Can You Overdose on Cannabis?

As the culture wars rage on, the United States remains very much a nation divided. And unfortunately, this division extends to opinions and perspectives on cannabis.

A sizable segment of the US populous is staunchly opposed to cannabis. Opposed to cannabis use. Opposed cannabis sales. And resolutely opposed to cannabis legalization.

Some of these folks are against cannabis legalization because they consider it a “gateway drug.” Never mind that tens of millions of people have used, or currently use, cannabis and don’t indulge in any other controlled substance

But most cannabis opponents object on “moral grounds.” To offer some perspective, these are the same sort of people who, while they may hypocritically embrace alcohol now, would have supported prohibition in 1920. And we all know what a debacle that turned into…

To make matters worse, or portion of those “morally” opposed to cannabis have cloaked their opposition in faux “medical concerns.” These falsely founded concerns are why we’ve seen a rash of public claims that cannabis is addictive and that it’s possible to OD (overdose) on cannabis.

Earlier this year, the Virginia Governor-Elect, Amanda Chase, appeared to Tweet that Virginia has a drug problem and legalizing cannabis (which the state voters approved in 2020) would lead to more “marijuana overdoses.”

Chase’s office eventually claimed the account was a counterfeit. But neither Chase nor her office ever disputed the veracity of the Tweet’s claim. A fact that leads most to surmise the governor is happy to let people think overdosing on cannabis is a common problem.

All of this misinformed brouhaha is, of course, hilarious to the team here a Cannawayz.com. But we also see the danger in such blatantly false information floating around the ether. And we feel compelled to set the record straight…

Cannabis is NOT Physically Addictive

Any substance, activity, and even relationships can be psychologically addictive. You can become psychologically addicted to coffee, exercise, watching TV, masturbating to porn, etc...

Some consider relationship co-dependency a psychological addiction to another human being.

And some claim the blind allegiance many alcoholics pledge to Alcoholics Anonymous is a form of psychological addiction. Instead of being addicted to booze, AA followers are addicted to “the program.”

And yes, you can become psychologically addicted to cannabis.

But psychological addiction is VASTLY different than physical addiction. Physical dependence occurs when constant use of certain substances physically changes your body chemistry—warping your physiology in such a way that your body now needs that substance to function properly.

And just to provide a little perspective, did you know… It’s possible to become physically addicted to alcohol. If you consume an excessive amount of alcohol for an extended period, your body will adapt to that consumption and begin to demand it.

And if you deny your body alcohol, delirium tremens, also known as the DTs, can result. Those suffering from the DTs are likely to experience uncontrolled physical tremors, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia. Severe alcohol withdraw can also lead to a permanently disabling stroke or even death.

Cannabis, on the other hand, is no more addictive than coffee, exercise, TV, or masturbating.

You CANNOT Overdose on Cannabis

If you eat too much ice cream or chicken or fruit or you name it, you’ll make yourself sick. Too much of ANYTHING is not good for you. Partaking of anything to excess is why the old proverb “all things in moderation” is so enduring.

So, if you consume an inordinately large amount of cannabis, will it make you sick? Absolutely! Just as if you ate too much ice cream, chicken, or fruit. But it won’t kill you.

And again, to put this in perspective with a couple of comparisons… If you drink too much alcohol in a short period of time, you can literally poison your blood. And that toxicity can cause organ failure and death.

You can overdose on cocaine, which can cause a heart attack or stroke, both of which can result in death.

And, of course, you can overdose on heroin, which can cause your heart to flat out stop beating and leads to death.

Meanwhile, consuming too much cannabis is most apt to give you a terrible case of the munchies. And worst case, consuming too much cannabis could cause a panic attack. But that’s purely a psychological reaction, not physical. And it’s a clear sign you chose the wrong strain.