Drug & supplement interaction

Cannabis + Minocycline

Minocycline brand names: Vectrin, Dynacin, Minocin, Minocin IV, Solodyn, and others.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated October 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Minocycline falls into 2 drug categories that Cannabis can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, cannabis might alter levels of drugs that are substrates of P-glycoprotein (P-gp).

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Cannabis and Minocycline

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Cannabis interacts with whole categories of medication. Minocycline falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Cannabis in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES

1 of 2

Why this applies to Minocycline

Minocycline falls under P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATES — the group Cannabis interacts with.

Theoretically, cannabis might alter levels of drugs that are substrates of P-glycoprotein (P-gp).
Most in vitro research suggests that constituents of cannabis, including cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can inhibit P-gp and increase the accumulation of probe compounds by reducing P-gp mediated drug efflux. In vitro studies in kidney cell lines show that a 1-hour exposure to CBD and THC inhibits P-gp. Cannabis may also alter the expression of P-gp, although this effect appears to vary based on duration of exposure. Some in vitro research in lymphoblastoid leukemia cell lines indicates that a 1-hour exposure to cannabinoids does not affect P-gp expression, while a prolonged 72-hour exposure decreases P-gp expression. Other in vitro research in these cell lines shows that a 4-hour exposure to THC and CBD induces P-gp gene expression, while exposure for longer than 4 hours and up to 48 hours does not induce P-gp gene expression.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the gist with minocycline and cannabis. Some lab studies suggest cannabis compounds (THC and CBD) can block a tiny pump in your body called P-glycoprotein, which helps move certain drugs out of cells. Minocycline is considered one of those drugs. In theory, if that pump slows down, a bit more minocycline could hang around, which might nudge up its usual side effects like dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, or that 'spinny' feeling.

I want to be honest about the strength here: this is based only on cell and animal studies, not real people, so it's quite theoretical and may not matter much in everyday use. Still, since both can cause drowsiness or dizziness on their own, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before combining them.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Zhu, H. J., Wang, J. S., Markowitz, J. S., Donovan, J. L., Gibson, B. B., Gefroh, H. A., and Devane, C. L. Characterization of P-glycoprotein inhibition by major cannabinoids from marijuana. J Pharmacol Exp.Ther. 2006;317(2):850-857. PubMed
  2. Holland, M. L., Panetta, J. A., Hoskins, J. M., Bebawy, M., Roufogalis, B. D., Allen, J. D., and Arnold, J. C. The effects of cannabinoids on P-glycoprotein transport and expression in multidrug resistant cells. Biochem.Pharmacol 4-14-2006;71(8):1146-115 PubMed
  3. Tournier N, Lucie Chevillard L, Megarbane B, et al. Interaction of drugs of abuse and maintenance treatments with human P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) and breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2). Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2010;13(7):905-15. PubMed
  4. Arnold JC, Hone P, Holland ML, Allen JD. CB2 and TRPV1 receptors mediate cannabinoid actions on MDR1 expression in multidrug resistant cells. Pharmacol Rep. 2012;64(3):751-7. PubMed
Moderate

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

2 of 2

Minocycline also falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS.

Theoretically, cannabis might increase the risk of bleeding when used concomitantly with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro research shows that the cannabis constituents delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) inhibit platelet aggregation.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to know about pairing cannabis with minocycline: this particular interaction is grouped under blood thinners, and it's really about cannabis itself, not about minocycline being a true blood thinner. Lab studies (done in test tubes, not in people) suggest that THC and CBD may make platelets a little less sticky, which could in theory add to any bleeding risk.

For minocycline specifically, this concern is pretty weak and mostly theoretical. Minocycline isn't a prodrug, and it isn't an anticoagulant, so I wouldn't lose sleep over this combo. That said, if you're also taking an actual blood thinner, or you notice easy bruising, nosebleeds, or bleeding gums, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Levy, R., Schurr, A., Nathan, I., Dvilanski, A., and Livne, A. Impairment of ADP-induced platelet aggregation by hashish components. Thromb.Haemost. 12-31-1976;36(3):634-640. DOI
  2. Formukong, E. A., Evans, A. T., and Evans, F. J. The inhibitory effects of cannabinoids, the active constituents of Cannabis sativa L. on human and rabbit platelet aggregation. J.Pharm.Pharmacol. 1989;41(10):705-709.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Cannabis Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cannabis has 2 major, 1,109 moderate, 25 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Minocycline one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 2 Moderate 1,109 Minor 25 No known interaction 1,694 (incl. Minocycline)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cannabis

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Cannabis. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Cannabis or Minocycline

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Cannabis or Minocycline, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Minocycline

This page covers Cannabis only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Minocycline page lists 331 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Oleander (major).

By severity: 9 major · 290 moderate · 32 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Minocycline page

“This is one of the longer interaction lists I review, and with minocycline it earns real care rather than a shrug. Most entries pair this tetracycline antibiotic, taken for acne and other infections, with supplements that raise bleeding risk, and a second sizable group, beer and wine included, can add strain on the liver.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Minocycline interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Cannabis as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 21 real supplement products containing Cannabis, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cannabis. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Minocycline too, on top of Cannabis — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Cannabis and Minocycline Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Cannabis
Top 25%

#238 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Minocycline
Top 25%

#635 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Cannabis

What is Cannabis?

Cannabis
  • Chronic pain
  • Nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy
  • Muscle spasticity (e.g., multiple sclerosis)
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Sleep problems
  • Appetite stimulation

Cannabis contains many active compounds, mainly THC (which causes a 'high') and CBD (which does not). Some uses, such as chemotherapy-related nausea, certain seizure disorders, and muscle spasticity, have meaningful evidence, while many other popular uses are not well proven. It can cause real side effects and impairment, so talk to your doctor or pharmacist and follow your local laws before using it.

Read the full Cannabis monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Minocycline

What Is Minocycline Used For?

Brand names: Vectrin, Dynacin, Minocin, Minocin IV, Solodyn, Acnamino MR, Minocin MR, Sebomin MR, Aknemin, Arestin Miscrosperes, Amzeeq, Zilxi

Minocycline is mainly used for infections caused by susceptible bacteria. Oral capsules and tablets, and Minocin intravenous (IV), are labeled for many infections. These include rickettsial infections such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory infections, chlamydia-related infections, plague, tularemia, cholera and brucellosis (with streptomycin). Some gram-negative bacterial infections are included when lab testing shows the bacteria respond.

Other minocycline products are not for infections at all. Extended-release tablets (including Minolira) treat inflammatory acne lesions in patients 12 and older. Amzeeq foam treats inflammatory acne in patients 9 and older. Zilxi foam and Emrosi capsules treat inflammatory rosacea lesions in adults. Arestin is placed in gum pockets by a dental professional for adult periodontitis.

See full Minocycline drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cannabis

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Cannabis — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

2Major
1,109Moderate
25Minor
1,693No known interaction
2 Major 1,109 Moderate 25 Minor 1,693 No interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

1,109 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,109 moderate interactions — see all 1,109 on the Cannabis page.

Minor

25 interactions

No interaction 1,693 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Cannabis against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,693 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cannabis list.

See the full Cannabis interactions page
See every supplement checked against Minocycline, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Cannabis monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Minocycline supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Minocycline, ranked by severity Minocycline drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Cannabis and Minocycline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cannabis with Minocycline?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Cannabis and Minocycline?
Minocycline belongs to more than one drug category, and Cannabis interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Cannabis and Minocycline interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Minocycline and Cannabis?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.