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What you will learn in this post:
Trazodone is a medication that’s used in the treatment of depression. Depression is a common mental health condition that impacts 4.7% of the U.S. population. Depression exists in a variety of degrees. Some people have chronic symptoms that impact their ability to function throughout their daily lives, while others will go through periods where symptoms subside, followed by periods of higher depression.
There are a variety of different treatment options for this mental health condition.1 For some, SSRIs are a viable option. For others, therapy and medication combined works well. Interestingly, another treatment option some consider for depression is cannabis.2 Considering people find relief from both cannabis and Trazodone, it's natural for people to wonder if combining them is safe. However, there are reasons to be cautious.
What is Trazodone?
Trazodone is a commonly prescribed medication for those who have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or a combination of the two. It’s taken orally and there are a variety of different dosages available, with the right dosage typically depending on the individual’s biology and their individual symptom severity.
Trazodone is an antidepressant that interacts with the body’s serotonin levels, aiming to bring them to a healthy level. This medication is considered to be very effective and is comparable to other depression treatment options.
This medication interacts with various receptors throughout the body. Because of these interactions, the body’s serotonin and noradrenaline levels increase. This typically corresponds with a decrease in depression symptoms.
Trazodone can be combined with some other depression medications and it’s sometimes also prescribed for PTSD, sleep disorders, and bulimia. However, the only FDA-approved application for this medication is depression.
Potential side effects from taking Trazodone include:
- Constipation
- Dry mouth
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Nausea
Brand names of Trazodone include:
- Desyrel
- Desyrel Dividose
- Oleptro
Trazodone and Medical Marijuana: How Do They Interact?
It’s important to start out by stating that there hasn’t been extensive research that’s examined the potential interactions between Trazodone and weed. However, there is research available that’s important to note.
Combining weed and Trazodone may have the potential to increase someone’s heartbeat and can also increase weed’s ability to make someone drowsy. People are most likely to experience adverse side effects when they’ve just started combining these two substances.
Interestingly, one study pointed to Trazodone as a potential treatment for those who are dealing with cannabis use disorder.3
If you’re considering using cannabis and you’re already on Trazodone, it’s important to speak with your doctor. They’ll be able to provide you with more information, and they can help you make an informed decision. It’s essential to make sure that you’re aware of potential risks that this combination can elicit.
Are There Any Benefits to Taking Trazodone and Cannabis?
While there hasn’t been extensive research to learn more about this substance combination, there has been research done to examine the impact that cannabis can have on depression. There is some preliminary evidence that cannabis may help improve some symptoms of depression. However, it’s also possible that cannabis could worsen other symptoms of depression, such as drowsiness and changes in eating habits.4
Before mixing medical marijuana and Trazodone, consider consulting your physician. This is a good way to make sure that you’re staying safe and you’re making informed choices about your mental health medication and treatment options.
What are the Risks of Combining Trazodone and Weed?
As with any medication combination, it’s important to understand any risks that may come from combining Trazodone and weed. It’s possible that the interaction between cannabis and Trazodone could lead to breathing and central nervous system depression. While these are unlikely to have lethal or severe health effects, it’s important to be aware of these risks and avoid combining Trazodone and cannabis.
Side effects that might be enhanced by this combination include:
- Sedation
- Respiratory depression
- Reduced psychomotor skills
- Judgment impairment
- Thinking impairment
With antidepressants like Trazodone comes the risk of serotonin syndrome. This syndrome typically comes about when some mental health medications raise serotonin levels to dangerous amounts. While cannabis alone would be very unlikely to cause serotonin syndrome, it is possible that cannabis and Trazodone together could.
If you’re concerned about serotonin syndrome, speak with your doctor about all your options and ways that you can stay safe.
What About CBD and Trazodone?
A 2020 study on dogs found that it’s possible that CBD may inhibit the Trazodone’s ability to reduce cortisol levels. This medication interaction is likely a result of CBD acting as an inhibitor of the CYP450 enzymes that metabolize trazodone.5 Because of this, it is not recommended to combine Trazodone and CBD.
As with all changes to your health and wellness routine, you should speak with your doctor about which options are best for you.
Safety Tips When Using Trazodone and Cannabis
If you’re planning on combining Trazodone and weed, then you should consider speaking with your doctor about what’s best for you and your mental health. There may be additional or alternative options you can consider that would provide you with the same benefits while further minimizing side effects or health risks.
It can be difficult to know how long Trazodone stays in the body because it can depend on the dosage, individual metabolism, and how long they’ve been taking the medication. For people who have been on Trazodone for a short amount of time, it may take only days for it to exit their system. However, it could be much longer if they’ve been taking this medication for a longer amount of time. Because of this, it’s important to take your individual situation into account when deciding how long to wait after using Trazodone to consume cannabis.
If you’ve used this combination and are experiencing adverse effects, consider reaching out to a medical professional. Feeling unwell is something that should be taken seriously, especially if you’ve combined substances.
References
- Schwasinger-Schmidt TE, Macaluso M. Other Antidepressants. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. 2019;250:325-355. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/164_2018_167
↩︎ - Gorfinkel LR, Stohl M, Hasin D. Association of Depression With Past-Month Cannabis Use Among US Adults Aged 20 to 59 Years, 2005 to 2016. JAMA Network Open. 2020;3(8):e2013802. doi:https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13802
↩︎ - Mazza M, Emanuele Caroppo, Giuseppe Carlo Marano, et al. Trazodone Prolonged-Release Monotherapy in Cannabis Dependent Patients during Lockdown Due to COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Series. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(12):7397-7397. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127397
↩︎ - 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
↩︎ - Morris EM, Kitts-Morgan SE, Spangler DM, McLeod KR, Costa JHC, Harmon DL. The Impact of Feeding Cannabidiol (CBD) Containing Treats on Canine Response to a Noise-Induced Fear Response Test. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2020;7. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.569565
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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.
