By American Heart Association News
Recent research indicates that cannabis consumption—whether through smoking, edibles, or vaping—could elevate the chances of experiencing heart attacks and strokes.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, revealed that individuals who reported using cannabis had an increased likelihood of cardiovascular complications, independent of tobacco usage or existing risk factors for heart disease.
According to lead author Dr. Abra Jeffers, a data analyst at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, there remains a significant lack of understanding regarding the cardiovascular risks associated with cannabis. “Public perception regarding the risks tied to cannabis usage is diminishing, leading many to overlook its potential health hazards,” she noted in a news release.
Furthermore, she pointed out that “the primary method of cannabis consumption, smoking, may introduce additional dangers due to the inhalation of particulate matter.”
In the United States, marijuana usage has surged dramatically in recent years, especially after the legalization of recreational use in 24 states and Washington D.C. A federal survey conducted in 2019 reported that over 48 million people aged 12 and older had tried marijuana at least once, a figure almost twice that of 2002. Despite this widespread acceptance, cannabis remains illegal federally.
Previous investigations into the relationship between cannabis use and cardiovascular incidents have been constrained by several factors, including the relatively small cohort of frequent users, a focus on younger demographics typically at lower cardiovascular risk, and the prevalence of dual tobacco usage among marijuana consumers, complicating independent assessments.
This latest study evaluated survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, encompassing 434,104 adult participants from 2016 to 2020. Researchers explored how the frequency of cannabis use in the preceding month correlated with self-reported cardiovascular outcomes, such as coronary heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes, focusing on the general adult population as well as non-smokers of tobacco or e-cigarettes. Special attention was given to men under 55 and women under 65 who were at risk for heart ailments.
Findings revealed that any level of marijuana usage was associated with an increased risk for heart attacks and strokes, with those who were frequent users facing the highest risks.
Daily cannabis users exhibited a 25% increased likelihood of heart attacks and a 42% higher risk of strokes compared to non-users. Smoking remained the predominant way of using cannabis, succeeded by edibles and vaping.
For men under 55 and women under 65, marijuana usage led to a 36% greater combined risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, or stroke, independent of tobacco usage history. This association held firm even when isolating data from individuals who had never used tobacco or vaping products.
“Cannabis smoke bears similarities to tobacco smoke, differentiated primarily by the presence of THC compared to nicotine,” Jeffers commented. “Our study highlights significant cardiovascular risks associated with cannabis smoking, akin to those linked to tobacco. This reality is crucial, especially as cannabis use rises while traditional tobacco use declines.”
Dr. Robert L. Page II, who led the writing group for a 2020 American Heart Association scientific statement on marijuana’s impact on cardiovascular health, emphasized the need for practitioners to take notice of these findings, regarding it as a “call to action.” Although he was not part of the present study, Page is a professor in clinical pharmacy, medicine, and physical medicine at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora.
“As cannabis becomes increasingly legal and accessible across the United States, it’s crucial for clinicians to assess patients’ cannabis use in every encounter, ensuring open discussions about potential cardiovascular concerns and strategies to mitigate these risks,” Page advised.
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American Heart Association News focuses on heart disease, stroke, and related health topics. The opinions expressed in these stories do not necessarily reflect the official stance of the American Heart Association. The conclusions, accuracy, and reliability of research findings published in American Heart Association scientific journals or presented at its meetings are exclusively those of the researchers involved and do not represent the official guidelines or positions of the American Heart Association.
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