While fainting from marijuana is not uncommon, it becomes worrisome when it becomes a pattern.
Marijuana offers many benefits to users, such as pain relief and relief from anxiety. Science is very clear there are many healthcare benefits. Like other medicines today, there are cases where individuals have experienced a negative side effect. So why does marijuana make some people faint?
The faint, dizzy spell comes over you unexpectedly as one minute you are at this fun party with friends feeling the music, and the next minute you can’t feel your legs anymore. In some other cases, maybe you felt like you were going to vomit with your senses going haywire, and you struggle to catch your breath, wondering what was added to the marijuana as these thoughts run through your mind.
Everything goes black!
You open your eyes, and you are told you fainted after taking a drag from your joint: but you are perplexed because you have done this different times with your friends. Not everyone experiences this with marijuana, as while some people can use it without experiencing dizzy spells, some others have frequent fainting episodes. Some of the reasons for fainting includes:
As a side effect
Fainting is a side effect of marijuana that affects some people. Medical experts maintain that blackouts occur when tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid that releases the herb’s stoned impact, expands the blood vessels, thus decreasing the blood pressure. The heart rate increases, and the person loses consciousness.
The mode of consumption
Another cause for fainting spells after taking marijuana is the mode of consumption. While someone may not faint by taking marijuana as a joint or through a vaporizer, the same person may experience side effects when marijuana is taken from a bong. Marijuana users must pay attention to how they feel when taking it through varying means to observe which one affects them and which method doesn’t affect them.
Smoking weed while standing
More so, fainting also happens sometimes when a person smokes weed while standing, so if you always experience fainting spells, you probably should sit down or stay closer to the ground. But please note that fainting from marijuana intake is not ‘Dangerous”; the person will recover and be fine; the only concern would be to avoid hitting the head on the floor.
Using impure marijuana
After taking marijuana, fainting is sometimes attributed to seizures caused body’s reaction to certain chemicals infused into the marijuana. An individual may not be aware of the ingredients used in the joint, and if toxic chemicals are added, this can create a disturbing reaction within the body, leading to fainting spells.
Vasodilation
Marijuana sometimes causes vasodilation, which is when the blood vessels dilate and make the brain miss out on oxygen, thus leading to a blackout. Vasodilation is a natural occurrence and even has beneficial effects sometimes, but when it happens under the influence of marijuana, it can cause the person to blackout.
So how can a marijuana user tell that they’re about to faint and hit the floor? Here are a few signs:
If you feel dizzy after a hit, you are about to faint, so it is advised you find somewhere to avoid falling down.
If you experience shortness of breath just after inhaling marijuana, then it is a sign.
RELATED: How To Avoid Going To The Emergency Room For Marijuana Overdose
A pounding heart rate is a sign that you should slow down from the marijuana intake. If you don’t slow down, it can degenerate into chest pains.
Nauseous feelings and a headache are not a good sign as well.
If you feel like your vision is getting blurred, it’s time to sit and chill.
These signs are not meat to spook you into thinking that every slight feeling is an indication of an impending fainting episode. Sometimes it could be that you feel a little headache because your body is adjusting to the THC. Interestingly, some people only faint once from smoking weed, and then it ever happens again: in this situation, maybe certain environmental or internal factors contributed to that feeling.
How to prevent fainting from marijuana
Pick a lower strain
Patients can prevent fainting from marijuana by choosing a strain with very low THC and high CBD content, which reduces its effects on the blood vessels. This move will avert the possibility of fainting and unsure of the strain to ask your doctor.
Start marijuana usage slowly.
You can prevent fainting by starting your marijuana usage slowly and avoid peers’ pressures urging you to take much more. If you take more marijuana than your body can handle at a time, fainting is possible. You should only take what your body is used to and start with smaller doses, if you are sure. Always check the amount of marijuana you take and observe how you react to it to know if you should take more, less, or nothing at all.
Stay hydrated
Mild dehydration is a problem that births a myriad of symptoms, including low blood pressure, which means you can combat the possibility of fainting when you take marijuana by staying hydrated.
RELATED: Here’s Why Smoking Weed Makes Your Eyes Red
People who generally have issues with marijuana (first-time users) may be prone to such reactions for the first time, and then it gets better as the person gets used to it. However, suppose you faint every time you use marijuana. In that case, you may have to visit the doctor because you are passing out because of blood pressure changes, which could be an underlying sign of a cardiovascular issue. You can generally prevent the fainting spells from happening by just always sitting down when you smoke marijuana.
Whatever the reason for your fainting episodes, it all boils down to how your body reacts to the herb, and it is wise to listen to your body. If you faint once at your first marijuana use, it may be a subtle sign, but you may have to get yourself evaluated by a doctor if it happens repeatedly. While fainting from marijuana is not uncommon, it becomes worrisome when it becomes a pattern. If that happens, see a doctor.
