Cannabis users may require more anesthesia, preliminary study shows

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published 16 April 2019

People who regularly use cannabis may need up to twice the amount of sedatives that non-users require for medical procedures, a new study shows.

The study, published on Monday in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, tested three common sedation drugs: fentanyl, midazolam, and propofol. Researchers analyzed the medical records of 250 patients who had endoscopic procedures over the course of two years in Colorado, after marijuana use was legalized.

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Like many drugs, sedative drugs often come with side effects — so administering a higher dose can lead to a "greater likelihood for problems," CNN explains. This study was conducted on a very small scale, which means further research will be required before any real conclusions can be drawn. But it still indicates that if you use cannabis, or perhaps even other recreational drugs, on a regular basis, you might be best off letting your doctor know before you go under. Read more about the study at CNN.

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Shivani is the editorial assistant at TheWeek.com and has previously written for StreetEasy and Mic.com. A graduate of the physics and journalism departments at NYU, Shivani currently lives in Brooklyn and spends free time cooking, watching TV, and taking too many selfies.

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