Prescription Meds You Shouldn't Mix with Weed

One of the best things about the legalization push is that people are beginning to really, truly embrace the benefits that marijuana can offer them. We've grown to agree that it's safer than cigarettes, a healthy way to cope with pain, and also can have a huge slew of benefits for people who have health problems. Weed, for the most part, is a good plant with great medical benefits.

However, with all the positive press that marijuana is rightfully getting, we're forgetting something: it's still a drug - and we mean that in the medical sense.

Drugs, even if they are totally natural, still can interact with other medications. Even drinking too much soda can throw off certain medications's efficacy, so you can bet that there are some medicines that just don't work well with pot.

According to studies, the following medicines are not good to mix with marijuana. (Sorry!)

Propoxyphene-Based Pills

This opioid painkiller, which is found in pills like Propacet, Trycet, and PP-Cap, was actually found to be seriously addictive, detrimental to heart function, and potentially lethal by the FDA panels. As a result, it had to be taken off American markets.

If you have any leftover painkillers that include propoxyphene, do not use them with marijuana. It can cause oversedation, heart attacks, or blood pressure dips.

Buprenorphine-Containing Drugs

This opioid is actually used to treat opioid addiction, and as such, it's pretty strong for most people to use. Incidentally, it's also very addictive and can cause overdose deaths - much like its cousin, heroin.

Oddly enough, using marijuana while you're on buprenorphine can worsen the likelihood of an overdose. If you take this medication while smoking and notice that you're having a hard time breathing, slowed speech, an inability to stay awake, and difficulty with motor control, you may be overdosing. Should this happen, call an ambulance.

Levomethadyl Acetate-Containing Drugs

Yet another opioid on our list is levomethadyl acetate, and it's basically a cousin of the more-popular methadone. In the US, this is currently being sold under the label of Orlaam.

Much like others on this list, mixing this painkiller with cannabis often will create a sedation feeling that is uncomfortable or potentially lethal. The moral of the story? Opioids and cannabis don't mix.

Beta Blockers

Cannabis has always had a history of decreasing blood pressure and increasing heart rate, so to a point, it's not surprising that heart medications ended up being a problem with reefer. The problem with beta blockers is that they increase blood pressure and decrease heart rate.

The end result is that cannabis could negate or cause conflicts with your beta blockers. So, don't smoke while on this kind of medication.

Beta blockers include Tenormin, Sectral, and Lopressor.

Benzodiazepines

Benzos and reefer, as many of us already know, aren't exactly the best for one another. This massive category of sedatives include major labels like Klonopin, Xanax, and Ativan.

Technically, mixing these with cannabis aren't dangerous for the most part. However, it tends to over-sedate people and cause constipation. Additionally, most people can't stand the uncomfortable laziness of this combination. It's a hard skip.

SSRIs

For the most part, SSRIs actually could have their effects bolstered by cannabis inhalation. Effects are, for the most part, minimal. However, there is some bad news to this...

If you're bipolar or have serious serotonin issues, smoking pot can actually exacerbate this. If you notice that you're getting mood swings, agitation, or suddenly getting paranoid, you need to stop. This is a sign that you may be exhibiting sudden serotonin syndrome - and that can actually seriously worsen your problems.

SNRIs

Much like with its fellow antidepressant genre, SSRIs, SNRI users would be wise to be careful with their cannabis intake. SNRI use and cannabis use at the same time can cause serotonin spikes, which in turn can cause mood swings.

Antipsychotics

If you have ever hallucinated while smoking pot, you shouldn't ever smoke pot while on antipsychotics. In fact, if you're taking antipsychotics, you shouldn't smoke pot, period.

Studies have repeatedly shown that cannabis exacerbates psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations. Moreover, antipsychotics are also sedatives. As a result, you may end up oversedated and hallucinating. That's not a good move.

Sodium Oxybate

This obscure medication ingredient is used to treat narcolepsy. When you mix this nervous system-depressing medication with cannabis, there's a very distinct chance that you could over-suppress your CNS. This can lead to disorientation, coma, and death.

If you notice that you're getting disoriented and losing your motor skills, call a doctor and stop smoking immediately.