When you're taking other medications
When using cannabis, it's important to keep in mind that it can impact the activity of several enzymes in the liver. This means that it may either reduce or enhance the effectiveness of certain medications, potentially putting you at risk.
The following medications carry a higher risk of negative interactions, particularly when consuming high doses of cannabis:- Warfarin-based anticoagulants
- Anti-arrhythmics such as Amiodarone
- Thyroid hormones such as Levothyroxine
- Anticonvulsants such as Clonezapam/Clobazam
- Anti-depressants, anxyolitics, sleeping pills
- Anti-convulsants
- Thyroid hormones
- Corticosteroids
- Antihistaminic
- Anticoagulant
- Opiate-based painkillers
- Beta-blockers
- Narcoleptics
- Anti-hyperglycaemics
If you are taking one of these treatments, ask your doctor's advice first before you start taking CBD. And in any case, space out the intake by 3-4 hours to avoid any side effects, especially during the day if you don't want to fall asleep on the spot with some of the drowsy drugs.
Hormonal contraception and cannabis
Several studies have shown that cannabis acts on estrogen in the same way as hormonal contraceptives. Therefore, birth control pills (or anything hormonal) and cannabis will act on the same receptors, but with an opposite effect.
So don't take your birth control pill and cannabis at the same time, as the effectiveness of your pill may be reduced.
Space out the dose by 3-4 hours, and talk to your doctor or gynaecologist beforehand.
Road safety
There are traces of THC in dried CBD flowers, so you will need to wait 3-4 hours before you drive, especially when consumed in excess. This also applies to full spectrum oils, but not to broad spectrum oils and some low dose herbal teas.
If you respect this time limit, you should not test positive. But if you do and you do test positive, here are the steps to take to avoid losing your licence.
- Stay calm and don't lie about your CBD use. It's legal and you don't have to hide from it.
- And DO NOT sign the document that validates the saliva test, by doing so you give up the right to do a blood or urine test, the only two ways to prove that it was CBD that you consumed, and to be able to drive away with your car.
Do not drive if you have used THC... that is if you're in a country where THC is banned, and if you're lucky enough to be in a country where there is a regulatory threshold, stick to it. And if you've taken neo-cannabinoids stronger than CBD, wait 4 hours and only drive if you no longer feel the effect.