Cannabis and Anesthesia: The Surgery Risk Most People Don’t Mention

Using cannabis or CBD and have surgery coming up? This video breaks down exactly what your anesthesiologist needs to know before you go under — and why honesty about cannabis use is a safety issue, not a judgment issue. Dr. Dani Fisher, board-certified anesthesiologist with 22 years of experience, explains how cannabis affects anesthesia dosing, heart rate, airway reactivity, postoperative pain, nausea, and withdrawal risk. You’ll learn the difference between acute and chronic cannabis use, why CBD isn’t automatically “safe” before surgery, how edibles vs. smoking vs. vaping change your risk profile, and the current guidelines on when to stop cannabis use before a procedure. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:41 Why your anesthesiologist needs to know about cannabis use 01:35 Why patients are afraid to disclose — and why we don’t judge 01:45 Acute use: how recent cannabis use changes anesthesia dosing 02:19 The cardiac risk of using cannabis before surgery 02:57 Chronic use: why regular users may need more anesthesia 03:32 How cannabis affects your airway and lungs 04:29 Postoperative pain, nausea, and withdrawal risk 05:40 CBD and anesthesia: is it actually safe? 06:33 Does the form matter? Edibles vs. smoking vs. vaping vs. concentrates 07:33 Using cannabis for medical reasons (pain, anxiety, PTSD) 08:34 Current guidelines: when to stop cannabis before surgery 09:36 Final takeaway ⚠️This video is for general education only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice from your own anesthesia care team.⚠️ 📫Buisness inquires only please: [email protected] If this video helped you feel more prepared, subscribe for more honest, clear explanations of anesthesia and surgery from someone who’s been in the OR for over two decades. #Anesthesia #CannabisAndSurgery #PreOpPrep #SurgeryPrep #AnesthesiaSafety #CBDandAnesthesia #SurgeryRecovery #PatientEducation #AnesthesiologistExplains #DrDaniFisher