If you use cannabis regularly, you could require up to 220 per cent more sedation during medical procedures.

A US research group of physicians in Colorado found that people who smoked or ingested cannabis on a daily or weekly basis required a higher dosage of sedation in hospital.

Dr. Mark Twardowski, of the Western Medical Associates Centre for Bone Health, who led the research says it’s particularly dangerous as a higher sedation level can affect respiratory function while sedated.

Dr. Twardowski says cannabis has some metabolic effects that aren’t fully understood and they are unsure why it would have adverse side affects. He thinks the study opens a ‘Pandora’s Box’ as they saw similar effects across several different types of medicines.

His team saw side effects involving the interaction with Cannabis and benzodiazepines as well as Versed, which makes them wonder if it will have effects on people with certain psychiatric illnesses who are being treated with those medicines.

Dr. Twardowski says if you consume or smoke cannabis, make sure you are upfront with your physician or health care provider.

The findings are published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Listen to Dr. Twardowski’s talk with VOCM’s Jolene Grimes here: