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Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
You can be allergic to weed, although atrue allergytocannabis(marijuana) is thought to be rare. Some studies suggest the rate of a weed allergy may be as low as 1%, with people reporting symptoms ranging from skin rash and nasal congestion to severe diarrhea andasthma.Rare cases of a potentially fatal allergy, calledanaphylaxis, have also been reported.
Rates of cannabis allergy are thought to be increasing due to the increased legalization of marijuana in the United States and around the world.
This article explains the symptoms of a weed allergy according to whether you eat it, touch it, or smoke it. It also explains why cannabis allergies occur and how they are diagnosed and treated.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
Signs of a Weed Allergy
Symptoms of a cannabis allergy are similar to symptoms of other allergies but can differ depending on the mode of exposure. Most allergy symptoms develop fast, usually within 30 minutes.Other people have a delayed reaction and may only notice symptoms hours or days later.
Skin Exposure
A marijuana allergy can cause a skin reaction when a person touches or handles the plant or its flowers. Symptoms of contact allergy include:
A person with a weed allergy can also get symptoms after using topical creams and oils containingcannabidiol(CBD).
Smoking
Smoking marijuana is the most common use of recreational or medical cannabis. Firsthand or secondhand exposure to cannabis smoke may cause respiratory symptoms likeasthmaorallergic rhinitis(hay fever). Other people may have systemic (whole-body) reactions affecting the skin and other organs.
Allergy symptoms associated with smoking cannabis include:
Cleaning or handling cannabis can also expose you to cannabis pollen you can inhale. In some cases,moldon improperly stored cannabis can trigger allergy symptoms when inhaled.
Secondhand Pot Smoke Risks
Consumption
As the legalization and use of medical marijuana have become more widespread across the United States, so has the popularity of cannabis-infused edibles. Allergic reactions are often more pronounced because larger amounts of cannabis are introduced into the body where they can remain until the plant is fully digested.
Allergic symptoms of oral cannabis exposure may include:
When to Call 911While rare, potentially life-threatening cases of anaphylaxis have been reported after the consumption of cannabis.Call 911 or rush to your nearest emergency room if you developsigns and symptoms of anaphylaxis, including:Sudden outbreak of rash or hivesSevere shortness of breath with wheezingRacing or irregular heartbeatsShallow, rapid breathingSudden severe diarrheaSwelling of the face, neck, or throatLightheadedness or faintingA feeling of impending doom
When to Call 911
While rare, potentially life-threatening cases of anaphylaxis have been reported after the consumption of cannabis.Call 911 or rush to your nearest emergency room if you developsigns and symptoms of anaphylaxis, including:Sudden outbreak of rash or hivesSevere shortness of breath with wheezingRacing or irregular heartbeatsShallow, rapid breathingSudden severe diarrheaSwelling of the face, neck, or throatLightheadedness or faintingA feeling of impending doom
While rare, potentially life-threatening cases of anaphylaxis have been reported after the consumption of cannabis.Call 911 or rush to your nearest emergency room if you developsigns and symptoms of anaphylaxis, including:
Why Am I Allergic to Weed?
The release of IgE sets off a chain reaction in cells that spurs the release of another chemical calledhistamine. This is the substance responsible for allergy symptoms in the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, digestive tract, and circulatory system. The IgE response can result from inhaling, smoking, touching, or eating cannabis allergens.
The four substances in cannabis identified as allergens are called:
Cross-Reactive Food Allergy
There is a knowncross-reactivitybetween certain foods and cannabis. If you’re allergic to one of the following, you may also develop a reaction to marijuana (and vice versa):
The reaction occurs because cannabis and these foods share similar allergenic proteins. Depending on which is the true allergy—the cannabis or the food—symptoms can range from mild (such as lip swelling and mouth itching) to severe.
Diagnosing a Weed Allergy
In most cases, your provider can diagnose cannabis allergy based on your symptoms. If needed, they may refer you to anallergistto undergoallergy testing.
There are no specific tests for cannabis allergy. Because of this, the allergist may prepare a cannabis extract from the leaves, buds, and flowers to use for skin testing.
There are two forms of skin tests used to diagnose allergies:
With patch testing, a reaction may appear within 48 hours or less if you have an allergy. With a skin prick test, the reaction may occur in as short as 15 minutes.
In addition to skin testing, there is a blood test called aRAST testthat can help diagnose allergies based on IgE levels in your blood. After blood is drawn, the allergen is introduced into the sample to see if it triggers an IgE response.
The Difference Between Blood Tests and Skin Tests for Allergies
Treatment for Weed Allergy
If you think that you have developed an allergy to marijuana, the best thing to do is avoid it. This means no longer smoking weed or consuming edibles, as well as refraining from touching it and having any secondhand exposure to it.
If you are using marijuana for medicinal purposes, this may be difficult. Talk to your provider. They might suggestalternative treatmentoptions for your condition.
If you have had a severe reaction to marijuana, you might need to carry anepinephrine auto-injector (Epi-pen)at all times. This medication acts quickly to treat severe allergy symptoms, such as trouble breathing and a drop in heart rate. Some people need tocarry more than oneEpi-pen just to be safe.
When You Can’t Avoid Exposure
Sometimes, avoiding airborne exposure to marijuana is challenging. This is often true for people who work in the cannabis industry or live with someone who smokes pot.
In these cases, you can try:
Summary
It’s possible to be allergic to weed, but researchers don’t know how common it is. If you’re allergic to marijuana, you may get symptoms such as itching, redness, hives, or a runny nose. The symptoms might be different depending on whether you touch, eat, or breathe in smoke, dust, or pollen from the marijuana plant.
If you think you’re allergic to weed, avoiding it will help prevent symptoms. If you use marijuana for medicinal purposes or can’t avoid it because you live with someone who uses it or you work around it, talk to your provider about steps you can take to manage your allergy.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Toscano A, Ebo DG, Abbas K, et al.A review of cannabis allergy in the early days of legalization.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2023 Mar;130(3):288-295. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2022.10.016Skypala IJ, Jeimy S, Brucker H, et al.Cannabis-related allergies: an international overview and consensus recommendations.Allergy. 2022. doi:10.1111/all.15237American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Marijuana cannabis allergy.Wong DD, Abbas KF, Grunberg R, Sussman GL.Cannabis allergy: a melting “pot” of clinical manifestations.Am J Allergy Clin Immunol.2018;141(3):AB255. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.810Allergy & Asthma Network.Marijuana allergy is no laughing matter.Faber M, Van Gasse A, Sabato V, et al.Marihuana allergy: beyond the joint.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2015;25(1):70-72.Additional ReadingDecuyper II, Van gasse AL, Cop N, et al.Cannabis sativa allergy: looking through the fog.Allergy. 2017;72(2):201-206. doi:10.1111/all.13043Silvers WS, Bernard T.The spectrum and prevalence of reactions to marijuana in a Colorado allergy practice.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;119(6):570-571. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2017.10.028
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Toscano A, Ebo DG, Abbas K, et al.A review of cannabis allergy in the early days of legalization.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2023 Mar;130(3):288-295. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2022.10.016Skypala IJ, Jeimy S, Brucker H, et al.Cannabis-related allergies: an international overview and consensus recommendations.Allergy. 2022. doi:10.1111/all.15237American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Marijuana cannabis allergy.Wong DD, Abbas KF, Grunberg R, Sussman GL.Cannabis allergy: a melting “pot” of clinical manifestations.Am J Allergy Clin Immunol.2018;141(3):AB255. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.810Allergy & Asthma Network.Marijuana allergy is no laughing matter.Faber M, Van Gasse A, Sabato V, et al.Marihuana allergy: beyond the joint.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2015;25(1):70-72.Additional ReadingDecuyper II, Van gasse AL, Cop N, et al.Cannabis sativa allergy: looking through the fog.Allergy. 2017;72(2):201-206. doi:10.1111/all.13043Silvers WS, Bernard T.The spectrum and prevalence of reactions to marijuana in a Colorado allergy practice.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;119(6):570-571. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2017.10.028
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Toscano A, Ebo DG, Abbas K, et al.A review of cannabis allergy in the early days of legalization.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2023 Mar;130(3):288-295. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2022.10.016Skypala IJ, Jeimy S, Brucker H, et al.Cannabis-related allergies: an international overview and consensus recommendations.Allergy. 2022. doi:10.1111/all.15237American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Marijuana cannabis allergy.Wong DD, Abbas KF, Grunberg R, Sussman GL.Cannabis allergy: a melting “pot” of clinical manifestations.Am J Allergy Clin Immunol.2018;141(3):AB255. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.810Allergy & Asthma Network.Marijuana allergy is no laughing matter.Faber M, Van Gasse A, Sabato V, et al.Marihuana allergy: beyond the joint.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2015;25(1):70-72.
Toscano A, Ebo DG, Abbas K, et al.A review of cannabis allergy in the early days of legalization.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.2023 Mar;130(3):288-295. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2022.10.016
Skypala IJ, Jeimy S, Brucker H, et al.Cannabis-related allergies: an international overview and consensus recommendations.Allergy. 2022. doi:10.1111/all.15237
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Marijuana cannabis allergy.
Wong DD, Abbas KF, Grunberg R, Sussman GL.Cannabis allergy: a melting “pot” of clinical manifestations.Am J Allergy Clin Immunol.2018;141(3):AB255. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.810
Allergy & Asthma Network.Marijuana allergy is no laughing matter.
Faber M, Van Gasse A, Sabato V, et al.Marihuana allergy: beyond the joint.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2015;25(1):70-72.
Decuyper II, Van gasse AL, Cop N, et al.Cannabis sativa allergy: looking through the fog.Allergy. 2017;72(2):201-206. doi:10.1111/all.13043Silvers WS, Bernard T.The spectrum and prevalence of reactions to marijuana in a Colorado allergy practice.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;119(6):570-571. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2017.10.028
Decuyper II, Van gasse AL, Cop N, et al.Cannabis sativa allergy: looking through the fog.Allergy. 2017;72(2):201-206. doi:10.1111/all.13043
Silvers WS, Bernard T.The spectrum and prevalence of reactions to marijuana in a Colorado allergy practice.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;119(6):570-571. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2017.10.028
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