Can You Be Allergic to Cannabis?

Allergies affect everyone differently, but everyone can agree—allergies are the worst. The American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology says that over 50 million Americans are inflicted with some form of allergy.

But is it possible to be allergic to cannabis? Science says that it is possible, but more often than not, it is not the plant you are allergic to, but rather an unwanted guest, mold.

“In terms of most of the patients who think they have an allergy to marijuana, we’ve found most of the time, it’s actually an allergy to mold,” said Dr. Sean Darcy of the Hollywood Easy Clinic.

To avoid possible contact with mold, Darcy says that you should thoroughly inspect your cannabis before you purchase or consume it. “One out of one hundred [patients] might experience a reaction. Of those, 80 percent are due to mold.” he explained.

To check for mold, simply pull the flower apart to check out the buds before you purchase cannabis. Mold can typically be recognized as a thin, powdery, web-like substance inside the bud near the stem. If you are unsure, ask, and it you still feel uncomfortable, simply move on to another strain.

If you do in fact have a cannabis allergy, symptoms include allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma. Smoke or pollen exposure has also caused nasal congestion, rhinitis, sneezing, conjunctival injection, pharyngeal pruritus (itchy throat), coughing, wheezing, and dyspnea (difficulty breathing).

Skin irritation is also possible, especially in growers and other cannabis workers who come into frequent contact with the plant. Handling the plant has been connected with urticarial (hives), generalized pruritus (itching) and periorbital angioedema (swelling). In rare occasions, asthma has been triggered by airborne contact with cannabis.

Allergic reactions to cannabis can be treated in the same method as other allergies, but since it is not something typically checked for in an allergy test, it can be easily missed in a diagnosis. However, as cannabis continues to grow as more and more states accept its value, a new diagnostic protocol must be put into place to help those afflicted with cannabis allergies.