Can you smoke after donating blood?

I don’t do drugs, but I can tell you the effect of cigarettes is amplified. I would be very careful.

I’m not sure that’s something you want to experiment with…

You’ll feel a lot more high, but it won’t be quite the same sort of high.
I’d wait a day or so. I mean, it won’t hurt you*, but it’s sort of strange.

*I’m not a doctor.

I’ve never donated blood before but I doubt that you’d die.

don’t give blood. that’s gross.

@eponymoushipster Kidding, right? Please?

@lefteh no, it’s nasty. more people get sick from transfused blood than get well. there’s too many possible problems (wrong type, disease, etc). no thanks.

What is really recommended after donating blood is rehydrating yourself with plenty of fluids such as water and juices. The liquid intake won’t make you high but at least your body will feel better and be healthier because of it.

@eponymoushipster if you still have time to edit, and you wish to prevent this question from becoming a debate on which you are the only, or nearly the only, person defending a futile argument, change what you said to “yes, I was just kidding.”

I have never tried this, but I don’t imagine it would be a ‘better’ high at all, though very possible a ‘different’ kind of high.

@petethepothead not kidding. not looking for an argument. just stating my opinion.

@eponymoushipster: You better hope you’re never in need of some extra blood. Or would you consider it when you’re hemorrhaging?

Maybe if you’re on fire…

@asmonet nope. wouldn’t. most times, you need to increase volume, which can be done with blood substitutes, and then use medications to stimulate the production of your own blood.

i’m not looking for an argument, thanks!

It’s not really an argument. I was looking for a discussion, if you don’t want in on that, your loss. :)

Just a tidbit, disease is highly unlikely. In fact only one in two million units is infected with HIV. And if you have people like me saving your life with my delicious and nutritious O Type…you’re list of potential harms is almost nil.

I’ll shoosh now if you’d like.

@asmonet. I’d like a little of your Type O. Can I get some of that please? :o)

I won’t shoosh. You can’t throw things out like that and expect it to go unnoticed. Lives depend on blood transfusions.
“more people get sick from transfused blood than get well” – care to back that statement up a bit? It is shockingly incorrect. The benefits of receiving blood generally far outweigh any complications that may arise.
And, as far as giving blood being gross…you won’t get infected by giving blood if the procedure is done correctly with properly sterilized equipment.

@lefteh argue as you will, but it won’t change my mind. i’d rather not risk it.

What do you think you’re risking by giving blood?

Not a thing. :-/

Woah now, let’s take this down a notch. I’ve never given blood, nor do I plan to. It’s not that I’m against it, but there are plenty of other people to take care of it.

People are entitled to do whatever they damn well please. Donating blood, organs, or sperm are deeply personal issues to which you must weigh carfefully. I personally will never donate sperm, for the simple fact that I don’t want kids I don’t know running around this earth.

To the smoking pot after donating blood issue, Id say better not risk it. The ganja could be laced, and further complications could follow. If you have to, have at it. Natural selection is a beautiful thing.

Must correct blatant misinformation….must correct blatant misinformation.
1. The risks of donating blood are negligible to non-existent.
2. Blood is systematically tested for infectious agents, and the risks of getting an infection from a blood transfusion are infinitesimally low.
3. Modern medicine has all but eliminated transfusion reactions, except in cases of gross medical error or in individuals that have received many transfusions.
4. Blood substitutes ARE NOT in use in clinical medicine. None have passed clinical trials.
5. Blood donation will not have any effect on the response to smoking weed. THC, the active ingredient in weed, is lipid soluble, and not transported by red blood cell containing hemoglobin.

@shilolo. Wow, your research trashes just about every excuse for not donating blood and even covers the whole Ganjah angle too. What a great answer. And I have some lurve for you also.

I have also read that men who give blood regularly have a dramatically lower rate of heart attacks.

Maybe eponymoushipster isn’t in a developed country or region?

I know that when my parents occasionally travel to rural parts of China for business they’re instructed to if sick to refuse healthcare unless it’s an emergency and either wait until they return to Canada or at least back to Hong Kong.

If not than that’s a really first-world douchey thing to say. I’ve studied and know people without the privilege or wealth to afford such niceties as modern healthcare. They wouldn’t have the money or even access to the medical medical care we (in developed countries) enjoy such as instant access to blood when needed, blood that’s been screened of all potential harms.

Just don’t smoke while giving blood. You’ll be fine!

@cyrusbond: Actually, there aren’t blood shortages happen all the time. Part of the problem is the idea that ‘others’ are taking care of everything. And actually, getting rid of that rationale altogether would stop a lot of society’s ills in their tracks.

No idea, but if people were apt to die from that, there’d be copious signs around blood banks saying, “Hey stoners – don’t do drugs after giving blood or you might croak!” (in more clinical language, probably).

Lol, i’m glad that when i got back to this, greater than 50% of the responses had nothing to do with the original question.
Let’s start with that:
I have friends who work for hospitals, and they can say firsthand, that there can never be TOO much blood in blood banks, especially type O-, which is the unviversal donor.
I’m personally O+, so i give blood often (4 times since I’ve been legally able to, and I’m only a year and a half into the legal blood giving age).
I know that they don’t care if you give blood with a little bit of weed in it, the only policy in that regard is that you are not high at the time of donation.
I understand that donating anything from your body is a personal issue, and i personally dislike donating (usually sucks up 2+ hours of my time), but it DOES help people, and since I’m young, healthy, and type O, I feel like I should do it.

In regard to the smoking after:
I tried it. I finished giving blood at around 8:30, and smoked at 10:30. I used a joint, filled with a fresh batch of weed (so I have no “control” from this, No previous PERSONAL experience with this exact batch), took 4 hits, one of which was pretty weak, and the last two were big as hell.
I felt it a little earlier than usual, and then after a while, it felt like I had my brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick. (yeah… pretty much).
after about an hour, i felt like I was blacking out, but stayed conscious. For the rest of the night (until about 3, when i think i may have fallen asleep) I was CRAZY stoned, far more than I would recommend.
I woke up the next morning (like noon) pretty tired , but fine.
I don’t recommend trying it. I’m about 130 pounds, male, and considered a lightweight in terms of how much it takes to get me high. Also, I haven’t been smoking very much, so I have pretty low tolerance. I think if someone were a little lighter, female, or less tolerant, they WOULD black out, but probably be fine in an hour or less.
It was absolutely crazy though, definitely TOO crazy for my preferences.

Final analysis: not very responsible, especially for lightweights. Would not repeat. A little too crazy to be very much fun. Could possibly be that batch of weed though (further testing required).

Oh yeah, and @shilolo
Having smoked after giving blood created a VERY different response than normal. So different, that I feel confident without knowing my personal reaction to this batch of weed, I can say that the difference in response was at least partially explained by the blood donation.
So, “5. Blood donation will not have any effect on the response to smoking weed. THC, the active ingredient in weed, is lipid soluble, and not transported by red blood cell containing hemoglobin.” is not telling the whole story!
My explanation is that a reduced amount of blood (a whole blood donation is blood cells, plasma, and whatever else is floating around in there- chemicals, hormones, platelets, etc.) means that I have a decreased amount of total fluid in my veins. When THC enters my bloodstream through the capillaries in my lungs, the same number of Moles are entering as when I usually smoke. However, because of the reduced blood volume, the concentration of THC was higher than normal.
This seems like a reasonable explanation for the more intense, and pretty different high. It’s just a matter of concentration.

Why even smoke in the first place?!?! Some of you are talking in responses about smoking like it’s no big deal… it IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@itsnotmyfault1 Sorry, but your logic does not compute. When you donate blood, roughly 470 milliliters are removed (one pint). Your total blood volume is 5–6 liters. Thus, less than 10% of your total blood volume is removed, meaning that, assuming you would inhale the same number of moles of THC, the concentration would only increase by ~10%. That amount is highly unlikely to cause the dramatic effects you describe.

More likely, your body’s response to the donation was to become slightly tachycardic, and the increased heart rate could then increase the perfusion to the lung, which might have increased the amount of THC absorbed. My best guess – placebo effect. You expected to feel different, and so, you did.

@toomuchcoffee911. We aren’t being judgmental here. A question was asked and is being answered. There are many places worldwide (including in the US) where smoking marijuana is legal.

@toomuchcoffee…I agree with shilolo. THC, alcohol, caffine, what’s the difference?

Two are spelled correctly and one is not.

@lefteh…dammit!!! +5…I hate when I do that…

“There are many places worldwide (including in the US) where smoking marijuana is legal.”
That is not true as far as the US goes. . “Medical marijuana”, might be a turn the cheek thing, with some state laws. But, it is still a Federal crime in any state. No matter what, you take a risk, (growing, buying or smoking in these states) of going to a federal prison.
“Medical marijuana has strong support from voters and health organizations. The federal government, however, has resisted any change to marijuana’s illegal status at the federal level. The Supreme Court ruled in 2005 in Raich v. Gonzales that the federal government can prosecute medical marijuana patients, even in states with compassionate use laws, and several medical marijuana dispensaries in California have since been subject to Drug Enforcement Administration raids.”

hahaa will I die?!? lol. No probably not. BUT you could get super light headed that you pass out. Try getting some food in your system first and then smoke. So at least your body has something else to deal with too to prevent you from being so high up in the clouds. OJ works wonders man. After giving blood, get the blood sugar back up and then smoke a fat L

I’d do it!! ha, I mean, it wouln’t hurt to try, I don’t think…

and smoking marijuana is legal in Washington State!!!

I donated blood yesterday and smoked weed less than an hour after….It took away the feeling of exhaustion and I got pretty baked! I wouldnt say i was more stoned than usual, but it sure felt good after losing all that blood!

to the “other people will take care of it” comment, WHAT!?
its exactly that kind of attitude that means only 6% of the Scottish population are currently donating blood, Im O- (a universal donor) and i donate every 12 weeks, last time was today.

it genuinely annoys me because it cost you nothing! (dont get smart and say “it costs me a pint of blood)

blood transfusions save so many lives! my blood type is kept on stand by on maternity wards for newborns with complications. and im pretty sure anyone who has children (unless there faith prohibits) would gladly accept a transfusion for their child if, unfortunately, it was needed.

please have a rethink and consider how just you could save someones life! i am also on the fast track doner reg. and have been called out to an emergency to help somone live.

I just recently did this and it was not fun whatsoever. I’m a girl and weigh about 145, and smoke weed pretty often. And the day after I gave blood I skipped lunch and had a salad for dinner and smoked weed. It was the most awful high I’ve ever had. I got off my bed and felt like I was going to pass out. My vision went blurry and my ears were ringing. I could barely stand up for a while. Then I felt really nautious. I had a constant feeling like I was going to puke. BUT I was extremely high. If you wanna try it, go for it. Maybe it’s just me. Everyone’s chemical make-up is different…but it was a really bad experience for me.

I donated blood just yesterday. I’m a chick too, weighing 126lbs and a regular weeder.
Every cigarette I have had sinse donating has made me feel ‘rough,’ – dizzy, lightheaded etc. Had a spliff last night about 8, but didn’t feel any more or less stoned – but again dizzy and puffed out. Spliff 2 (about 11am) almost sent me into a whitey. Had to get horizontal asap. It’s the nicotine surely that is doing this.. Doesn’t nicotine take up space in your blood that is normally reserved for Oxygen? So if you have a smoke, when you are short on blood anyway – you’re gonna feel a bit ‘whoa..’ arn’t you? I’m not sure that I know what I’m talking about, but that’s how it seems to me. 24hrs after donating, I still feel like fainting when I have a normal cig.
Donating blood is soooo not gross. Yes everyone is entitled to their own opinion (no matter how ill informed they appear to be) – but if you choose to share your opinion with others, dont be surprised if you’re knocked.
If none of us gave blood, millions would be dead! My dad’s had 2 blood transfusions and I’d kiss the donars a million times if I knew who they were.
Donor’s Rock!

So I’m a phlebotomist I work blood banking. Pretty much smoking anything will cause you to feel lightheaded and possibly fainting may occur standardly speaking I recommend not smoking for 24 hrs to many variables and customized things to add up how it will effect you personally 24 hours is ample amount of time. Also to the morons lacking an iota of intelligence one unit of blood can save up to if not more 3 lives. There is no substitute for blood it takes volunteers. I work community based blood banking so I see the difference made in our hospitals. To the tiny girl who donated skipped lunch and just ate a salad the reason you went horizontal is because you aren’t replenishing your fluids. Just a reminder you lost a pint of blood, eat your dang food. Your blood sugar and pressure probably went onto I hate you mode. Anyways, so yeah try telling cancer patients that are living solely because of platelets and plasma, that yeah giving blood is pointless. 4,000 gallons of blood are needed in the Us every day. 60% of Americans are eligible to donate only 5% of those actually do. You do the math and tell me how many people die a day.

@Facadejinx Thank you for saying it how it is! I donate because it does help people and I am able to.
Two things really annoy me though – a friend won’t give blood ‘because I don’t like needles’ but she has tattoos, and some ethnic groups are prone to certain problems which can be helped by blood transfusions but don’t/won’t donate citing no real reason.
Let’s face it once it’s out of my arm then it’s not mine and goes where it’s needed.

I gave blood today and smoked a lot about an hour later. I found this question when I was looking it up and I thought I would share. It hits you really hard right away.. And at first you just feel super high.. But before I knew it I was blacked out.. I was told that I had a seizure We were outside when we smoked, I woke up on my livingroom floor. I was completely confused, as my boyfriend tried to explain what was going on.. Then I blacked out again and woke up on my bed. It was an awful thing to go through, and would not recommend it. To fix it, he elevated my feet and put two ice packs, one under my neck and one on my forehead. When I woke back up the third time I felt better. And drank lots of water. I would not do this again.. It is scary, and increases a risk of a heart attack. Now, I do not remember anything.. And only know what they told me. Do not do it.

Yea NEVER FUCKING DO THIS. I literally couldn’t even see. My eyes were literally TV static and I could feel heart at 1000RPM’s in my chest. Thought I was gonna pass-out probably literally did for a couple of seconds. HIGHLY unsuggeted. Casual smoker