Daily Dose Q&A

2026-03-06

Does medical cannabis (MC) use appear to have an impact on the quality of life for IBD patients?

Yes. In a survey study involving 236 IBD patients, "the percentage of all patient-reported symptoms having a moderate-to-major impact on daily life was significantly lower after versus before MC use. For instance, the percentage of respondents reporting a moderate-to-major impact on their life from abdominal pain and nausea was: 85.6% versus 31.8% and 53.8% versus 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.01)."

Greywoode R, Cunningham C, Hollins M, Aroniadis O. Medical Cannabis Use Patterns and Adverse Effects in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2022 Oct 14.

2026-03-05

How do THC and CBD influence pain perception in IBD?

It is thought that CBD "modulates pain by mediating intestinal inflammation, whereas THC is believed to ameliorate pain through its psychotropic properties." A note of caution: "because of its analgesic effects, medical cannabis may mask ongoing inflammation and result in a false, perceived sense of improvement ultimately leading patients to discontinue or decrease the doses of their IBD medications."

Greywoode R, Cunningham C, Hollins M, Aroniadis O. Medical Cannabis Use Patterns and Adverse Effects in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2022 Oct 14.

2026-03-04

What are the effects of acute use of marijuana on male libido?

"Studies support that male libido may be augmented after acute use, but there are reports of erectile dysfunction with chronic use."

Meah F, Lundholm M, Emanuele N, Amjed H, Poku C, Agrawal L, Emanuele MA. The effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on the endocrine system. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2022 Jun;23(3):401-420. doi: 10.1007/s11154-021-09682-w. Epub 2021 Aug 30. PMID: 34460075.

2026-03-03

Does the consumption of cannabinoid-based products impact breastfeeding?

Yes. Cannabinoids bind to cannabinoid 1 receptors in the hypothalamus which triggers a release of dopamine. The dopamine, in turn, inhibits release of prolactin from the anterior pituitary. Prolactin is necessary for lactation. Cannabis consumption may not completely stop the production of breastmilk, and breastmilk produced by women who consume cannabis-based products may contain cannabinoids.

2026-03-02

Anecdotal evidence supports the use of haloperidol for the treatment of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). Is haloperidol more effective than ondansetron for the treatment of the nausea and vomiting associated with CHS?

According to the results of a randomized controlled trial involving 33 patients with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, haloperidol (0.05 mg/kg or 0.1 mg/kg) was superior to ondansetron 8mg for average reduction from baseline in abdominal pain and nausea at 2 hours, and was associated with the need for fewer rescue antiemetics and shorter time to ED departure. In this study, there were 2 haloperidol and 6 ondansetron return ED visits for ongoing nausea/vomiting, as well as 2 return visits for acute dystonia, both in the higher dose haloperidol group.

Ruberto, A., Sivilotti, M., Forrester, S., Hall, A., Crawford, F., & Day, A. (2020). LO69: Haloperidol versus ondansetron for hyperemesis due to cannabis (HaVOC): A randomized, controlled clinical trial. CJEM, 22(S1), S32-S33. doi:10.1017/cem.2020.124