Analysis of over 430,000 adults in the United States has unveiled concerning connections between cannabis consumption and heightened risks of heart attack and stroke
Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the study highlights the need for caution regarding the cardiovascular implications of cannabis use, particularly as legalisation and accessibility of the substance continue to expand across the nation.
Conducted by lead author Abra Jeffers, Ph.D., a data analyst at Massachusetts General Hospital, the research looked into the associations between cannabis use and adverse cardiovascular outcomes among a diverse adult population. The study controlled for various factors, including tobacco use and other established cardiovascular risk factors, to isolate the specific impact of cannabis consumption.
Cannabis and cardiovascular outcomes
Findings revealed that any form of cannabis use, whether smoked, eaten, or vaporised, was independently linked to a higher incidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
This association remained significant even after accounting for variables like tobacco and e-cigarette usage, alcohol consumption, body mass index, Type 2 diabetes, and physical activity levels. Particular concern was the observation that both daily and non-daily cannabis users exhibited elevated risks of heart attack compared to non-users. Daily cannabis users faced a 25% higher likelihood of experiencing a heart attack, while the odds of stroke were 42% higher for daily users compared to non-users.
Even among younger adults at risk for premature cardiovascular disease, cannabis use was significantly associated with a 36% increase in the combined odds of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, irrespective of tobacco usage.
The increase in cannabis consumption.
The study’s insights are particularly relevant given the shifting landscape of cannabis legislation and usage patterns in the U.S. Despite federal illegality, 24 states and Washington, D.C., have legalised recreational cannabis, and statistics indicate an increase in cannabis consumption over recent decades.
The normalisation of cannabis use, coupled with a declining perception of its harm, emphasises the urgency of understanding its potential health risks, especially regarding cardiovascular health.
“The perceptions of the harmfulness of smoking cannabis are decreasing, and people have not considered cannabis use dangerous to their health. However, previous research suggested that cannabis could be associated with cardiovascular disease.” said lead study author Abra Jeffers, Ph.D., a data analyst at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Limitations within the study
Self-reported data on cardiovascular conditions and cannabis use raise the possibility of recall bias. At the same time, the absence of baseline health metrics like lipid profiles and blood stress further complicates interpretation. The study’s cross-sectional design restricts the ability to establish causal relationships, underlining the necessity for future cohort studies to assess the connection between cannabis use and cardiovascular outcomes longitudinally.
