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John Corrigan, PhD, BrainLine
I had a brain injury more than two years ago. Among other symptoms, I lost my sense of smell. What I’m wondering — as un-PC as this is — is whether I can still get high if I smoke marijuana.
Some people lose some or all of their sense of smell after a traumatic brain injury. However, there is no relationship between losing your ability to smell and the effects that marijuana have on your brain. You should also be aware that marijuana can be especially harmful after a brain injury.
There are many reasons not to use alcohol or illicit drugs, including marijuana after a brain injury. If you use drugs or alcohol, you could:
- Not recover as fully or as quickly
- Have more problems with concentration, memory, or balance
- Increase your risk of seizures
- Increase your risk of having another brain injury.
So, the bottom line is that whether you can smell or not, you shouldn’t being using marijuana.
John D. Corrigan, PhD,
Dr. Corrigan is a professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Ohio State University, and director of the Ohio Valley Center for Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation.
He is the project director for the Ohio Regional Traumatic Brain Injury Model System, a multi-center, longitudinal research program funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Dr. Corrigan chairs the Executive Committee of the TBI Model Systems Project Directors.
He is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. He has served on the Advisory Committee to the National Center on Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is a former member of the boards of directors of the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and the Brain Injury Association of America.
Dr. Corrigan has received local and national awards for his service and research in the field, including the Brain Injury Association of America's William Fields Caveness Award and the 2007 Robert L. Moody Prize.
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Comments [6]
TBI in '79, Coma for 10 days, hospital for 60 days,Rehab, Home school teacher for a semester( quarter in those days ) Kicked out of house for agitated temper explosions, dropped out of H.S.,Lived alone for 8 months, Joined the Navy for all the wrong reasons! (friends(?) brother scored hash in Africa while in the Navy). Got OTH discharge. Screwed all relationships I ever had. Can't hold a job. Can't get a new job in this P.C. clean U.A. society! Have a criminal record as well. So I cannot tell you wether smoking pot is right for you. What I know is that it has not bode well for me and at age 48 I'm quitting 'cause the pot is only getting stronger and I'm too old to continue with it.
As someone who had a TBI more than 25 years ago and as someone who in his teenage years briefly smoked pot (I had my injury when I was ten), I can say for me at least that it completely destroys my ability to concentration and function normally. In the past 15 or so years I might have smoked maybe a half dozen times, and each time I say "never again". Just completely destroys my ability to do anything except have deep thoughts.
That is a flat out LIE! Medicinal Marijuana saved my life!! I had an ABI that should have left me comatose. I was NEVER supposed to even be able to talk again. I am back working full time and have never felt better. I use it to make an herbal butter that I then bake various treats with. It not only got rid of the physical pain and symptoms, but allows my mind to focus. There have been NO adverse side effects - it is truly a miracle drug. Stop believing propaganda!! MARIJUANA IS AN HERBAL MEDICINE THAT HAS BEEN USED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, INCLUDING IN THE US. IT WAS ONLY BANNED WHEN ASPIRIN WAS CREATED AND BIG PHARMA PAID OFF THE US GOVERNMENT!!! QUIT LYING TO PATIENTS!!!!!!!!
As I suffer.. With TBI and other injuties from a car accident. I find THC brings the most relief with out making me wacked out like other pain meds. I need to function with Children. After 2 years of trying perscription pain killers handed out by doctors and the hospital visits. THC has been the safest.
I had my brain injury last year and I still have pain after the injury. I'm in California so I've considered getting a medical marijuana license. This information is helpful if it's a good decision or not.
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I was on a site that stated medical marijuana can help people with tbi and now I read to stay away from it? I am so confused. Then I read these people that were helped by using it. I know for myself that this headache that I have had for 11 months that the only thing that has helped it has been medical marijuana. Percocet, vicodin did not touch it. All the other migraine meds did not nothing. My doctors will not sign the card, so I will be going to someone else who will. This pain is driving me crazy. My tbi was not diagnosed until 5 years after the fact, so my symptoms I am stuck with anyways. I am 10 years into it. So, I am not going to live with this pain if I dont have too!
Jan 31st, 2012 5:27pm