Cannabis for medicinal or recreational use like any drug has its benefits and also drawbacks. It would be silly to think otherwise, no matter how passionate you are about smoking weed. The common wisdom in the use of cannabis would be to use it in moderation. This is especially true when you are suffering from an underlying medical condition.


While medical science has not officially rubber-stamped the efficacy of medicinal cannabis in the treatment of ailments, it has been acknowledged by some leading medical practitioners that cannabis could help in providing relief from certain medical conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety and depression.



This may be good news if you use cannabis, but this news also comes with a disclaimer! It must be said that most doctors will not recommend the use of cannabis for the treatment of any ailment for fear of jeopardising their medical career. So if you love smoking weed, you might want to check if you fall under the category of people that should really avoid using cannabis. These category of people should really consult their doctors if they intend smoking weed either for recreational or medicinal use to avoid severe health complications.



While there is a marijuana paranoia and everyone seems to think that nothing bad can come out of smoking weed, you should check out the the four reasons why certain individuals should really avoid puffing weed!



1. Anyone with a history of mental illness like schizophrenia



If you suffer from one mental illness or another or you have a family history of mental illness, you might want to give your doctor a call before smoking weed. A study has shown that there is a connection between cannabis smoking and mental illness. Cannabis has been seen to instigate psychosis and schizophrenia in perfectly normal people, let alone in people with a history of mental illness.



A genetic psychiatrist at King's College, UK - Robert Power stated that there is a definite connection between smoking weed and schizophrenia. So while the marijuana paranoia may never cease, people should be conscious of their state of mental health before smoking cannabis and not after.



2. People with a respiratory condition should avoid smoking weed



The American Lung Association stated that smoking of any form is hazardous to your health. So it goes without saying that smoking weed can be added to the list, just like tobacco cigarettes.



Studies have shown that cannabis can cause chronic bronchitis. Smoking cannabis can bruise the cell lining of a smoker's large airways causing phlegm, chronic coughing, acute bronchitis and wheezing. If you are a sufferer of respiratory conditions like asthma, then smoking weed could be really hazardous to your health and should be avoided at all cost.



3. Smoking cannabis is dangerous if you have a heart condition



In a recent publication in the Journal of the American Heart Association it was stated that in the last 5 years there were increased reports of heart related ailments caused by cannabis smoking.



The cardiovascular conditions more prevalent in people that smoke weed included acute coronary syndromes as well as peripheral arteriopathies. Anyone that has a diagnosed heart condition should not get caught up in the marijuana paranoia and should stay clear of cannabis or they could aggravate their heart condition.



4. Users of antidepressant or anxiety medication should not smoke cannabis



The human body has an endocannabinoid system or ECS which is responsible for moderating the body's response to emotions, anxiety, stress and excitement. According to a leading medical practitioner - Dr. Baler, ECS will optimise the brain so that it is between inhibition and excitation.



However, the doctor also stated that when THC which is a major compound in cannabis gets into the ECS it will disrupt the harmony of the system. This leads to the body being unable to regulate the way the brain and body reacts to anxiety, depression and stress.



Dr. Baler also said that fear stimuli will also be affected by THC and the body's normal response to fear will be disrupted and unmanageable. Anti-anxiety and depression medication taken while smoking weed can be a dangerous mix and should be avoided unless your doctor advises to the contrary.



In Closing



It is important that everyone takes their health seriously. You can start by going for regular checkups with you doctor and paying particular attention to any medical condition that you may be suffering from. Above all do not smoke weed if you know you have a pre-existing medical condition, unless your medical doctor has given the all clear. You can also stay off cannabis if you have any of the medical conditions highlighted in this article.