A new study found that regular marijuana users had a 33 percent higher risk of developing coronary artery disease compared to non-users.
According to Dr. Ishan Paranjpe, a physician at Stanford University and lead author of the study that will be presented in early March at the American College of Cardiology conference, “there are probably certain harms of cannabis use that weren’t recognized before, and people should take that into account.”
Researchers warned that marijuana users should disclose their usage to their doctors so that they can keep an eye on their cardiovascular health. They concluded that regular cannabis users did not have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
The National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program provided the study with information on the health and behaviors of 175,000 people. The health of cannabis smokers and edible users was not compared in the study.
Researchers have revealed that inhaled marijuana includes “many of the same pollutants, irritants, and carcinogens found in cigarette smoke,” which is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
According to Harvard Health Publications, researchers have been hindered from studying its effects on the cardiovascular system because of its illegality at the federal level.
Everything we are told about the effects of marijuana, the group argues, must be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism. The rewards and hazards are proportional, as you say.
While the benefits of cannabis outweigh the risks, a 2017 report in the Journal of Thoracic Disease linked cannabis usage to arrhythmia and fast heartbeat, as well as the possibility of sudden death and an increased risk of a heart attack.
According to Harvard Health, several researchers have found possible associations between marijuana use and atrial fibrillation, the most prevalent heart rhythm problem, and between marijuana use and an increased risk of stroke.
To date, about half of all U.S. states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and the vast majority have allowed its usage for medical purposes. According to research from the Pew Research Center published in November 2022, about 90% of American citizens believe marijuana usage should be legalized, either for recreational and medical use or for medical use only.
According to a report published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2020, more than 2 million people with established cardiovascular disease are likely to have smoked marijuana.
