Cannabis Users May Need More Sedation for GI Procedures

This narrative review found that cannabis users frequently need higher doses of propofol and other sedatives for GI endoscopy. Inhalation-based cannabis use is associated with airway hyperreactivity, increasing the risk of bronchospasm and laryngospasm. Cardiovascular effects including tachycardia and hypertension may also complicate sedation. Acute intoxication can impair the ability to provide informed consent.

Narrative review summarizing existing literature on the pharmacology of cannabis and its implications for sedation during GI endoscopy procedures.

With cannabis use increasingly common, sedation providers for routine procedures like colonoscopies need to anticipate altered drug responses in cannabis users. The practical implications for dosing, airway management, and consent are directly relevant to clinical practice.

As cannabis legalization expands, the proportion of patients presenting for procedures with recent cannabis exposure will continue to grow, making this a routine rather than exceptional clinical consideration.

Narrative review without systematic methodology. Most evidence comes from case reports and small studies. Effects during routine screening procedures may differ from complex therapeutic endoscopy.