If you smoke marijuana
one of the side effects you might have noticed is that it makes you feel
thirsty or gives you a dry mouth. Increased thirst might seem like an odd side
effect and you may be curious to discover the reasons you’re always thirsty
when you consume cannabis.
Why Cannabis Makes You Thirsty
You may assume that the
extreme thirst you feel after smoking is due to inhaling the hot smoke but the
cause of thirst comes from the fact that there are cannabinoid receptors on the
part of your brain that regulates saliva production.
You should always make
sure you drink enough water and drinking a glass of water will help to relieve the
symptoms but it is actually a lack of saliva that is the cause of dry mouth
rather than dehydration causing excessive thirst. Chewing gum or sucking a
lozenge or hard candy are also good ways to stimulate saliva production.
Tobacco is also known to
make the problem worse so if you are prone to dry mouth avoid smoking tobacco.
Other Possible Causes of Excessive Thirst
If you feel thirsty all
the time, even when you drink water and not just after consuming marijuana,
then it could be that there are other health conditions that need attention
such as diabetes.
Diabetes is a medical
condition that makes it difficult for your body to control your blood sugar
level or blood glucose. Thirst or having a dry mouth is a common symptom of
diabetes mellitus as you kidneys are having to work overtime to get rid of the
excess blood sugar.
Other diabetes symptoms
include frequent urination, sudden unexplained weight loss, blurred vision and
excessive tiredness. If you suspect you may have diabetes you should visit your
doctor for advice, diagnosis or treatment as this is a lifelong condition that
needs careful management.
Another condition that
can cause dry mouth is diabetes insipidus which is not actually related to
diabetes but causes similar symptoms such as excess urination and thirst and is
related to the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin. Mental health conditions can
also cause you to feel thirsty as can kidney diseases. These are relatively
rare conditions but if you are worried you should consult a doctor for medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment.
There may also be
another simple reason you may feel more thirsty than usual such as eating salty
or spicy foods, drinking alcohol, fluid loss due to heat or exercise or not
drinking enough water throughout the day.
Other Marijuana Side Effects
Generally people consume
marijuana either for its medicinal benefits or for the feelings of euphoria
produced when THC attaches to the brain's cannabinoid receptors.
If you smoke marijuana
for medicinal purposes you can apply for a medical marijuana card today that
will allow you to buy at medical dispensaries.
Unfortunately not all
the side effects are positive for all people and everyone reacts in a slightly
different way. Some side effects can be beneficial, some can be an irritation
and some can be enough to put people off smoking.
Other side effects
include:
- Memory problems
- Disturbed balance and coordination
- Increased appetite - The munchies
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety and depression
- Bloodshot eyes
Memory Problems
Because THC affects the
hippocampus amygdala, and cerebral cortex it can cause short term problems with
thinking and memory function.
Memory is a complex
function and there have been limited studies to really understand how cannabis
use affects memory in the short and long term, however it does appear that
acute cannabis use can affect memory and make you more susceptible to forming
false memories.
Disturbed Balance and Coordination
THC affects the areas of
your brain that are responsible for balance and coordination as well as
reaction time. This can impact users ability to drive and operate machinery as
well as simpler tasks such as walking and talking.
Increased Appetite - The Munchies
Increased appetite can be
a positive effect for some and cannabis is often used to help those who are
experiencing a loss of appetite due to a variety of illnesses. Of course, for
others, this can be seen as a more negative side effect.
Cannabis increases
appetite as well as increasing the enjoyment of food and heightening the
sensory experience of eating. It is thought that smoking cannabis triggers the
release of the same hormone your body produces when your stomach is empty so
marijuana can make you hungry even if you’ve already eaten.
Hallucinations
One possible side effect
of marijuana is either audio or visual hallucinations. Hallucinations are not a
very common side effect however and tend to only happen when THC does are high.
Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety or paranoia is one
of the more common side effects of cannabis. However many people also use
cannabis to help them deal with anxiety due to its relaxing effects and the
fact that for many people it promotes sleep.
Cannabis has also been
linked to depression although there is little conclusive evidence to support
that smoking causes depression.
If you are using
cannabis and your mental health appears to be suffering for unexpected reasons
you some research suggests you may be better off with medicinal strains that
have a lower THC content. You can apply for a doctors recommendation online
today.
Bloodshot Eyes
Bloodshot eyes or red
eye are another common side effect of smoking or consuming marijuana caused by
changing blood pressure making the blood vessels in your eyes dilate. Again
this is not always seen as a negative side effect and is one of the reasons
cannabis may be useful in treating glaucoma.
Bloodshot eyes are not
generally anything to be worried about and although they are a tell tale sign
you have been smoking it doesn’t appear to do any long term damage.
