Marijuana and Prozac should not be combined because of the dangerous interactions that occur in the body when both are used simultaneously.
Marijuana is a common drug that is a Schedule I controlled substance at the federal level. Nonetheless, some states have legalized it for recreational or medicinal use. Prozac is one of the most common antidepressants in the United States, with almost 22 million prescriptions written for it in 2017. Given that both marijuana and Prozac are both common substances, some may wonder if it is safe to take them together.
Adverse Interactions between Marijuana and Prozac
Marijuana has several drug interactions. These are often due to the presence of the chemical cannabidiol, or CBD, in the marijuana.
In your body, Prozac is primarily broken down by a liver enzyme called CYP2D6. However, CBD interferes with this process so that CYP2D6 cannot break down the Prozac as it normally would. As a result, Prozac levels in your body may increase.
Serotonin Syndrome
Too-high doses of Prozac can increase your risk for a potentially fatal medical condition called serotonin syndrome, where the serotonin levels in your body get too high. Serotonin syndrome is a medical emergency.
Symptoms include:
- Mental status changes
- Rapid heartbeat
- Dizziness
- Muscle problems
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If you suspect someone has serotonin syndrome you should seek medical help immediately.
Other Issues Arising from Smoking Marijuana While on Prozac
Another issue with mixing marijuana and Prozac is that mixing an antidepressant with a mood-altering drug can make it difficult for your doctor to determine whether or not Prozac is working. It can also be tougher to see any side effects or determine if Prozac is the appropriate treatment for you. You may have symptoms that your doctor attributes to the Prozac, when in reality they’re stemming from the marijuana use.
For example, anxiety is a side effect of marijuana use in some people. If you are on Prozac and mention anxiety to your doctor, he or she may think it is due to the Prozac, when it may be due to the marijuana. For this reason, your doctor may encourage you to stop taking marijuana, at least for a period of time to determine if there is a change in mood and symptoms.
Summing Up — Marijuana and Prozac
So, to conclude, is it safe to smoke weed while on Prozac? Because of a drug interaction between marijuana and Prozac, Prozac levels in your body may increase. This can be unsafe and increase your risk of serotonin syndrome, which is an immediate medical emergency.
Combining marijuana and Prozac may also make it more difficult to determine whether your medicine is working, or how it’s treating your symptoms.
It’s important that you’re able to talk with your doctor about your symptoms of depression and whether or not your medicine needs to be changed or readjusted. With marijuana use, it’s difficult to decipher what is the result of marijuana and what’s the result of Prozac.
ClinCalc. “Fluoxetine Hydrochloride,” Accessed June 27, 2020.
Government of the District of Columbia Department of Health. “Medical Cannabis Adverse Effects & Drug Interactions,” Accessed June 27, 2020.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Marijuana Research Report: What are marijuana’s effects?” April 2020. Accessed June 27, 2020.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Prozac,” April 28, 2020. Accessed June 27, 2020.
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