Does Weed Make You Poop? A Look Into the Digestive Properties of Cannabis

We all have that friend—as soon as they take a puff or two from the joint, they’re headed for the toilet. You and your friends have a good laugh at their misfortune, but for your friend, it kind of sucks. 

Sure, your friend catches up on plenty of doom-scrolling; however, needing to hit the bathroom every time they want just to hang out and blaze is super inconvenient. Plus, it’s always weird when you have to blow up someone else’s toilet. This phenomenon isn’t just a funny anecdote you and your friends laugh about; science also backs it up. 

There are various connections certain cannabinoids have with the gastrointestinal system (GI), in coordination with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS) and endocannabinoidome (eCBome). However, do we know for certain if consuming weed creates the immediate urge to poop?

The GI Tract and the ECS

ECS cannabinoid receptors (CB1 & CB2) in the brain correspond with the GI tract, synthesizing enzymes, and processing endocannabinoids. The endocannabinoids then modulate signals from neurotransmitters in the brain and throughout the nervous system. Weed stimulates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates involuntary bodily functions such as digestion—potentially leading to increased activity in the gut and bowels. 

Smoking cannabis may also put more pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which pushes stomach contents back into the esophagus. Researchers continue to observe that certain cannabis consumers experience more acid reflux symptoms.

Factors That May Affect Digestion After Consuming

Study data also proposes that digestive issues such as constipation, diarrhea, and other GI symptoms are more common among cannabis consumers. However, the reality of most of the related data is that these phenomena exist on a reverse causal basis. Data show it is more likely for those with GI disorders to seek out cannabis for relief, especially after insufficient therapies.

Furthermore, everybody’s bodies are different—genetics, diet, age, sex, and health ultimately being the X factors when it comes to GI activities and cannabis. 

Dose, Frequency, and Cannabinoid Composition

How much and how often you smoke affects things more than you think. Cannabinoids like THC and cannabidiol (CBD) correspond to the CB1 receptor the most, with interactions in the GI tract. 

Although we know CBD doesn’t agonize CB1 directly like THC does, it can still change its shape and the way it works.

Tetrahydrocannabinol & GI Activity

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) effectively slows the movement of digested food (motility) through the stomach (delayed gastric emptying) and the whole gastrointestinal tract. It also shows a connection in slowing down colonic tone, the tension that colonic muscles use to move and store contents, and pain perception.

These muscles contract to store contents or relax to expand. High tone causes diarrhea, while low colonic tone is related to constipation. Some consumers who experience these effects may also carry a predisposition toward constipation or bloating.

Other researchers find that cannabinoids like THC can stimulate an involuntary relaxation of the intestinal muscles, possibly causing the urge to poop. Cannabinoids don’t always act like a colonic brake or accelerator—they can do either, depending on how much someone consumes and where in the gut they act. Studies also show that THC may kick-start the parasympathetic functions responsible for ‘getting the digestive juices flowing’.

Inflammation also affects gut motility by activating CB2 receptors, which regulate movement through the GI tract. Consumers with gut issues such as colitis or irritable bowel disease (IBD) may be more susceptible to the urge to poop after consuming for these reasons.

CBD Works With Multiple ECS and eCBome Receptors

CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid and doesn’t produce the high that THC does. Some studies find that CBD calms an overactive gut more than it slows down an atypical one. 

This dynamic cannabinoid also appears to protect the gut—specifically when stressed, inflamed, or even when high, based on pre-clinical trials. Cumulative studies show that CBD interacts with multiple receptors (e.g., CB1, CB2, TRPV1, PPAR) to reduce inflammation in the gut.

However, several other studies also demonstrate CBD’s side effects. GI issues such as diarrhea are the most common side effects found with oral ingestion of CBD oil. Diarrhea is the most common side effect of orally ingested CBD oil, appearing in 59.5% of cases studied.

Elsewhere, a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study shows diarrhea as a common side effect of CBD oil ingestion as well. This could help those with constipation or gastroparesis issues. Gastroparesis is a GI affliction whereby stomach muscles have difficulty emptying food into the small intestine—usually resulting in bloating, cramping, and sometimes nausea. 

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Clinical studies also show that CBD counteracts slow stomach emptying, by speeding up the tract. Overall, the consensus seems that CBD modulates and balances stomach activity that favors faster gut movement in the human GI tract.  

CBG Is More Direct In Its Approach to Gut Management

Cannabigerol (CBG) is another phytocannabinoid that isn’t psychoactive, similar to CBD. High-CBG hemp oil reduces gut inflammation and eases symptoms of gut issues like colitis and IBD. For example, in a first-of-its-kind 2022 clinical survey, IBS and IBD patients report that CBG-dominant cannabis is better and more effective than their standard medications.

Earlier pre-clinical studies show that CBG affects gut motility, depending on the dosage and the site of action. CBG has a direct bond to the CB1, CB2, PPARY, and serotonin receptors, potentially creating a more immediate approach to managing gut issues. This direct approach can potentially provide pain relief in the gut, as well as antibacterial properties that can benefit microorganisms in the gut microbiome.  

Certain Strains May Affect Digestion and GI Activity

Smoking strains high in THC will definitely make you high, whether they make you poop is another story! As mentioned, THC can sometimes cause consumers to have a more relaxed gut and bowels. This phenomenon can prompt activity leading to a run for the toilet, but are there any strain types in particular that cause it?

Strains high in CBD and CBG are typically used to help relax bowels and gut activity—thereby speeding them up in a dose-dependent way. Studies show some people are more prone to get it—ie, the runs—when they ingest them, but usually by oils and tinctures, more so since it’s easier to take in larger quantities and coats the gut lining.

Terpenes May Determine If It’s Time For Number Two

Terpenes—the natural aromatic compounds in cannabis—also shape its overall effects. Myrcene is a terpene linked to the ‘couch-lock’ effect found with many indica strains. Limonene is a terpene known to manage digestion. Consumers who puff on strains high in myrcene and limonene are also relaxing their gut activity—possibly facilitating a run to the facilities. 

So to answer the question, no, there hasn’t been a strain of weed singled out as making those who consume it have to poop, but there are strains that have certain cannabinoids, potencies, and terpenes that may lead to it. The good news is, terpenes like limonene also confer protection against GERD, ulcers, gut alcohol damage, and gastric inflammation.

Inhalation Itself May Even Make You Poop

Inhaling through the diaphragm is a simple way to activate the digestive system portion of the parasympathetic nervous system, eventually creating the urge to poop. Deep inhalation of THC-heavy cannabis reverses the lower heart rate from diaphragmatic breathing by increasing heart rate through its psychoactive effects. The resulting eased mental state could also lead to the urge as well. 

READ: Using Cannabis to Nourish Your Gut Health

Mental State, Diet & Overall Gut Health Greatly Affect Whether Weed Will Make You Poop

Consumers who already suffer from GI issues are probably going to have to poop, regardless of whatever strain of weed is in the joint they’re smoking. Sufferers of colitis and IBD are already susceptible to vulnerability in their bowels, so adding in high-THC psychoactive cannabis at a large dose is bound to stir some stuff up—especially if your tolerance is lower. A cannabis consumer’s mental state is also a determinant; a stressed-out vibe can certainly lead to stressed-out bowels. 

A diet consisting of fatty, sugary foods (especially with artificial sweetener) is also asking for regular visits to the porcelain throne. Processed foods, spicy foods, caffeinated foods, chocolate, and dairy products can also trigger similar feelings in the gut. Sometimes, ‘the munchies’ go hand-in-hand with consuming cannabis for better or worse. 

Sure, that bag of onion rings washed down with a large cola hits the spot right after your smoke session, but they can both also lead to a serious poop session not long afterwards. These types of foods trigger bowel contractions that lead to more frequent and urgent bowel movements. 

There Are Many Factors At Play

Clinical studies determining whether weed makes you need to poop after consuming probably isn’t the way that researchers phrase it when they seek grants to uncover more secrets that cannabinoids contain. Research in this area lacks grants because cannabis remains federally illegal, and the current administration defunded science. 

Cannabinoids & Terpenes Affect the Digestive System

But, with the data that are currently available, there exist many correlations we discussed between slow (delayed gastric emptying or constipation) and fast (the immediate urge to poop) motility in the GI tract and digestive system. These findings show that cannabinoids like THC, CBD, and CBG could help manage gut issues—though mostly by speeding things up. 

Other cannabis compounds, like terpenes, also affect digestion in both directions. Even just the deep inhalation and relaxation required for smoking cannabis shows a correlation with the urge to poop. 

The Biggest Factors At Play Are Subjective

These dynamics may certainly play a role in the question posed in this particular poop-forward piece; however, an individual’s tolerance, stress levels, diet, and genetics related to gut issues most likely have the biggest effect on whether they’re going to miss much of the 3rd quarter in ‘the john’ after smoking that halftime doink.