Review highlights safety concerns for cannabis users: mood, suicidality, heart effects, and drug interactions | Research

The takeaway

A narrative review outlines four key safety concerns for cannabis users: effects on mood symptoms, associations with suicidal ideation, cardiovascular effects, and drug interactions, arguing that healthcare professionals need to be more aware of these risks as legalization expands.

Healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and cannabis users interested in safety information.

Four major safety domains: mood, suicidality, cardiovascular effects, and drug interactions

What the researchers found

The review identifies four major safety domains: (1) cannabis effects on mood symptoms beyond the well-known psychoactive effects, (2) associations with suicidal ideation that are still being uncovered, (3) cardiovascular system effects that extend beyond the central nervous system, and (4) clinically significant drug interactions that may affect patients on other medications.

Why it matters

With an increasing number of US states authorizing cannabis use, many healthcare providers lack knowledge about these safety concerns. This review provides a practical overview of risks that clinicians need to consider when caring for patients who use cannabis.

The numbers in context

Four safety domains reviewed: mood symptoms, suicidality, cardiovascular effects, drug interactions. Cannabis is the most used federally illicit substance in the US.

How the study worked

Narrative review synthesizing current evidence on cannabis safety across four domains: mood effects, suicidality, cardiovascular effects, and drug interactions, aimed at informing healthcare professionals as legal access expands.

What this study cannot tell us

Narrative review without systematic methodology. Does not quantify the magnitude of each risk. May not capture the most recent evidence in rapidly evolving fields. Does not differentiate between THC and CBD safety profiles in detail.

How to read the evidence

Narrative review aimed at clinical education, synthesizing multiple evidence sources without systematic methodology.

When this study was published

Published in 2025.

The bigger picture

The review highlights a critical gap: cannabis is widely used but its safety profile remains poorly characterized compared to other medications. The cardiovascular and drug interaction concerns are particularly underpublicized, as most public discourse focuses on psychoactive and addiction-related effects.

Questions still open

What are the most clinically significant drug interactions with cannabis? Is the cardiovascular risk dose-dependent? How should clinicians screen for and communicate these risks to patients?

Common questions

What cardiovascular risks does cannabis carry?

The review notes that cannabinoids have effects outside the central nervous system, including on the cardiovascular system. These effects are still being fully characterized but represent an emerging safety concern.

Does cannabis interact with other medications?

Yes. Cannabis components, particularly CBD, can affect liver enzymes that metabolize many common medications, potentially altering their blood levels and effectiveness. This is an underrecognized concern for patients on multiple medications.

Read the original research

Safety considerations for patients using cannabis.

The mental health clinician, 15(6), 267-274

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Dugan, Sara E. (2025). Safety considerations for patients using cannabis.. The mental health clinician, 15(6), 267-274. https://doi.org/10.9740/mhc.2025.12.267