Cannabis Users Face 29% More Cardiovascular Risk

USA Today
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Over the past few years, cannabis use has become increasingly popular worldwide, not only as a recreational substance but also for its suggested medicinal properties. As more and more countries legalize or decriminalize cannabis use, public opinion has become more favorable in considering the plant to be quite harmless. But new studies are already starting to change that perception, particularly when it comes to heart health.

A recent thorough study published in a peer-reviewed medical journal uncovered an alarming correlation between chronic cannabis use and cardiovascular complications. The research demonstrated that users who regularly use cannabis are 29% at higher risk of acquiring cardiovascular complications, including heart attacks, strokes, and arrhythmias, than those who do not use cannabis. Let’s break down what this implies, how the researchers determined this figure, and what users and medical professionals need to know in the future.

The Research Behind the Figures

The research, which took place over several years and involved over 400,000 participants, compared medical history, lifestyle, and cannabis use patterns. Researchers adjusted for risk factors like age, smoking status, obesity, and alcohol use—to isolate the cannabis-related results from other risk factors.

What they learned was surprising

Cannabis smokers had a virtually 30% greater risk of cardiovascular disease, even after adjusting for usual confounders. The greatest risk occurred among users who took cannabis every day or by routes like smoking, which adds toxicants like tobacco to the body. Lead scientists noted that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) themselves are not likely to damage the heart directly, but how cannabis is ingested—particularly when smoked—can affect vascular health and raise oxidative stress.

How Cannabis Affects the Heart

You might wonder, how does a plant known to produce feelings of relaxation and calmness damage the heart? Here are a few important points:

Increased Heart Rate

Marijuana use is known to increase your resting heart rate between 20 and 50 beats per minute, particularly shortly after ingestion. Your body’s oxygen demand is raised with this increased heart rate while also lowering the oxygen supply by influencing blood vessel performance.

Blood Pressure Changes

Marijuana is able to temporarily raise blood pressure levels, followed by a sudden orthostatic hypotension. These changes tend to put a strain on the heart and blood vessels.

Inflammation and Vascular Injury

Similar to tobacco smoke, smoking cannabis brings carcinogens and other toxic chemicals into the body. This leads to inflammation and damage to blood vessel linings, which is a step toward atherosclerosis (blockage of the arteries).

Arrhythmias

Various case histories have established an association between the use of marijuana and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), which may be life-threatening for people with pre-existing heart conditions.

BMJ Group
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Not Just the Elderly

Ironically, the research indicated that even younger cannabis consumers were not spared from cardiovascular dangers. Those below 40 who used cannabis frequently experienced a sharp increase in reported strokes and other heart events. This does not align with the popular belief that young people are too fit to suffer serious side effects from cannabis. Actually, the buildup of such effects goes unnoticed until a major event—such as a heart attack—happens.

What About Medical Cannabis?

Medical marijuana is usually taken to treat chronic pain, nausea, anxiety, and even epilepsy. So, should patients taking cannabis for legitimate medical reasons worry? Experts indicate that it is a matter of how one takes cannabis, the dosage, as well as the patient’s baseline health status. Topical or edible applications pose fewer cardiovascular dangers than smoking or vaping. However, physicians advise that patients with a history of heart disease or hypertension see a cardiologist prior to initiating any cannabis treatment.

Public Health Implications

As cannabis legalization storms the U.S., Canada, and regions of Europe and Asia, the results of the study pose significant questions to policymakers and health agencies:

Should tobacco-like warning labels be placed on cannabis?
Should disclaimers about heart health be included in cannabis advertisements?
Will insurers begin evaluating cannabis use under medical underwriting?

It’s possible that as the medical establishment becomes more informed on the long-term impacts of cannabis, public health communication will have to change in light of these issues.

What Users Can Do

If you’re a frequent consumer of cannabis, either recreationally or medically, here are some steps you can practically take to safeguard your heart:

Transition to safer consumption forms such as edibles or tinctures.
Don’t mix cannabis with alcohol or tobacco.
Check your blood pressure and heart rate often.

Discuss your cannabis use with your physician, particularly if you have a history of cardiovascular disease in your family.

Conclusion
Cannabis is not the innocent drug many used to think it was, particularly when it relates to cardiovascular health. The 29% higher risk of heart disease among cannabis smokers is a serious warning sign, especially as worldwide rates increase.
And as is the case with any drug, moderation, education, and medical oversight are essential. Users must be aware and vigilant while governments and public health infrastructures make efforts to make sure that cannabis laws take into consideration these newly developed risks. Though cannabis can bring relief and recreational use to many, it’s apparent that cardiovascular health cannot be left out in the discussion of its safety.