nortriptiline, Paclitaxel, Phenobarbitol, Phenytoin, Pimozide, Propofol, Quinidine, Sirolimus, Tacrolimus, Temsirolimus, Theophylline, Thiopental, Tianeptine, Trimipramine, Valproic Acid, Warfarin, Phenprocoumon
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Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is meant for educational purposes of those 21 and over only. Medical decisions should not be made based on advertising. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product so please consult a physician prior to use.
