New Study Finds Consistent Cannabis Use Can Increase Heart Attack, Stroke Risk

A new study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found a link between marijuana use and increased risk of heart attack and stroke. It echoes the results of two American Heart Association studies presented at the end of last year.

Of the more than 430,000 study participants, those who had a habit of smoking, eating, or vaping cannabis were reportedly at a higher risk for cardiovascular issues, even if they didn’t use tobacco products or have underlying risk factors.

To determine their results, researchers surveyed 434,104 American adults from 2016 until 2020. They looked into whether cannabis use in the past 30 days was associated with self-reported cardiovascular episodes, including coronary heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes, amongst adults who never used tobacco products.

Any amount of marijuana was associated with a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes, but those who used it more frequently had higher odds. Participants who used cannabis daily had a 25 percent higher risk for heart attack and 42 percent higher odds for stroke than those who didn’t use marijuana in any capacity.

"Despite common use, little is known about the risks of cannabis use and, in particular, the cardiovascular disease risks," lead study author Dr. Abra Jeffers said in a news release. "The perceptions of the harmfulness of smoking cannabis are decreasing, and people have not considered cannabis use dangerous to their health."

Jeffers also explained that "smoking cannabis—the predominant method of use—may pose additional risks because particulate matter is inhaled…Cannabis smoke is not all that different from tobacco smoke, except for the psychoactive drug: THC versus nicotine," she explained.

"Our study shows that smoking cannabis has significant cardiovascular risks, just like smoking tobacco. This is particularly important because cannabis use is increasing, and conventional tobacco use is decreasing," Jeffers concluded.

The amount of cannabis users in the United States has increased significantly in recent decades. Though it remains illegal on a federal level, 38 states have legalized medicinal marijuana, while 24 states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana use. A 2019 survey on national drug use found that 48.2 million people aged 12 or older used cannabis at least once, compared to the 25.8 million reported in 2002.

This study comes shortly after health warnings alerting marijuana users to an influx of chemicals and other contaminants found in cannabis products, including those sold in legalized states.