With the legalization of pot in Canada, the Quebec Order of Pharmacists is coming out with a warning: sometimes pot and prescription medications don't mix well.
The Order's president, Bertrand Bolduc, says there are hundreds of different kinds of interactions between cannabis and prescription drugs. Many are harmless; others may case breathing difficulties, heart problems, and in extreme cases, can lead to a coma or death.
"If you're taking prescription drugs, we would like you to be very cautious and obviously, consult with your pharmacist before you try anything, because there are many drugs that interact with cannabis," Bolduc says.
Those who mix cannabis with blood thinners, pain medications, heart medications, Bolduc says, should pay particular attention. So do those who take antidepressants — the effects of cannabis, he says, could decrease their effectiveness.
In any case, Bolduc says, you're better safe than sorry when it comes to mixing any kinds of drugs — pointing out that pharmacists have been advising patients for years against combining alcohol with certain types of drugs.
"It's very difficult to predict," Bolduc says. "It's a case by case analysis that your pharmacist has to look at with you. In many cases, we're going to advise you not to use cannabis."
Patients often tend to be shy about admitting to their cannabis use to a doctor or pharmacist. Now that cannabis will become legal, Bolduc hopes the drug will no longer be a taboo subject in conversations with medical professionals.