Marijuana

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 11, 2025.

What are other common names?

• Cannabis sativa
• Anashca
• Banji
• Bhang
• Blunt
• Bud
• Cannabis
• Cannabis sativa L.
• Cannador
• Cesamet
• Charas
• Dagga
• Dimba
• Dope
• Esrar
• Gaga
• Ganga
• Grass
• Hash
• Hashish
• Hemp
• Herbe
• Huo Ma Ren
• Idrasil
• Joint
• Kif
• Machona
• Marihuana
• Marinol
• Mary Jane
• Medical Marijuana
• Pot
• Sativex
• Sawi
• Sesha
• Shesha
• Sinsemilla
• Suma
• Vingory
• Weed

What is this product used for?

Marijuana is used to help with upset stomach and throwing up that is caused by chemo. It is used to stimulate appetite in people with HIV/AIDS who have weight loss. It may also help with some symptoms caused by multiple sclerosis like pain and muscle spasms.

What are the precautions when taking this product?

• Always check with your doctor before you use a natural product. Some products may not mix well with drugs or other natural products.

• Be sure to tell your doctor that you take this product if you are scheduled for surgery or tests.

• Do not use this product if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant soon. Use birth control you can trust while taking this product.

• Do not use this product if you are breastfeeding.

• You may have signs of physical dependence or withdrawal if you take this product for a period of time and then stop.

• This product may cause you to be sleepy. Take extra care if you take other drugs that can cause you to be sleepy, or are driving and doing tasks that you need to be alert for.

• Avoid beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol) while taking this product.

• Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while using this product. Side effects of this product may be increased.

• Take extra care if you are taking certain drugs for colds or a stuffy nose. These are drugs like pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine.

• Take extra care if you are taking warfarin.

• Take extra care and check with your doctor if you have:

  • Low mood or mood problems

  • Heart problems

  • Breathing problems

  • Seizures

  • Diabetes or blood sugar problems

  Keep hard candies, glucose tablets, liquid glucose, or juice on hand for low blood sugar, especially if you have blood sugar problems.

What should I watch for?

• Upset stomach

• Increased hunger or appetite

• Hallucinations

• Extreme happiness

• Feeling tired or sleepy

• Light-headedness

• Numbness

• Dry eyes and mouth

• Feeling dizzy

• Enlarged gums

• Changes in your blood sugar, especially if you have high blood sugar.

When do I need to call the doctor?

• Signs of a very bad reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. Go to the ER right away.

• Signs of a heart attack or heart problems. These include increased sweating; pain in your chest, jaw, or arm; very fast or very slow heartbeat. Go to the ER right away.

• Signs of very poor circulation or blood vessel problems. These include sores or wounds on the toes or fingers.

• Signs of low blood sugar. These include anger, shaking, a fast heartbeat, confusion, or sweating.

• Signs of bleeding problems. These include bruising or bleeding that is not normal; blood in your stools or dark, tarry colored stools; changes in menstrual periods like lots of bleeding, spotting, or bleeding between cycles.

• Signs of mental health problems. These include very low mood, feeling restless, sleep problems, loss of motivation, difficulty concentrating, not wanting to be around people, hearing voices, seeing things that are not really there, or having thoughts about hurting yourself or others.

• Signs of withdrawal like weight loss, lack of appetite, muscle aches, not able to sleep, mood changes, angry towards other people, runny nose, yawning, or jerky movements.

• Pain and soreness in your abdomen

• Very bad throwing up

• Very fast heartbeat

• Very low mood

• Not able to think clearly or change in thinking

Last Reviewed Date

2022-04-08

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