Marijuana addiction linked to heart attacks and strokes
- Individuals addicted to cannabis have a higher risk of heart attacks
- Participants were monitored from 2012 to 2019
- Doctor says more data is needed to confirm addiction causes adverse effects
FILE – A protestor holds a joint during the hemp-parade demanding the legalization of cannabis in Berlin, Aug. 2, 2008. Germany’s health minister has unveiled plans to decriminalize the possession of up to 30 grams of cannabis and allow the sale of the substance to adults for recreational purposes. (AP Photo/Franka Bruns, File)
Testing on staging11
(NewsNation) — A new study has found that people addicted to cannabis have a 60% higher risk of having their first heart attack or stroke compared to those who are not.
The study published in the journal Addiction found that the risk was even higher for people who had no co-occurring medical illness, no prescriptions, and fewer than five visits to health services in the last six months.
The study collected data from 60,000 Canadian individuals, half of whom had an addiction diagnosis and half of whom did not. These participants were monitored from 2012 to 2019.
“Our study doesn’t provide enough information to say that cannabis use disorder causes adverse cardiovascular disease events, but we can go so far as to say that Canadians with cannabis use disorder appear to have a much higher risk of cardiovascular disease than people without the disorder.”