Can you use marijuana if you take oxycodone?

Both cannabis and oxycodone (Oxycontin), a prescription opioid medication, are commonly used to help relieve pain. However, combining them can increase your risk of certain side effects, including sedation and slow or shallow breathing, which can be dangerous. Mixing them may also make oxycodone’s effects last longer than intended.

Before using cannabis and oxycodone together, speak with your doctor or a Leafwell pharmacist. It’s important to know how they may interact with each other in order to treat pain safely. 

Disclaimer: If you are taking oxycodone or any other opioid, consider speaking with your doctor or pharmacist about having naloxone (Narcan) on hand. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.

What is oxycodone?

Oxycodone is a prescription opioid medication used to treat severe pain. It’s usually prescribed when other pain-relieving medications are not effective or well-tolerated.

Oxycodone is the generic name for Oxycontin, an extended-release formulation of oxycodone. Other brand names and products that contain oxycodone include:

• Percocet: A combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen
• Percodan: A combination of oxycodone and aspirin
• Roxicodone: An immediate-release form of oxycodone

Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This means that it has a high potential for dependence or misuse, despite having a legitimate medical purpose.

How does oxycodone work?

Oxycodone belongs to a class of medications known as opioids. Opioids work by attaching to nerve cells in your brain, spinal cord, and other parts of your body to block pain signals from reaching your brain. This helps ease your perception of pain.

This process can also trigger the release of dopamine, a brain chemical that is related to pleasure and reward. Because of this, oxycodone can contribute to intoxicating effects, such as:

• Euphoria
• Sedation  

Oxycodone comes with potential risks and side effects, such as:

• Dry mouth
• Stomach pain
• Constipation
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Headache
• Confusion

More serious potential risks and side effects include:

• Sedation
• Difficulty breathing, or slow, shallow breathing
• Loss of consciousness
• Weakness 
• Hallucinations
• Nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
• Skin changes like rash, itching, or hives
• Swelling
• Seizures
• Dependency
• Fatal overdose

Your doctor will help you come up with a dosage plan that helps minimize these risks.

Is it safe to mix oxycodone and weed?

Combining cannabis and oxycodone may put you at an increased risk for:

• Low blood pressure
• Dry mouth
• Confusion
• Drowsiness
• Sedation
• Slow or shallow breathing

Cannabis can also inhibit liver enzymes that help your body break down and metabolize oxycodone. This means that taking them together may make the effects of oxycodone and cannabis last longer and feel stronger than intended.

In some cases, doctors may recommend cannabis as an alternative option for pain relief, and to potentially help you decrease your oxycodone dose. But more research is needed to confirm that it’s a safe and effective option. 

Adding cannabis to your treatment plan for pain is not without risks. Speak with your healthcare provider or Leafwell pharmacist for personal guidance.

Can you take oxycodone and CBD at the same time?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a nonintoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis. It’s commonly used to help with:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Inflammation
• Pain

Combining CBD with oxycodone may increase the risk of certain side effects, such as:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth

Like other compounds in cannabis, CBD may inhibit liver enzymes that help your body metabolize oxycodone. This can make the effects of CBD and oxycodone feel stronger and last longer than expected.

Benefits of combining oxycodone and cannabis

While early research is ongoing, some preliminary studies have looked at combining opioids and cannabis for pain relief. In highly controlled settings, this combination may offer certain benefits:

• Increased pain relief: A small study found that using cannabis with oxycodone may enhance pain relief. However, this may also increase the risk of sedation and other harmful side effects.
• Potential to reduce opioid dosage: Some observational research suggests that people who use medical cannabis may be able to lower their opioid intake. However, this approach must be medically supervised to avoid complications.

Important: Combining cannabis and opioids always increases the risk of side effects like sedation, confusion, and respiratory depression. Always consult your doctor before trying to combine them for pain relief.

How to take weed and oxycodone

If you’re prescribed oxycodone, ask your doctor if it’s safe to mix it with cannabis. They may help you come up with a treatment plan that helps lower the risk of side effects.

If your doctor has approved using both oxycodone and cannabis, here are some general precautions that may help lower the risk of an interaction: 

• Start low and go slow: Start by taking low doses of cannabis and oxycodone. Only gradually increase each dose under your doctor’s supervision until you reach the desired results.
• Space out your doses: Consider taking cannabis and oxycodone at different times of day to lower the risk of an interaction. Take into account the cannabis consumption method and oxycodone formulation you’re taking. Each can have a different onset time and duration of effects. 
• Ask about other medications: If you’re taking any other medications, ask your doctor if they’re safe to combine with oxycodone and cannabis.

These suggestions do not replace medical advice from your doctor.

The takeaway: Speak with your healthcare provider before combining cannabis and oxycodone

Taking cannabis and oxycodone together can increase the risk of certain side effects, such as drowsiness, confusion, and slow or shallow breathing. It may also cause the effects of oxycodone to last longer than expected, potentially increasing the risk of overdose.

While some people may find that cannabis helps manage pain and reduces their reliance on opioids, combining them should only be done under a doctor’s guidance.

If you’re prescribed oxycodone, speak with your doctor or a Leafwell pharmacist before you combine it with cannabis.

Resources

• Cannabinoid interactions with cytochrome P450 drug metabolism: A full-spectrum characterization. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34181150/
• Cannabis versus opioids for pain. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573080/
• Changes in prescribed opioid dosages among patients receiving medical cannabis for chronic pain, New York State, 2017-2019. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2800813?resultClick=1
• Chronic cannabinoid exposure produces tolerance to the dopamine releasing effects of WIN 55, 212-2 and heroin in adult male rats. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028390820304421
• Cytochrome P450-mediated changes in oxycodone pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and their clinical implications. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23605691/
• Impact of co-administration of oxycodone and smoked cannabis on analgesia and abuse liability. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6098090/
• Oxycodone. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682132.html
• Oxycodone self-administration in female rats is enhanced by ∆⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, but not by cannabidiol, in a progressive ratio procedure. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10634900/
• Prescription of controlled substances: Benefits and risks. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537318/

Get Your Medical Card

Connect with a licensed physician online in minutes.

• 

  Larger purchase limits

• 

  Access to higher potency strains

• 

  Save up to 40% on product taxes

• 

  Enhanced legal protection

Select State

Get started