A groundbreaking study, recently published in the esteemed medical journal Heart, has shed light on the relationship between marijuana and heart health. This extensive research, conducted by scientists at the University of Toulouse in France, examined data from studies spanning six countries—Australia, Egypt, Canada, France, Sweden, and the United States — between 2016 and 2023. If you're considering or currently using cannabis, the following findings are crucial for your understanding.
The Bottom Line
People who use marijuana are twice as likely to die from heart disease compared to people who don't use it. They also have a higher chance of having heart attacks and strokes. This was true even for younger people who seemed otherwise healthy.
What makes this especially concerning is that many of the people who had heart problems were young adults without other risk factors like smoking cigarettes or having family histories of heart disease.
How You Use Marijuana Matters
Most people in these studies probably smoked marijuana, though researchers didn't ask specifically how people used it. This matters because smoking anything - whether it's tobacco or marijuana - can hurt your heart and blood vessels.
When you burn plant material, it creates harmful chemicals and particles that damage your cardiovascular system. So, smoking marijuana carries similar risks to smoking cigarettes when it comes to your heart.
But here's something that might surprise you: even marijuana edibles (like gummies or brownies) may affect your heart. Recent research found that people who ate THC edibles had worse blood vessel function than people who didn't use marijuana at all.
Today's Marijuana Is Much Stronger
The marijuana available today is very different from what people used decades ago. Modern cannabis products can be 5 to 10 times stronger than the marijuana from the 1970s. Some concentrated products are almost pure THC.
This higher potency seems to cause more problems, including:
Higher risk of becoming addicted (about 3 in 10 regular users develop addiction)
Mental health issues like seeing or hearing things that aren't there
Severe nausea and vomiting in heavy users
Because today's marijuana is so much stronger, the heart risks might actually be worse than what this study found.
What This Means for You
If you're contemplating or already using marijuana, it's vital to consider the potential risks. Be mindful of the following:
Empower yourself by initiating an open and honest dialogue with your healthcare provider about your marijuana use. This information is crucial for them to provide you with the best care, especially if you have existing heart conditions or risk factors.
Know Your Risk: If you're older or have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or other health issues, marijuana might not be safe for you. Even if you're young and healthy, there is still an increased risk.
Don't Assume It's Safe: Just because marijuana is legal in many places doesn't mean it's harmless. The focus on making it legal hasn't included enough education about health risks.
Who Should Be Extra Careful
Older adults using marijuana for pain or sleep problems should be especially cautious, particularly if they:
Have had heart attacks or strokes
Have chest pain (angina)
Take heart medications
Have high blood pressure or diabetes
Many people in this group don't realize that marijuana could make their heart problems worse.
The Bigger Picture
As more states legalize marijuana and products get stronger, we're learning that cannabis isn't as harmless as many people thought. The research shows we need to treat marijuana more like we do tobacco - as something that can seriously affect your health.
If you have heart concerns or want to protect your health, it's worth having an honest conversation with your doctor about whether marijuana is right for you. Your heart health is too important to leave to chance.
About the Authors: Keith Ablow, MD and Kathryn Munoz PhD., MPH have decades of experience in healthcare and health communications, including publishing New York Times Best Selling books, advising leading healthcare companies, coaching medical leaders, and appearing on national programs like the Today Show, Fox News and Oprah.
Read more at Keith & Kathy's Corner
