Is Upper Stomach Pain Caused Due To Marijuana?

Posted on Wed, 29 Jan 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 Answered on

Sat, 15 Feb 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I have been smoking marijauna all my life. when i was 33 i had an ulcer, now anytime i get sick enough to throw up just one time i get extreme pains in my upper stomach just below my ribs and the only way to get it stopped is with a shot of moriphine from the ER ive had this happen about five times since i was thirty three and i am now fourty eight...but it has happened twice in say five months now. the emergency doctor the other night told me it could be related to the pot. ive never heard that before and am wondering if thats true??

Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh (5 hours later)

Brief Answer: True to some extent. Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome to Healthcare Magic! The doctor in the emergency room was right to some extent. Smoking anything, whether tobacco or marijuana, increases one's risk of developing peptic ulcers and prevents healing of pre-existing ulcers. The chemicals in marijuana may not have much to do with your ulcers and the exacerbation you suffer periodically. In fact, in most animal studies, chemicals in marijuana, when administered in low doses orally, have been shown to have a protective effect on the lining of the gastro-intestinal tract. But when the mode of ingestion is smoking, human studies have found mostly adverse effects. The damage would even be worse if you mix tobacco in your joints, as nicotine itself worsens gastric ulcers. I hope this clears up things for you. Please feel free to ask in case you need any clarifications. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar