Can cannabis cause allergic reactions?

Just like pollen from trees, grasses or weeds, marijuana pollen may trigger allergic reactions in a very small minority of people. This subject has not been studied in depth, but there are scientific divs and studies that point to allergic reactions caused by cannabis.

If you choose a product that is GMP certified you minimize the risk of contamination with allergens. Endoca offers the finest quality cannabis extracts on the market as it is GMP certified. This means that our products contain no hazardous chemicals that can cause an allergic reaction.

Why can cannabis cause allergic reactions?

Cannabis contains over 400 different molecules: Phytocannabinoids, Terpenes, Chlorophyll, Alkanes, Nitrogenous compounds, Amino acids, Sugars, Aldehydes, Alcohols, Ketones, Flavonoids, Glycosides, Vitamins, Pigments and Water.

In rare cases, individuals may be allergic to certain natural compounds. For example, terpenes are molecules that are in many foods and cosmetics and are known to trigger allergic reactions in a very small percentage of people. However, if you suffer from this rare allergy, it is extremely likely that you will already be aware of it.

Are there many people allergic to cannabis?

From the knowledge available, we can conclude that allergy symptoms have only occasionally been reported as one of the adverse health effects of cannabis use. There has been a call for more controlled studies to determine the mechanisms behind these rare adverse reactions.

What do scientific studies indicate?

There are studies specifically investigating exposure to pollen, cannabis extracts and the act of smoking cannabis that indicate that there can be adverse reactions. On the other hand, there have also been studies showing that cannabis can be used to combat allergies. As we can see, the evidence is confusing but at least conclusive in one sense: marijuana allergies not related to broad-spectrum pollen allergy are extremely rare.

Why does cannabis combat allergies and at same time provoke allergies?

When cannabis is smoked, the process of heating and burning the herb causes changes to happen to the molecules it contains. These molecules are not normally found in the plant, and in their altered state, they can cause allergic reactions.

In addition, poor indoor growing conditions and the use of pesticides, or the incorrect harvesting and curing of the herbal cannabis can cause it to become moldy, with toxins created by the mold fungi causing potential allergic reactions. The spraying of the plant material with chemicals including dangerous artificial cannabinoids or with chemicals designed to increase mass, can cause unpleasant allergic reactions or toxicities.

Are Endoca products safe?

We treat testing very seriously here at Endoca and thus spend large amounts of our resources doing quality control. We keep our product safe and free of toxins by controlling our production process in line with Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) regulations. As a result, we are able to guarantee that our cannabis products are free from contaminations. Our product has been successfully used by over 10,000 people with huge satisfaction.

Are certified products the only way to minimize risk?

Good manufacturing practices (GMP) embraces the practices required in order to confirm the guidelines recommended by agencies that control authorization and licensing for manufacture and sale of food, drug products, and active pharmaceutical products. These guidelines provide minimum requirements that a pharmaceutical or a food product manufacturer must meet to assure that the products are of high quality and do not pose any risk to the consumer or public.

What is the solution?

First of all, use only GMP certified products. Secondly, if you are suffering from e.g. MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) or in general have a tendency to have allergic reactions you should exercise caution.

Up-titrations are a viable solution. Start with very low doses and increase dosages slowly, monitoring yourself for any indications of an adverse reaction. For more information, read our guide to understanding CBD dosage.

Another solution is to use our 98% CBD that contains only the cannabinoid CBD and very low levels of terpenes.

Links:

Characterization of Cannabis sativa allergens

Cannabis Allergy: What do We Know Anno 2015

Sensitization and allergy to Cannabis sativa leaves in a population of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)-sensitized patients

Selected oxidized fragrance terpenes are common contact allergens

Cannabis sativa: the unconventional “weed” allergen

Anti-inflammatory activity of topical THC in DNFB-mediated mouse allergic contact dermatitis independent of CB1 and CB2 receptors

Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs