A review of the literature found cannabis can cause a range of underrecognized skin problems including contact dermatitis, urticaria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and cannabis-induced arteritis.
dermatologists, allergists, primary care clinicians, cannabis users experiencing unexplained skin reactions
What the researchers found
Cannabis use has been associated with multiple dermatological conditions including allergic contact dermatitis, urticaria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and cannabis-induced arteritis. The endocannabinoid system's role in skin homeostasis provides a biological basis for these reactions, which remain underrecognized and underreported in clinical practice.
Why it matters
As cannabis use increases, clinicians need to recognize it as a potential cause of skin conditions. Many of these reactions may be misdiagnosed because cannabis is not considered as an etiologic agent.
The numbers in context
Literature from 2000-2024 reviewed. Conditions identified: allergic contact dermatitis, urticaria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, cannabis-induced arteritis. Sources: PubMed and Scopus databases.
How the study worked
Traditional narrative review sourcing peer-reviewed articles from PubMed and Scopus published between 2000 and 2024, selecting studies that directly addressed dermatological outcomes of cannabis use.
What this study cannot tell us
Narrative review based primarily on case reports and small case series. No systematic search methodology or quality assessment. Cannot determine incidence rates. Publication bias likely favors unusual or severe reactions.
How to read the evidence
Narrative review based largely on case reports without systematic methodology or quality assessment, placing evidence at preliminary.
When this study was published
Reviews literature from 2000 to 2024.
The bigger picture
This review highlights an underappreciated aspect of cannabis safety. While most cannabis research focuses on respiratory, cognitive, or psychiatric effects, dermatological reactions represent a distinct set of adverse effects that may become more common with increasing use.
Questions still open
- How common are cannabis-related skin reactions in the general population of users?
- Are certain cannabis products or routes of administration more likely to cause skin reactions?
Common questions
Can cannabis cause allergic skin reactions?
What is cannabis arteritis?
Read the original research
Cannabis and Dermatological Implications: A Traditional Review of Adverse Cutaneous Reactions and Systemic Risks.
Cureus, 17(4), e82711
Citation
Shrivastava, Shitij; Shrivastava, Shashwat; Shrestha, Monika; Mahaju, Satyam. (2025). Cannabis and Dermatological Implications: A Traditional Review of Adverse Cutaneous Reactions and Systemic Risks.. Cureus, 17(4), e82711. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.82711
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