Does cannabis interact with birth control?

Birth control, also known as contraception, refers to methods that can help prevent pregnancy. Hormonal birth control refers to options that affect your hormones to prevent ovulation or fertilization.

Common forms of hormonal birth control include:

• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills): This oral medication prevents ovulation, and is usually taken once a day.
• Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs): This device is inserted into the uterus to prevent fertilization and sometimes suppresses ovulation. There are also nonhormonal copper IUDs, which work by creating a hostile environment for sperm and eggs.
• Injections (birth control shots): This hormone injection helps  prevent ovulation, and is usually given once every 3 months.

If you use hormonal birth control, it’s important to know how it may interact with cannabis. Continue reading to learn about any potential risks of combining them.

Do cannabis and birth control interact?

Research on a potential interaction between cannabis and hormonal birth control is limited. That said, combining cannabis and hormonal birth control may increase some health risks.

Both cannabis and hormonal birth control affect certain hormone-related processes in the body, as well as your overall health.

Compounds in cannabis called cannabinoids interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system. This system helps regulate many functions, including hormonal balance, bone health, and mood.

Hormonal birth control works by lowering certain hormones in your body that trigger ovulation. Depending on the type of birth control used, these hormones — usually estrogen and progesterone — also help regulate other body functions, including your:

• Menstrual cycle
• Mood
• Libido
• Energy levels
• Bone health
• Overall well-being

Although both cannabis and hormonal birth control affect some of the same bodily functions, we don’t yet know exactly how they interact with each other.

Cannabis may inhibit liver enzymes that help your body break down certain hormonal birth control products, including oral contraceptives. This might cause some hormones to build up in your body, which could lead to a hormonal imbalance.

IUDs, including hormonal IUDs, are not broken down by these enzymes, so cannabis is unlikely to affect them in the same way.

Does cannabis make birth control less effective?

Due to limited research, there’s no evidence that suggests using cannabis lowers the effectiveness of any form of birth control.

That said, it’s still possible that cannabis use could have an effect on birth control. But since both are so widely used, experts would likely have noticed a connection by now if it were an issue.

Can you smoke weed on birth control?

Hormonal birth control may increase your risk of heart problems, which is why those who take it are advised not to smoke cigarettes.

Some research suggests that smoking cannabis is associated with an increased risk of heart issues, especially with frequent use.

Because of this, consuming a different form of cannabis may be your safest bet if you have concerns about heart health. Alternatives to smoking cannabis include:

• Edibles
• Tinctures
• Capsules

Vaporizers are another popular option, but there’s not enough research yet to know how this method affects heart health compared to smoking.

Can you take CBD and birth control together?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a nonintoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis. It’s often used to help manage certain health issues, including:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Inflammation
• Pain

Again, research is limited on how CBD and hormonal birth control may interact. Like other cannabis compounds, CBD may inhibit enzymes that help your body break down certain types of hormonal birth control, which could potentially impact hormone levels.

The bottom line: There’s limited research on how cannabis interacts with birth control

Cannabis is unlikely to make hormonal birth control less effective. That said, because research is limited, it’s possible that using both together may carry certain risks, including hormonal imbalances and heart-related issues.

If you use both cannabis and hormonal birth control, speak with your doctor or a Leafwell pharmacist for personalized guidance on combining them safely.

Resources

• Association of cannabis use with cardiovascular outcomes among US adults. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.030178
• Cannabinoid interactions with cytochrome P450 drug metabolism: A full-spectrum characterization. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34181150/
• Combined oral contraceptives as victims of drug interactions. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10197201/
• Endocannabinoids and the endocrine system in health and disease. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6813821/
• Hormonal contraceptives in women with hypertension. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8528006/
• Role of cannabinoids in the regulation of bone remodeling. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3499879/
• Role of endocannabinoid signaling in anxiety and depression. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3808114/

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