In November 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis. Many politicians and some physicians promised breakthroughs in better health. Thirty years later, how are we really doing?
High-concentration synthetic THC products are producing wild reactions in some people. Kevin Gray, MD, a practicing physician and director of addiction sciences at Medical University of South Carolina, helps break them down.
Weed-Induced Psychosis
“You experience hallucinations, paranoia, delusions,” says Dr. Gray. “It’s become undeniable looking at the association between teen cannabis use and psychosis that if somebody has some kind of already innate risk for developing a psychotic disorder, there’s something about use of cannabis during this stage of development that [may trigger the onset of] a lifelong disorder.” (The risk of someone developing the condition is less than 1 percent.)
Intense Paranoia
“Paranoia is a symptom of psychosis. Instead of feeling the usual sort of high and calming feeling with cannabis, people feel more detached and more suspicious. Sometimes there will be a very high concentration or some unusual strain that may be more likely to lead to paranoia. The effect can be intense, but it’s transient and wears off with time.”
Scromiting
That’s screaming and vomiting at the same time. “Cyclic vomiting, cannabis-related emesis — I don’t see it that often among my clients, but it happens,” says Dr. Gray. “THC can reduce nausea, but there’s something about the interaction between THC and the systems that control our nausea that goes haywire in some people. We don’t know even how to treat it symptomatically, other than taking showers.” If you suspect a serious reaction, such as severe vomiting that won’t stop, calling 911 is always a reasonable option.
