Cannabis Makes Me Itch: Do Other People Experience This?
Dear Jane, I have a skin condition that causes nerve pain and itching. I’ve noticed that cannabis really helps my nerve pain, but it seems to make my itching worse, or I guess just more noticeable? Is itching something other people get when they smoke, and is there a strain that causes it less? —Scooby Doobie
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Scooby,
This is actually something that I’ve never heard of. So as any expert might do, I checked Google.
Google reported back that you can grow an allergy to marijuana! Not necessarily all marijuana, but to pollens and proteins in a particular plant. Full disclosure, this information comes from a 2019 U.S. News article, so I’m not exactly sure if they’re telling the truth. Although, it IS on the internet, and that means 100% accuracy, right? 😉
Obviously, Google wasn’t that helpful, so throughout the week, I dropped this into conversations with some cannabis users. Four to be exact. Only one of them reported any issue of feeling abnormal itching. An interesting characteristic of this person’s itching is that it only pertains to her palms.
After further discussion, we came to the conclusion that the itching on her palms might be happening because of how she continues to hold on to her battery after she takes a hit and her palms are getting sweaty and gross and it’s her own dang fault.
I’m guessing this isn’t quite your situation, so beyond this theory, here’s what I can offer: Cannabis is known to heighten your senses. That’s why colors sometimes seem more vibrant and food tastes incredible when you’re high.
It could also be the reason you become more sensitive to touch—while this one’s a little less common, or at least less talked about, it is something that people experience. And if you have a preexisting condition that affects your skin and nerves and experience of touch, it makes sense (at least to my non-medical brain) that this could play a role in your itching too.
I’m not going to attempt to get into the science here because I doubt either of us wants that, but if you want to continue this research, I’d recommend digging into the effects that cannabinoids can have on the five senses.
Best of luck to you and your itchy skin!
Bluntly,
Jane
