Antidepressant use in America is on the rise, with one estimate showing a 400% increase between 1988 and 2008. At the same time, more people than ever are turning to cannabis as a natural way to help with their depression.
Yet, with millions of adults using Prozac or cannabis (or both) in search of relief from depression symptoms, there is surprisingly limited research on how the two interact.
With a proper diagnosis, prescription, and professional guidance, both Prozac and marijuana are considered relatively safe. However, combining the two could affect how they work in the body, presenting risks that patients and providers should look for.
What is Prozac?
Prozac is the brand name of the antidepressant fluoxetine.
Fluoxetine is a type of antidepressant known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Research suggests that serotonin plays a key role in regulating mood. Similarly, depression has been linked to a lack of available serotonin in the brain. SSRI medications work by preventing the body from reabsorbing serotonin, making more of it available to send messages to the brain and regulate a person’s mood.
Prozac is approved by the FDA to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and bulimia. Other conditions for which it may commonly be prescribed include binge eating disorder, social anxiety disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, borderline personality disorder, Raynaud phenomenon, and selective mutism.1
Mixing Prozac and Marijuana
People suffering from depression have been turning to cannabis for relief since before the first medical cannabis programs began. Now, with the increased availability of medical cannabis, more people are turning to cannabinoids to help alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In a 2022 survey of 530 active MMJ patients, more than two-thirds of respondents reported that they were able to cease or reduce the use of one or more pharmaceutical treatments since starting to use medical cannabis. And while there may be potential benefits of using cannabis in conjunction with pharmaceutical treatment, the combination isn’t without its risks, and further study is needed to understand the science behind how drugs like cannabis and Prozac interact.
Potential Benefits of Using Weed and Prozac
Many patients have reported positive results when using Prozac and marijuana together, like more significant calming effects, improved mood, and mood stabilization. Some experts believe that this is a sign that cannabis has some potential to be used effectively in conjunction with Prozac and other SSRI medications.
However, anecdotal evidence isn’t the same as rigorous scientific study. The studies conducted are too small to draw definitive conclusions, according to Daniele Piomelli, Ph.D., the director of the University of California, Irvine’s Center for the Study of Cannabis. Additionally, antidepressant dosage often requires fine-tuning, and, “Because cannabis products aren't regulated by the FDA, you can't count on consistency.”
While many patients claim to experience positive results, more research is needed to understand how Prozac and marijuana interact and how they can be utilized for more consistent results.
Potential Risks of Mixing Prozac and Weed
As with any medication, mixing cannabis and Prozac could carry potential risks. And because of the limitations placed on cannabis research from its federal Schedule 1 status, the potential dangers from mixing cannabis and Prozac still aren’t well researched or understood.
The first reported incident of an interaction between medical marijuana and Prozac dates back to 1991. According to the report, an individual experienced a brief mild manic episode as a result of combining cannabis with Prozac.2
Other risks of combining Prozac with cannabis may include an increased chance of experiencing adverse side effects like dizziness, confusion, rapid heartbeat, and drowsiness.
More specifically, there is a risk related to the combination of SSRI medications and cannabis. Because SSRI medications aim to increase serotonin levels in the brain – and because certain compounds in cannabis also boost serotonin – the combination of the two may create a potentially serious condition called serotonin syndrome, which is essentially too much serotonin in the brain.
Can I Smoke Weed While on Prozac?
There have been promising studies that suggest cannabis may be an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. However, the amount of research on the potential interactions between cannabis and Prozac – or any antidepressant, for that matter – is minimal.3
That’s why it’s important to talk to your doctor before smoking weed while taking any prescription medication for depression or anxiety. Every person is different, and your doctor can discuss your goals and review your medical history to determine the best course of treatment for you.
Conclusion
Mixing medications can be tricky. Like many pharmaceuticals, Prozac has its own risks and potentially serious side effects. And while some people use Prozac and marijuana medically without incident, there is still a risk for potentially severe interactions.
Because of these potential risks and the overall lack of research into the interactions between Prozac and marijuana, it’s important to discuss the possibility of mixing the two with your doctor before trying it yourself.
Resources
- Sohel AJ, Shutter MC, Molla M. Fluoxetine. In: StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing; 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459223/ ↩︎
- Stoll AL, Cole JO, Lukas SE. A case of mania as a result of fluoxetine-marijuana interaction. J Clin Psychiatry. 1991;52(6):280-281. ↩︎
- Feingold D, Weinstein A. Cannabis and Depression. Cannabinoids and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. 2020;1264:67-80. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57369-0_5 ↩︎
The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.
