Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

12/19/02

Q:
I was wondering, Some people seem to think that marijuana can be healthy in certain helth situations. Can marijuana increase high levels of blood sugar?

A:
Unfortunately, I am not aware of any reported data on effect of marijuana on blood sugar levels. Because of the regulated nature of marijuana, it's approved use in research situations has been more for terminal illnesses, such as cancer. Where blood sugars may elevate would be due to the increased appetite that marijuana is reported to stimulate. This may be satisfied with increased sugar-based foods.