Why Does Marijuana Cause Dry Mouth? Leaf Science 25.01.2018
Marijuana causes a dry mouth because it
blocks the glands that produce saliva.
In the past, some people believed that cotton
mouth was caused by inhalation of irritating
smoke.
However, we now know that marijuana
affects the salivary glands directly.
This explains why you can get cotton mouth
even if you vaporise or eat your marijuana.
The endocannabinoid system
Marijuana causes a dry mouth because of the
way it acts on the endocannabinoid system.
Cotton mouth, also known as “the pasties”, is
a side effect of marijuana that causes a dry
mouth.
While having a dry mouth can be unpleasant,
there are some remedies that can help reduce
the symptoms.
Marijuana causes cotton mouth because THC,
the active ingredient in marijuana, binds to
receptors in the salivary glands and causes
them to be less active.
Here, we examine the science behind
marijuana and cotton mouth, and go over
some preventative measures and home
remedies for this common side effect.
Marijuana and Dry Mouth
Dry mouth, also called xerostomia, is a
common side effect of many drugs and
medications, including marijuana.
The effect is thought to be dose-dependent,
meaning it is stronger if you consume more
marijuana.
The endocannabinoid system is composed of
cannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors.
Cannabinoid receptors are found in many
pathways in the body, and have diverse
effects.
They can respond to both plant cannabinoids,
such as those found in marijuana, or
endogenous cannabinoids found in the body.
The endocannabinoid system is thought to
regulate the way other systems in the body
work.
Marijuana inhibits saliva production
Cannabinoid receptors are found on the
submandibular glands — a pair of glands
located beneath the floor of the mouth that are
responsible for producing about 70% of our
saliva.
When THC binds to these receptors, messages
from the parasympathetic nervous system that
normally tell the submandibular glands to
produce saliva are blocked.
This means the glands produce less saliva,
resulting in a dry mouth.
Interestingly, cannabinoids are believed to
block messages from the parasympathetic
nervous system in two ways, by binding to
receptors in salivary glands as well as
receptors in the brain where the signals
originate from.