Experiencing a euphoric high is one of the reasons why smoking weed is a popular recreational activity. However, in recent years, marijuana's popularity has grown thanks to its health benefits. And that's a reason enough making more and more young individuals consider weed use no longer as something risky. The plant does contain anti-inflammatory properties. However, cannabis can still cause allergic symptoms if you inhale it.

Can You Be Allergic to Weed?

1. Symptoms caused by pollen inhalation

The Cannabis plant bears pollen, which is a common allergen behind unwanted physical responses. Your body considers allergens as a foreign body or a threat. Thus, when you expose yourself to or inhale pollen in the air, your immune system causes allergic responses. These may result in allergic rhinitis or hay fever, conjunctivitis, runny nose, congestion, and sneezing. You may experience these symptoms immediately after exposure or they can start after an hour or so.

2. Symptoms caused by skin contact

Apart from pollen inhalation, having direct or regular contact with Cannabis may also cause specific irritation symptoms. It may cause contact dermatitis and patients may develop itchiness, hives, inflamed skin, dry or scaly skin. Under some circumstances, if you have contact dermatitis caused by the Cannabis plant, your eyes may appear red or inflamed.

3. Symptoms caused by smoke exposure

Being exposed to Marijuana smoke may result in respiratory distress. You may experience nasal congestion, itchy throat or pharyngeal pruritus, and coughing. Others may develop wheezing or bloodshot eyes. Nausea and vomiting may also occur.

4. Symptoms of cross-reactivity

Even if you don't smoke weed or come in contact with the plant, you may still develop marijuana symptoms through cross-reactivity. It happens when you are allergic to a substance or food with the same protein properties as Cannabis. Cross-reaction makes it difficult to diagnose and test weed allergies. The immune system considers similar proteins to be the same. Thus, a positive blood test can result in a food even though you're not allergic to it. It's one of the reasons some people avoid foods because they have a positive skin test to that food, instead of avoiding marijuana. Below are listed some of the foods that have the same allergen properties as a weed:

• Tomatoes

• Peaches

• Eggplant

• Bananas

• Apples

• Grapefruit

How to Diagnose and Treat It?

1. Diagnose Weed Allergies

• Skin prick tests

To know whether or not your symptoms are the result of weed allergies, you need to consult an allergist. One of the recommended tests to identify marijuana allergies is a skin prick test. Your physician will find out whether you are sensitive to a weed substance. This procedure requires putting a small amount of allergen to your arm or back by pricking. Within 15 to 20 minutes, your body or skin will develop swelling or itchiness if you are allergic to weed. No symptoms? You're not allergic to the substance!

• Blood tests

Another way to determine whether or not you are allergic to Cannabis is to undergo a blood test, like immunoCAP, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), or the radioallergosorbent (RAST). The goal of blood testing for allergies is to find antibodies specific to a certain allergen. If you have increased levels of antibodies in your blood, then you are more likely to develop allergic reactions to a particular substance. Compared to a prick test, going for a blood test is a safer option. You are less likely to develop a severe allergic reaction. Unfortunately, it takes several days before the results become available.

2. Treatment for Weed Allergies

• Use antihistamines

Currently, there's no approved treatment for weed allergy. However, there are antihistamines that can help to manage your symptoms. When your body encounters an allergy trigger, it produces histamines. Unfortunately, they cause your nose to swell. You'll also get a rash. The use of antihistamines can reduce the histamines, thereby, stopping the symptoms.

• Avoid contact with weed

Since there are no approved treatment options specific to weed allergies, you should avoid smoking marijuana or eat Cannabis products. Don't touch the plant or the drug! In that way, you won't develop any allergic reactions. If you've been diagnosed as having a severe allergy to this plant, consider having an epinephrine injection in your bag. In this way, if you're exposed to it accidentally, inject this drug and avoid severe allergic reactions.

• Ask your doctor for help

If you can't avoid being exposed to marijuana, you should ask your physician to give you some medicines in case you develop allergic reactions to this plant. It's especially true if you are working in a plant where marijuana is being processed. Some allergy medications like decongestants, combination drugs, and corticosteroids can stop or prevent allergic reactions. You may also need to wear face masks or gloves while processing this plant.

Conclusion

Now it's obvious that you can be allergic to weed. Marijuana allergy symptoms occur the same way as seasonal allergies. Patients with this type of allergy may experience skin reactions. Since there are no approved treatments, it's expected that you avoid the drug or plant whenever you can. If you developed severe allergic reactions to this plant, you must immediately seek medical treatment. It's also essential that you carry your medications in case you expose yourself to the drug or plant accidentally.

If you still want to know is it possible to be allergic to weed and how to treat the symptoms, please watch this video: