THC in Blood: Can I Be a Blood Donor as a Marijuana User?
- Blood transfusion and blood products help save millions of lives every year
- Blood banks do not test for THC
- Your blood will be tested for your blood type and signs of infectious diseases
The cannabis community is commonly a very generous group that loves to share (the selfless glory of a shared bong can be seen as proof). However, there are more ways to show goodwill to our neighbors. Every year, on June 14th, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day.
Blood transfusion and blood products help save millions of lives every year. It can help patients who are at risk of life-threatening conditions. It also increases quality of life and improves the chances of living to an older age. It enables medical and surgical procedures. This annual event serves to thank voluntary and selfless blood donors for their life-saving blood donation and to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donation for patients who need it.
If you are a regular cannabis user, you may have wondered whether marijuana users can donate blood. In short - the answer is yes. Here is an email query sent by Leafly.com to several national blood donation organizations:
Blood Collection and the Impact of THC
"I am writing an informative article for Leafly.com and wanted to obtain some information about cannabis and blood donation, as June 14th is World Blood Donor Day. Do you test for THC? If so, does the presence of THC make someone unsuitable for blood donation? What advice can you give to a regular cannabis user who would like to donate blood?"
These are the responses we received from Bloodworks Northwest, Cascade Regional Blood Services, and Biomat USA:
"Cannabis use does not affect eligibility to donate blood, unless individuals are assessed as being "under the influence", as may be determined in the screening process. We cannot accept blood from anyone intoxicated by alcohol, cannabis, or prescribed medications, due to the possibility of unreliable history and inability to provide procedural consent. The FDA does not require THC testing during either registration or blood pathogen carrier testing, which is ultimately performed on every donated/accepted blood sample." Bloodworks Northwest
"Blood banks do not test for THC. Unfortunately, I cannot provide any advice to a cannabis user who would like to donate blood. Unfortunately, I could not help you more." Cascade Regional Blood Service
"Your blood will be tested for your blood type and signs of infectious diseases (including hepatitis and HIV). These tests assess donor suitability and are not formal diagnostic tests. Additionally, further tests may be conducted based on your medical records, or a special plasma test may be performed. Donors may also be tested for syphilis, hematocrit, and protein levels." Biomat USA
Drug Tests in Blood
All these responses are quite clear in confirming that no THC testing is required, but we still felt we should spread our nets wider. The American Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the USA, collecting and processing approximately 40% of the entire blood supply, which it then distributes to about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country. To remind ourselves of what we've already discovered, it's possible to review their manual in the frequently asked questions section, which can be found in their brochure.
"While the Red Cross does not support the use of regulated substances, the use of marijuana or alcohol does not necessarily restrict your ability to donate blood as long as you feel well. If you have ever injected illegal drugs in the past, you can never donate blood again." American Red Cross
No one can accuse us of not going the extra mile for our readers. Because this wasn't quite enough for us, we directly contacted the American Red Cross with the same question we had asked before. This is the response we received:
"The American Red Cross does not test for THC. According to current eligibility assessment determined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for blood donation, individuals who are currently under the influence of illegal or prohibited substances or alcohol are not accepted as donors. Legal or illegal marijuana use, on the other hand, is not a reason for deferring blood donation. It is important that donors do not come under the influence of unauthorized or illegal substances. Donors must be generally healthy and feel well at the time of donation. Potential donors should get a good night's sleep, eat well, and drink plenty of fluids at least two hours before donating blood." American Red Cross.
THC in Blood Before Donation
"Feeling well" here can be understood as "not being high". If you are not "under the influence" of marijuana at the time of blood donation, it means that the psychoactive THC compound has already been broken down in your blood. Your body metabolizes THC and breaks it down into two different compounds: 11-OH-THC and 11-nor-9-Carboxy-THC. This process occurs relatively quickly. Liver enzymes continue to metabolize these chemical compounds and convert psychoactive 11-OH-THC into inactive 11-nor-9-Carboxy-THC. This process takes a few hours, after which THC or 11-OH-THC is broken down, causing "sobering up" or the end of the "high" state. So if blood bank staff refuse you because they think you recently consumed cannabis products, it's simply to ensure that your body has eliminated all psychoactive chemicals that could contaminate the donated blood.
In short, if you don't come to donate blood directly under the influence of cannabis, you will be perfectly suitable donors. Don't worry about someone hiding behind a curtain who will jump out and catch you. Simply, you should be prepared for a superficial screening on the day of donation. You will be asked several questions about your medical history and places you have recently traveled. A small physical test may also be conducted, during which your blood pressure and temperature will be measured, and a small sample may be taken to test iron levels. The best advice we can give potential donors is to arrive well-rested, fed, and hydrated on the day of donation. You should also avoid caffeine and alcohol.
An interesting fact we learned from our summer correspondence is that especially in summer months, there can be increased demand for blood donors due to seasonal activities and holidays, which result in fewer people donating blood.
According to the American Red Cross, this seasonal challenge could be overcome if everyone expected on this donor day brings two more people with them.
Source:
Scully, Ross. "Can Cannabis Users Donate Blood?" Leafly, 15 June 2016, www.leafly.com/news/health/can-cannabis-users-donate-blood.
Author:
Ross Scully