Weed and Acne: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask

Byking_adm on March 27, 2025

As you may already know, the skin is our biggest organ. Myriad factors influence how it looks, from the ecological situation in your neighbourhood to what you eat for your breakfast. So, is weed one of them? Can weed cause acne? Read further to know!

What Are Acne and How Do They Appear?

Let’s start with the basics. It may sound strange, but most people usually ignore the cause and fight only the consequences. How so? That’s because we are always in a hurry and stressed, running to the university, work or a date. 

We can’t change our eating habits instantly (keep this info in mind; that’s important because it influences sebum production) and frequently look for a quick one-time solution to hide annoying pimples — anything to look better and more self-confident. 

Unfortunately, we can’t give you them. After all, we’re a weed online dispensary and not a beauty salon. Yet, if you’re here, we’ll be glad to tell you more about the processes behind acne formation so you can make your own decisions and conclusions.

Shortly, acne is the most common skin inflammatory disorder. It appears in hair follicles (yes, they still contain fine hairs, even if we can’t see them). The main reason for that is excessive oil production. This oil and dead skin cells plug hair follicles and cause:

• Pimples;
• Whiteheads;
• Blackheads. 

It partially explains why 90% of those who suffer from acne are teenagers. When we are young, our hormones skyrocket. Thus, our body produces more sebum (skin oil) and sweat, which are also waste products of our life activity. They, in turn, clog pores, and then you already know the rest.

Is Smoking Weed Bad For Your Skin? 

The short answer is no. Unlike tobacco, which is known as carcinogenic (it can cause cancer), there is no scientific evidence that cannabis is harmful to your skin. However, a tobacco and marijuana combo in a self-made joint is more destructive than pure weed. 

Tobacco suppresses natural collagen production and can cause internal inflammation. So people who smoke usually have more wrinkles, lines, gum and nail problems. Weed, in turn, influences our hormones. It primarily affects our brain, lungs and heart and can cause a so-called dry mouth.

Weed Benefits

Great, so weed isn’t bad for your skin! What’s more, it can even be beneficial. The weed effects depend on the compound you want to use. CBD has long been used in medicine, especially in a gel form, to treat skin inflammation issues.

Meanwhile, THC is what can make you high. CBD cures mainly your body, while THC helps to heal your soul. It also provides quick pain relief and helps treat depression, anxiety and other mental disorders.

To make it easier for you to understand, we gathered this research-based table outlining the benefits of cannabis.

It is also worth noting that each consumption method has its own time for the onset of effects. Smoking and vaping are the fastest methods; you’ll feel pain relief in minutes. Sublingual administration of extracts provides moderate onset and duration, approximately 30-40 minutes after administration. However, there are promising results of using CBD extracts to reduce seizures in certain forms of epilepsy.

Finally, eating cannabis edibles, topical CBD use and weed microdosing offer delayed onset (40-60 minutes) but prolonged effects. THC edibles effectively relieve chronic pain and nausea, particularly in chemotherapy patients. At the same time, CBD-infused topicals can completely free you of various skin conditions.

You should also note that even though scientists have already proved some weed benefits, individual experiences may vary. If some of the consumption methods don’t work for you, you can try another one. But please stop taking weed and consult your healthcare professional as soon as you don’t feel so good.

So, Does Weed Cause Acne? Final Verdict

We can conclude that smoking weed is unlikely to cause acne. While there’s no direct, proven link between weed and acne, smoking weed may lead to some behavioral changes that could make existing acne worse. Here’s why:

• Hormones | Weed increases testosterone production, which in turn pushes your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. This oil later mixes with dead skin cells, clogs pores, and causes acne; 
• Lifestyle Factors | Smoking weed usually leads to increased appetite, so you’ll definitely want more junk food rather than veggies. An unhealthy diet and other bad habits, as bad sleep and untreated health problems, indirectly affect your skin health and potentially cause breakouts;
• Individual Sensitivity | Some people are just more sensitive to cannabis — both mentally and physically. If you have an underlying hormonal condition (like PCOS) or existing skin issues, even a slight hormone fluctuation from weed might lead to acne.

BUT please remember that these factors aren’t universal — what affects one person might not affect another the same way. In fact, certain cannabinoids like CBD might even help some people by calming inflammation and reducing oil production.