Overdosing on marijuana is somewhat difficult. The lethal dose (LD) of THC for a 175-pound man is about 53 grams. But that’s of pure THC, which is practically impossible to find.
One pot gummy contains about 10 milligrams of THC. You’d need to eat 53,000 gummies to hit 53 grams. Would the sugar kill you first? We don’t even want to know.
What you do need to be careful of is the effect that marijuana has on your cardiovascular system — and lungs if you’re smoking.
Is It Possible to Overdose on Marijuana?
The short answer? Yes, it’s possible to overdose on marijuana. The good news is that unlike with alcohol or other drugs, ingesting too much cannabis probable won’t kill you.
Some people have died while consuming marijuana. The confusing part? These people also had other drugs and alcohol in their systems. Or, they had preexisting medical conditions and health problems.
Without more research, it’s hard for doctors to determine if marijuana caused the issues or not.
What we do know is that too much of anything is never good.
Overdosing on Marijuana Vs. Bad Reactions
When we talk about marijuana overdoses, we’re generally referring to bad reactions caused by ingesting too much THC (the stuff in marijuana that makes you high).
There are plenty of ways to have a bad reaction to cannabis — only one ‘overdosing’ or indulging in too much of it.
Symptoms of Too Much Marijuana
Symptoms of too much marijuana will vary from person to person. Depending on your tolerance levels and experience with the drug, users will experience very different results. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Dry mouth (cottonmouth)
- Paranoia and anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Depression
Edibles Vs. Other Consumption
Some users claim that the way they consume cannabis can cause a bad reaction.
One of the most common causes of ‘bad reactions’ is ingesting cannabis via food. There are several reasons why eating pot can cause negative side effects.
The main reason is that it’s difficult to determine how much cannabis you’re consuming in edibles. Yes, prepackaged edibles always have the dosage on the package. Unfortunately, some edibles hit you differently from others.
Other methods of consumption to consider are tinctures, topicals and teas.
Tinctures
Tinctures are small drops of cannabis-laced liquid you place under your tongue. They hit your bloodstream immediately, and you can feel the effects fast.
Topicals
Topicals can be difficult to dose — and easy to use too much of. They are absorbed through the skin, so some users find it easy to apply too much.
Teas
Teas are a little like edibles — though they usually hit your system much faster. Try going slow when it comes to teas because you’ll often feel the THC hit your system all at once.
Too Much Marijuana Over Time
Consistently using too much marijuana over time can also have adverse effects. If you find yourself consuming cannabis morning, noon and night, you might want to consider cutting back.
Using too much cannabis can result in a dependency. You might find yourself needing to smoke more cannabis to get the same desired effects.
Smoking too much marijuana can also cause certain health problems. We recommend limiting yourself and cutting back when you find yourself ‘needing’ to consume cannabis to enjoy basic activities.