An increasing number of studies are showing that marijuana may not be so harmless after all.
In two new studies, to be presented later this month at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2023, researchers found that regular marijuana use increased the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure — even after factors like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity were taken into account.
“Prior research shows links between marijuana use and cardiovascular disease like coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation, which is known to cause heart failure,” lead study author Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, M.D., MPH, a resident physician at Medstar Health in Baltimore, said in a statement. “Marijuana use isn’t without its health concerns, and our study provides more data linking its use to cardiovascular conditions.”
Funny how both studies focus on smoking though, it’s almost as if inhaling smoke isn’t healthy 🤯.
My biggest complaint with most cannabis research is the failure to subgroup results by delivery mechanism.
Do people that don’t smoke at all but use oral cannabis have higher heart complication risks, and if so how much are they elevated compared to the norm and compared to the subgroups that smoke?
But no, it’s usually just catchy headlines about “cannabis correlated with X” when I get the feeling many times it’s really “smoking things correlated with X.”
Study probably paid for by alcohol and police lobbies. Always villainise.
I’m wondering about vaping and CBD/hemp too: I use a dry herb vape with hemp to quit smoking cigarettes. Works great but now I’m a little worried. My resting heart rate is 50 bpm and I get a decent amount of physical activity so hopefully I’m OK.
I heard vaping gives you wet popcorn lung and kills you faster than smoke.
/s
Also, drink alcohol it’s way better for you than marijyana
Vaping can give you popcorn lung. Its just not as common as everyone says.
It’s been too many years since I’ve had this argument to remember the details, but it’s linked to specific additives that are usually in specific flavors. IIRC the mitigation is to not buy from sellers who use cheap flavorings and to avoid certain buttery flavors.
Vitamin E acetate. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6952050/
Well now you’ve made me google. 🙂
IIRC that’s a different problematic component.
The component that causes popcorn lung is diacetyl. https://reason.org/backgrounder/debunking-the-myth-that-vaping-causes-popcorn-lung/
I no longer vape, but when I did it wasn’t too hard to find sellers who would provide lab results or other certification that they did not use diacetyl in their flavorings.
Your link also distinguishes between the two:
You can look at my comment above.
BHO extracted products and ones that use additional terpenes for flavor/as a diluent agent should be avoided. This does not only apply to black market/vitamin E acetate containing carts. This very much includes mainstream carts available on the shelves of dispensaries.
If you’re vaping BHO extracted products/products with added terpenes, then you are doing damage to your lungs. Dry herb vaping and live rosin excluded.
You have to be so careful with the extraction methods and diluent agents when it comes to vaping concentrates (that includes regulated vape carts–not just black market carts).
The terpenes used in vape carts to dilute and reintroduce flavor and aroma (which is lost in some extraction methods, like BHO) also produces harmful byproducts when vaped. [2]
Another problem with cheap vape pens and e-cigs is the cheap atomizers/coils used. There have been confirmed cases of these coils/atomizers leeching heavy metals into the vapor produced.[3]
It’s always important to consider the risk-mitigation approach, but a lot of people don’t comprehend that not all vaping concentrates/methods are equal, and some should absolutely be avoided.
THC does cause heart distress, regardless of consumption method.
CBD should be fine.
Either are better than nicotine anyway.