Can you donate blood plasma by smoking weed?

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.

Blood donations are essential for the health system. Of the millions of people around the world who are eligible to donate blood or plasma, only a few thousand do. Some are willing to do this but have doubts about whether they qualify or not due to some habits.

Currently, cannabis is making waves and gaining traction among different age groups. Many are now wondering if their regular use of the drug could interfere with life-saving plasma donations. A simple answer is that cannabis users can donate as much needed blood as possible to those in need. In addition, they may choose to store their blood and plasma in blood banks for future use. However, that doesn’t mean you can show up to the hospital high. Health care workers have orders to turn away intoxicated donors.

Photo by Nguyen Hiep via Unsplash

Everyone knows that blood donations are needed to keep healthcare facilities running. It takes less than twenty minutes to donate half a liter of blood. Hundreds of thousands of lives are saved annually by these blood packs that arrive at the right time. Patients with chronic diseases or accident victims are the main users of these drugs.

One study found that every five seconds, at least two American hospital residents need blood transfusions.

blood plasma

Blood plasma is the liquid yellow part of blood. It contains proteins, blood cells and other essential blood components. You can observe the blood plasma for a few moments after the donated blood is separated. This part of the blood is valuable for the health management of critically ill patients. They are mainly requested for patients with trauma or heavy bleeding.

The purpose of blood plasma infusions is to regulate the patient’s electrolytes while preventing further infections from developing. These cells also help regulate the body’s protein counts and help detect, localize, and fight existing diseases. Any hospital and blood bank is always advised to store a significant amount of plasma and blood.

blood plasma donations

Donating blood plasma is more or less the same process as donating whole blood. Health experts say the process is healthy for donors. The body replenishes the donated cells. Some studies have shown that donating blood or plasma impairs the donor’s cardiovascular health and limits the likelihood of obesity and cancer growth.

In order to separate plasma from whole blood, the blood drawn is passed through a high-tech device. Only the liquid protein in the donor blood is separated from the whole blood. The remaining components, including the platelets and red blood cells, are returned to the donor’s body. The separation distinguishes this process from regular blood donations.

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Plasmas must be frozen within one day of collection. If left at room temperature, the cells will begin to clot and become unusable. If stored properly, the plasma can be kept for a year. When they are needed for transfusions, they are then thawed.

Requirements for plasma donors

There are guidelines for blood and plasma donations. Before this can happen, the donor must meet the standard requirements. As expected, the most important criterion must be impeccable health.

Many states inside and outside the US require donors to be at least 16 years old. Younger donors may only donate blood if their legal guardians agree. The minimum weight for donors is 110 pounds (about 50 kilograms).

Photo by Nguyen Hiep via Unsplash

Note that blood can only be donated by the same person every eight weeks. On the other hand, plasma can be donated every four weeks – a maximum of 13 times a year. Platelets can be donated once a week, but no more than 24 times a year.

Cannabis use and plasma donations

Cannabis users may only donate blood if the following conditions are met:

• Do not smoke for at least 24 hours before donating. This ensures that the donated blood does not contain any active THC.
• No consumption of cannabis edibles for at least two days prior to donation. Your system should be free of residual THC in plasma. Cannabis edibles take the longest to break down and leave the bloodstream.
• Plasma donors who are drunk or high at the time of donation are at risk of developing low blood pressure. Persons with hypotension or low blood pressure will not be admitted to donate blood or plasma.

The above preliminary measures are standard in hospitals worldwide.

Weed smokers can donate plasma

Critics like to argue that the blood of cannabis users is unsuitable for blood transfusions. They have indicated that babies, infants, toddlers and adolescents who receive such blood plasmas are at risk. However, no study has supported this claim.

Scientists have claimed that the 24-hour interval between cannabis use and blood donation is the most critical factor in preventing the psychoactive cannabis compound from being indirectly transmitted to the other person.

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The application frequency does not change the preliminary guidelines. Chronic and occasional cannabis users can donate plasma as long as they meet the requirements above. Studies have shown that donor-recipients feel no effects from plasma infused with cannabis. Simply put, the amount of the psychoactive compound THC in the donor’s blood is unimportant.

Photo by Ben Harding/Getty Images

Synthetic cannabis users are put on a different pedestal. This person cannot donate blood or plasma if they smoke regularly or consume synthetic cannabinoids such as Spice, also known as K2. K2 is an artificial, lab-discovered marijuana product that has been labeled unfit for human consumption. Marinol is another synthetic cannabis product, but it is FDA approved.

Summary

Based on researched evidence, consumers of natural cannabis are eligible to donate these vital blood components, while users of new psychoactive substances such as Marinol and K2 are not.

Information like this is necessary for cannabis users around the world to be aware of their ability to donate blood and plasma to save their families, friends, acquaintances and even strangers through blood banks.

The number of people who come to donate each year is already tiny. However, with this knowledge, misconceptions about cannabis users’ blood can be dispelled and they can finally stop wondering whether or not they can give blood and plasma to people in need.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been republished with permission.