A Rare Case of Cannabis-induced Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammatory condition of the pancreas, caused mainly by gallstones and alcohol abuse. A significant proportion of acute pancreatitis cases remain idiopathic. Recent reports have highlighted cannabis use as an etiology of acute pancreatitis. A few case reports are available that report the association of cannabis with acute pancreatitis. Considering the global use of cannabis medically and illicitly, it becomes imperative to explore this adverse effect of cannabis use especially in idiopathic cases of acute pancreatitis. Here, in this report, we present a case of acute pancreatitis with no obvious cause. The patient was a 48-year-old female with no history of alcohol use. She had a history of cholecystectomy with normal serum triglycerides and calcium levels. The patient was consuming marijuana (cannabis) daily for the last three years. The diagnosis of cannabis-induced acute pancreatitis was made in the patient after other causes were excluded. It is difficult to distinguish cannabis-induced pancreatitis as there are no clear and specific associated clinical features. The diagnosis of cannabis-induced pancreatitis becomes even more challenging due to the use of multiple drugs. It becomes difficult to point out the causative agent among the multitude of drugs. Hence, a detailed history of drug intake in cases of acute pancreatitis may help to identify the candidature of the drugs in the pathogenesis of the disease. In view of the increasing illicit and medical use of cannabis, it becomes quintessential for clinicians to consider pancreatitis as a possible adverse effect of cannabis.