Published on: 05/05/2021
Can you overdose on cannabis? Here is the answer
If you are a marijuana enthusiast (and perhaps cannabis seeds collector who is purchasing online), you most likely have a question in your head regarding marijuana and overdose: “Is it possible to overdose after smoking too many spliffs?”.
Indeed, many of those urban legends revolve around this light drug that it is challenging to discern fantasy from reality. Until a few decades ago, it was thought that cannabis led to “madness”, to develop a violent disposition and that it is devoted to excesses … And many people still think so!
So, we are not surprised that the myth of marijuana overdose still circulates. Yes, because it is a myth!
The urban legend about cannabis overdose
Marijuana and overdose are two unrelated topics. You can exaggerate and have serious side effects, but there is no recorded case of death from a THC overdose anywhere around the world.
Dispelling this myth is significant because, although it is sometimes compared to other drugs such as LSD and cocaine, in reality, cannabis is not nearly as dangerous as other drugs.
Do you think that, in 1988, Francis Young — judge of the Drug Enforcement Administration — had declared himself favouring reclassifying (even if partially) cannabis, precisely because of the low risk given by the consumption of this substance?
At the time, it was known that, to overdose on marijuana, a person would have to orally ingest percentages of pure THC between 20,000 and 40,000 times higher than those contained in a single joint.
Do you know how much weed it would take to get to that level? About 700 kg, to be consumed in less than 15 minutes (before the brain can dispose of the THC)!
Now, but let’s talk about after 1988 …
No problem; let’s take a much more recent study, conducted in 2015 and supervised in 2017 and 2019 (here the official document). This research says that for high-THC marijuana to prove lethal, an adult would have to ingest over 30 mg/kg (corresponding to 2,100 mg for a 70 kg man).
Considering that 1 gram of cannabis contains about 100 mg of THC, it is impossible to ingest such quantities to reach 2100 mg. We also know that the THC contained in cannabis cannot be pure, both because its action is mitigated by other cannabinoids — including the famous CBD — and because … who would ingest such a quantity of marijuana buds avoiding combining them with other ingredients?
It would be like eating a whole batch of herbal tea (because it is always dry leaves) in a few minutes without even drinking a drop of water.
At this point, we can say that the answer to the question “Can you overdose on cannabinoids?” is: NO! It would be impossible for a person, of his own free will, to ingest who knows how many kg of cannabis in a brief period of time.
And this is why, so far, no deaths have been reported due to the use of marijuana alone.
Be warned, though: that doesn’t mean you can’t overdose it or experience the side effects of THC!
Read also: Vermicompost (earthworm humus): this is why those who cultivate can no longer do without it!
What are the side effects of THC, and how to avoid them?
Avoiding the negative effects of THC is not easy because every person reacts differently to the intake of this psychoactive substance. Some people, especially the lucky ones who have a fast metabolism, seem to tolerate the effects of THC well, probably because their body disposes of this cannabinoid rapidly.
Other people, on the other hand, are more prone to suffer the side effects of THC, namely:
- anxiety
- psychotic behaviours
- panic attacks
- confusion
- headache
- dizziness
- increased heart rate
- paranoia
- fatigue
- (in sporadic cases) hallucinations
Those who suffer from these reactions after taking THC should limit its consumption, stop it entirely or avoid consuming it in particular situations that could trigger these effects. Among these, we can mention the moments of strong concern and those in which the brain is subjected to strong stimuli, for example, hot places, closed and full of people, very loud music, flashing or stroboscopic lights, etc.
Furthermore, to avoid the more serious side effects of cannabis, you should avoid taking it together with alcohol and other drugs.
How long do the side effects of cannabis last?
Now you know that although it is practically impossible to overdose on marijuana, taking THC can cause serious side effects.
These effects can last from 20-30 minutes (this is the most common situation) to a full day, depending on the body’s reaction. In general, to help the negative symptoms disappear, you should drink plenty of water, eat, walk, and, if possible, stay in a calm, safe and comfortable place.
By doing so, the symptoms should disappear as soon as possible and leave the room, at most, for the post-cannabis hangover.
Read also: Auto-flowering plants and pre-flowering: when to start and how to behave?
In conclusion
Now you know all about marijuana overdose, the adverse effects that can be triggered by taking this substance and fighting them in the most effective way possible.
Being a narcotic substance (albeit in a much lower way than the others), cannabis with a high THC content remains a prohibited product in the UK. So much so that even cultivating it is a criminal offence or an administrative offence depending on the case.
For the moment, it is possible to buy marijuana seeds online, but for collecting only: it is not allowed to germinate them because they could give life to plants containing THC.
Would you like to add the best auto flower seeds, feminized seeds and fast flowering seeds to your collection?
Visit Sensoryseeds, our online cannabis seed shop now! We are waiting for you!
