Pot use in legalized states brings awareness to consumption overdose issues
LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) — Recreational marijuana use is legal in Nevada, but emergency room doctors said keeping people who consume marijuana out of the hospital may come down to following dosage guidelines.
Cookies, gummies, and other edibles are on retail shelves for medical marijuana patients currently, but recreational users may have to find the right types of cannabis to consume or suffer some consequences of improper ingestion. Bud tender Rob Ruckus educates medical marijuana patients at Inyo and hopes the store will get licensed for recreational pot sales too. Ruckus said proper consumption is important because tolerance is different for everyone.
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Recreational marijuana use is legal in Nevada, but emergency room doctors said keeping people who consume marijuana out of the hospital may come down to following dosage guidelines. Cookies, gummies, and other edibles are on retail shelves for medical marijuana patients currently, but recreational users may have to find the right types of cannabis to consume or suffer some consequences of improper ingestion. Bud tender Rob Ruckus educates medical marijuana patients at Inyo and hopes the store will get licensed for recreational pot sales too. Ruckus said proper consumption is important because tolerance is different for everyone.
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Former emergency room Doctor Dahlia Wachs said improper dosages can led to unwanted side effects. Wachs said doctors here are learning from doctors in other states where pot has been legal for years. She said it is preparing Nevada for the possibility of more emergency room visits by people who may have overdosed on marijuana. Three years ago recreational pot became legal in Colorado, now some users are getting diagnosed with Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, or CHS, a cyclic pattern of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Wachs said researching have been studying CHS for years, but it wasn’t until recently it has gained more attention.
"Back in 2012 they were studying it and doing case studies so many of us that have been watching it already knew about it," Wachs said.
Wachs says there are ways to eliminate the effects of an marijuana overdose. People with CHS may find themselves suffering from feelings of hypothermia and relieve symptoms by taking a hot shower or bath and taking a break from use.
"What we think is happening with this CHS is whatever marijuana you are consuming may be too much for your receptors," Wachs said.
Wachs recommends any patient that ends up in the hospital for intake issues should be honest with their doctor. She said it is the only way to make sure you are properly diagnosed.
