You may have felt dizzy when you stand up after smoking weed. This is a common experience and can make you pause or lean on something until your vision clears. While many people focus on how cannabis raises heart rate, its effect on blood flow is more complex.
This interaction of weed and your cardiovascular system involves a constant balance between your heart and blood vessels. While most people maintain this balance without issues, some individuals experience significant drops in pressure that can create genuine safety concerns.
In this blog, we will explore the science behind that dizziness, and help you understand “can smoking weed cause lower blood pressure?”
How Does Weed Affect Your Heart?
As soon as THC enters your system, your body reacts almost immediately. Your heart rate usually increases and can stay elevated for a while. This rise happens because THC activates the body’s fight or flight response, which signals the heart to beat faster in response to the chemical change.
At the same time, your blood vessels begin to relax and widen, which is a process known as vasodilation. Due to this process, people get red eyes after using cannabis. The tiny vessels in the eyes expand and fill with more blood.
However, when blood vessels dilate throughout the body, the pressure inside them can drop, which can cause lightheadedness or dizziness. This condition also leads to a common question, especially for new users: Can smoking weed cause lower blood pressure?
The answer lies in how a faster heart rate and relaxed blood vessels work together. When a faster heart rate combines with relaxed blood vessels, the body can struggle to maintain a stable blood pressure.
The Connection Between Weed and Blood Pressure
People often notice changes in how they feel after smoking weed, especially when it comes to blood pressure. Shortly after use, some people feel their heart rate and blood pressure increase. As the effects continue, others may feel lightheaded or dizzy due to a drop in blood pressure. These changes can be confusing, especially if you are paying close attention to how your body feels.
High Blood Pressure Response
Within the first few minutes of smoking, most people notice a temporary rise in blood pressure. This happens because THC makes the heart work harder. It also causes oxidative stress, producing harmful molecules called free radicals that can irritate or damage blood vessel walls.
A faster heart rate, along with stressed arteries, can raise blood pressure. This initial blood pressure spike can be risky for anyone with heart issues, as the heart starts working harder than usual.
Low Blood Pressure After Smoking Weed
Once the initial rush fades, the vasodilatory effects take over. As the vessels stay relaxed, the force of the blood against your artery walls decreases. This is specifically called orthostatic hypotension.
Since the blood is pooling in your legs due to the relaxed vessels, it takes a second longer for it to reach your brain when you stand up. This gap in oxygen delivery might be the reason you feel faint. If you’ve ever wondered, can smoking weed give you low blood pressure enough to make you faint? The reality is that for sensitive individuals or those on an empty stomach, it is a real possibility.
Why Does Smoking Weed Lower Blood Pressure in Some People?
Not everyone has the same reaction when they smoke weed. You might have a friend who feels totally fine, but you feel dizzy after smoking cannabis. These effects depend on individual tolerance and the dose you take. If you are using high-THC concentrates, the impact on your vascular system is going to be much more aggressive than if you were puffing on a low-strength flower.
This effect is mainly due to CB1 receptors in your heart and blood vessels. These receptors are found in your heart and your blood vessels.
When THC binds to them, it sends a signal to the smooth muscles in your vessel walls to let go and relax. If you have a high tolerance, your body has basically learned how to compensate for this signal.
If you are a beginner, your body might not be as good at balancing the drop. It can lead to a much more noticeable dip in your numbers.
Risks and Who Should Be Careful
For a healthy young person, a temporary dip in blood pressure might just be an annoyance. But for older adults or people with heart conditions, it can increase the risk of falls or serious cardiac events. The elderly are at the highest risk because their bodies naturally take longer to adjust to changes in blood pressure. A fall caused by a dizzy spell can result in broken bones or head injuries that are far more serious than the high blood pressure itself.
You also need to be very cautious if you are already taking medications for hypertension or heart health. Mixing cannabis with drugs like Losartan can cause your blood pressure to drop more than usual.
This is where both the medicine and the weed try to lower your pressure at the same time. If you find yourself asking, can smoking weed cause lower blood pressure to a point where it interferes with your meds, the answer is a “yes.”
Watch for these red flags too:
- Sudden cold sweats or clammy skin
- Blurred vision that doesn’t go away after a few seconds
- A feeling of heavy limbs or extreme weakness
- Fainting or losing consciousness even briefly
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SAFE USE OF MARIJUANA
If you are a medical patient or a recreational user who deals with these dizzy spells, there are ways to manage the risk. First and foremost, you should talk to a professional who understands both cannabis and cardiovascular health. They can help you review your current health profile to see whether your heart can handle the extra work.
Hydration is your best friend here. Blood pressure is strongly influenced by the amount of fluid in your system. When you are dehydrated, your blood volume drops, making low blood pressure more likely. Try to drink at least 16 ounces of water before you start your session. Also, don’t rush into standing up. If you’ve been sitting on the couch for an hour, give your body a few seconds to adjust before you stand up and walk.
Some people ask, does smoking weed help lower your blood pressure as a long-term treatment? While the science shows it can temporarily reduce numbers, it is not a replacement for actual medical treatment. Using it as an alternative for hypertension can be dangerous because of the heart rate spikes we mentioned earlier.
Always stick to the dosages recommended by your provider and avoid mixing your intake with alcohol, which only makes the dehydration and blood pressure drops worse.
Conclusion
The relationship between cannabis and your heart is not a straight line. While the initial effect might be a faster pulse, the lasting impact for many is a significant drop in pressure that can lead to dizziness or fainting. Most of these issues are manageable if you understand your body and stay hydrated, but they should never be ignored if you have a history of heart issues.
If you keep experiencing heavy dizzy spells, it might be time to change your method of consumption or lower your THC percentage. Pay attention to how your body feels and don’t ignore the warning signs.
If you’re considering medical cannabis and want a safe, legal way to get certified, you can start the online process with Medcert, which offers fast medical marijuana certification from licensed providers in Virginia.
