Regular cannabis users may require higher anaesthetic doses for oral surgery

In the study, the researchers examined 49 adults who underwent third molar removal at the University of Washington oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic in Seattle in the US under intravenous general anaesthesia. The researchers measured the association between patients’ cannabis exposure and total milligrams of propofol administered during surgery. They assessed cannabis exposure according to both frequency and duration of use and assigned patients to exposure-risk categories accordingly.

The study found that patients who had used cannabis multiple times a day for at least two to three years required 55% more propofol than non-users. Dosage requirements varied according to frequency and duration of cannabis use. Patients who used cannabis multiple times a day for more than two to three years required 262 mg of propofol, compared with 216 mg among less frequent, longer-term users and 169 mg among less frequent, shorter-term users.

The findings thus suggest that patients who have used cannabis multiple times a day over at least two to three years can be considered at high risk of requiring increased total propofol doses during third molar removal. For dental professionals, this means that preoperative assessment should include specific questions about the frequency and duration of cannabis use. When planning intravenous general anaesthesia, clinicians should thus anticipate that high-frequency, chronic users may require higher propofol doses.

Previous research has associated frequent cannabis use with increased caries and severe tooth loss. Furthermore, one study found that cannabis use disorder was associated with a more than threefold higher risk of developing oral cancer within five years. Dental Tribune International has also previously reported on several surveys showing that cannabis use may hinder dental treatment when patients present for appointments intoxicated.

The study, titled “Do cannabis users require more anesthesia during third molar removal under intravenous general anesthesia when compared to nonusers?”, was published in the May 2026 issue of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.