Cannabis use disorder may raise the risk of a heart attack or stroke

Folks with hashish use dysfunction have an elevated danger of coronary heart assault, stroke and different main cardiovascular circumstances, suggesting that frequent hashish use might impair coronary heart well being.

Anees Bahji on the College of Calgary in Canada and his colleagues analysed the well being information of 59,528 individuals residing in Canada. Half of the individuals had been identified with a hashish use dysfunction – which is when somebody continues to make use of marijuana regardless of it disrupting their life – between January 2012 and December 2019. They then tracked who skilled a coronary heart assault, stroke or developed one other main cardiovascular situation throughout this era.

After adjusting for elements comparable to age, gender and socioeconomic standing, the researchers discovered that folks with hashish use dysfunction had a virtually 60 per cent greater danger of subsequently creating a cardiovascular situation than individuals with out it. The chance worsened with the severity of the dysfunction. As an example, individuals who sought look after hashish dependence 5 or extra instances have been over twice as more likely to later have a coronary heart or vascular downside than individuals with out hashish use dysfunction.

These findings recommend frequent hashish use might hurt coronary heart well being, although the precise mechanisms driving this affiliation are unclear, says Bahji. It could be as a result of compounds within the drug, comparable to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, binding to receptors within the physique. This will elevate coronary heart charge, lower blood stress and influence blood clotting, Bahji says.

Hashish use has been growing lately, particularly amongst younger individuals. As a result of this research centered solely on these with hashish use dysfunction, it doesn’t seize individuals who use the drug sometimes, says Jennifer Bailey on the College of Washington. “I would love to see research taking a look at how decrease ranges and quick durations of hashish use relate to coronary heart well being,” she says. “Or whether or not completely different hashish merchandise are in a different way associated to coronary heart well being.”

The science of hashish

As using marijuana and its compounds rises all over the world, New Scientist explores the newest analysis on the medical potential of hashish, how it’s grown and its environmental influence, the way in which hashish impacts our our bodies and minds and what the marijuana of the longer term will appear like.