EVALI, CHS and Other Weird Weed Side Effects You Should Know About

The only cannabis news that seems to hit the mainstream tends to border on sensationalism – Maureen Dowd “overdosed” edibles ; police departments warn of the “threat” of cannabis-infused Halloween treats . Enthusiasts are quick to dismiss this news as mere sensation; Perhaps these are the remnants of a century-old campaign to vilify the drug. But even the biggest proponents of marijuana admit that in some cases, using cannabis is not the right choice for both health and safety reasons.

Yes, weed is pretty much safe to use in many medical and recreational situations. However, there is something really worth knowing about something that goes beyond capturing the clickbait headline from skeptics.

Remember the whole vaping disease thing?

Before COVID overshadowed all other health concerns, the media reported on what was called the vaping crisis – a series of cases of lung damage in patients who reported using THC cartridges, often from unregulated sources. These foods caused lipid pneumonia and lung damage as the oil particles they contained entered the lung tissue of people and, in many cases, led to their death. The condition was named EVALI, a lung injury associated with e-cigarette or vaping.

According to the CDC , EVALI has had 68 deaths and nearly 3,000 hospitalizations, which they attribute primarily to homemade vapes containing a vitamin E acetate supplement. “Vitamin E acetate is closely linked to the EVALI outbreak,” the CDC said in a report . “[It] was found in product samples tested by the FDA and government laboratories, as well as in lung fluid samples from patients screened by the CDC from geographically different states.”

EVALI cases continue even though the sharp peak has already been passed. As Melissa Pandica wrote in Mic last spring : “The vaping crisis is still here … Vaping still causes lung damage, even if it does not result in hospitalization, and will likely result in more sinister, slower burning. diseases that take decades to identify ”.

Although this lung damage does not pose a particular danger from the components of the cannabis plant itself, there have still been too many reviews of even laboratory-tested products due to contamination to be considered truly “safe” to smoke cannabis. On the other hand, there is no doubt that increased regulation of cannabis products due to legalization will at least help make the products safer.

These stories of out-of-control barfing are not just a myth.

Proponents of legalizing cannabis sometimes collide when they talk about the potential harm of the drug – they seem to be tidbits that often consume the news and cause outrage. Those who have faced problems with their marijuana addiction are often attacked by members of the cannabis community, even if they generally remain supporters.

One of these people is Alice Moon , writer and influential person , who refrained from eating the plant for three years because of his experience with the syndrome hyperemesis cannabis , which, frankly, is uncontrollable vomiting caused by cannabis. It was while working in 2016 that Moon first began to experience seemingly unexplained bouts of severe nausea.

“After getting sick for two years and doing a lot of tests, I was diagnosed by a GI specialist in 2018,” she told Lifehacker in an email. “In my two years of illness, I have visited many doctors, and finally [saw] that one of them knew about CHS and assumed that I was treating him.”

Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome manifests itself in the same way as other cyclical vomiting problems – there is a period before the attack when nausea or abdominal pain may begin; a period of uncontrolled vomiting, called vomiting; and an intermission, a recovery period before the next episode. As you can imagine, this is unpleasant. During an attack, patients are not fully functional, and complications may arise as episodes intensify or occur more frequently.

“CHS is a rare but serious condition. There have been at least 5 known deaths attributed to CHS due to persistent vomiting resulting in dehydration and organ failure, ”Moon said.

People with CHS are reluctant to talk about this lest their experience be used against easier access – an unfair aspect of the ongoing taboos surrounding cannabis. But according to Moon, “This syndrome should be talked about as we continue to see more and more people experiencing CHS as more states legalize.”

People like Moon want consumers to know about CHS, but not worry about it. “CHS is a rare disease, so it is unlikely that most consumers will develop it. That being said, if you start to experience any symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and / or abdominal pain, I suggest taking a cannabis break for three months to eliminate [this as a possible cause] of the symptoms. Don’t be afraid to talk honestly with your doctor about your cannabis use, but make sure you protect yourself by suggesting tests on you to address other possible causes. “

CHS and EVALI are just two of the potential problems you can experience with cannabis use, and some of these cautionary stories are mostly related to how much cannabis you are using. It is unlikely that you will catch the disease from one puff, the first try, or otherwise. Secure access and moderation are your first defenses against such concerns.

Know Your Risk of Mental Disorders

One scenario in which you should avoid using cannabis, even in small doses, is if you are prone to mental health problems that can cause psychosis. Hallucinations, paranoia, and other interruptions in brain function are frightening and may indicate an underlying medical condition. And while the science is not yet complete , there are competing theories that link cannabis use disorder (that is, cannabis use to the point of addiction) with schizoaffective disorders and possibly schizophrenia itself , although others have ruled out this.

We spoke to a cannabis kit expert who is managing some of the fearful psychological symptoms after smoking marijuana; she asked to remain anonymous to avoid backlash from marijuana advocates.

“20-30 minutes after using cannabis, the side effects start to show,” she told us. “I have bad / negative thoughts, [then] I hear the crowd ‘whistle’ like I’m on stage and a lot of people listen to my thoughts. When I have positive and uplifting / reassuring thoughts, I can still hear the crowd around me cheering and saying “hurray.” My every thought comes with shouts or applause from a large crowd – there is no crowd physically, and every thought evokes a roller coaster of emotions in me. “

Because of this, the recruiter refrains from consuming. “I have discussed this with my therapists and they are not surprised that cannabis has such an effect on my brain,” she said. “As someone who has a family member with schizophrenia, it is very likely that cannabis is causing schizophrenia in me.”

Some studies claim the connection is strong, while others seem to disagree, but anyone facing such adverse effects simply shouldn’t use cannabis.

Side effect reports should not interfere with legalization support

Both women I spoke to remain at the forefront of the fight to normalize cannabis use and the cannabis industry as a viable career path – and their support is unconditional.

The recruiter believes in the medical potential of cannabis, even if it’s not for her. “I am an advocate because I believe that he can really be of medical benefit to patients,” she said. “While this is not my personal experience, it doesn’t mean I don’t believe it’s true.”

Meanwhile, the moon. wants research to come to a point where it can demystify the functions of the human endocannabinoid system and possibly allow her to enjoy the herb again.

“I understand that while cannabis doesn’t work for me, it works for millions of people for a variety of reasons,” Moon said. “My previous work as a postman allowed me to learn first-hand how cannabis positively affects the lives of people from all walks of life. I want everyone to have safe access to cannabis. And I hope that one day there is a cure for CHS and I can get back to using my drugs. “

An unclean product is the root cause of some problems

Spoiled, moldy, or otherwise contaminated products enter the market in both clandestine and authorized supply streams, but only one of them has a recall process that could prevent you from consuming them.

Since cannabis is an agricultural product, it will always be possible to grow it outside the authorized supply chain, and unscrupulous actors will always fake products in order to stretch them – especially where cannabis remains both profitable and illegal.

While no one wants to corporatize cannabis other than the corporations themselves, everyone needs clean, safe, and affordable access to products that literally won’t poison them. Federal legalization could hit the sweet spot by allowing people to grow their own cannabis, opening up the market to impatient small businesses, and requiring processes to keep shelves empty of drugs containing pesticides, fungi, bacteria and, yes, even bird droppings.

Just because something is generally safe does not mean it is safe for you. All bodies are different and cannabis remains a scientific enigma; we do not yet know every chemical component of a plant or how it functions in the body. Until we all outline and understand at the physiological level why each element does what it does, and with which bodies it does it – which will require much more research – there remains an element of mystery that must be overcome, as well as risks and risks. cautions to remember before eating.