Marijuana and Heart Health
More and more states are passing laws legalizing recreational marijuana use, and questions have arisen regarding the possible health effects caused by smoking or ingesting it. The argument for legalization centers around the fact it has not been proven it is any more harmful to overall health than other substances which are legal such as alcohol, cigarettes, fatty foods, not to mention caffeine and sugar-laden “energy” drinks. But what do the studies show?
Common sense must come into play when you are an adult making decisions about what to put into your body, whether it is a plate of cheese fries and a RockStar, that fourth Long Island iced tea, smoke from a cigarette, or a pot-laced brownie. The health effects of most of those are pretty well known:
- Sugar and fat can lead to obesity and diabetes
- Over-imbibing alcoholic beverages can lead to alcoholism, which can lead to heart and liver damage
- Energy drinks can lead to heart palpitations (and a few deaths have been reported from drinking too many)
- Cigarettes are a well-known cause of lung cancer
When you think of the health effects of marijuana, however, you may be limited to thinking it causes brain damage and birth defects, which is what most of us were taught in school. Well, that and you were probably told you can go to jail if you are caught with it.
Marijuana and the Heart
So does marijuana have any effect on your heart? This question is not easy to answer. The known initial effects immediately after smoking or ingesting marijuana are:
- Lowered blood pressure, because marijuana has a dilating effect on blood vessels.This is good for glaucoma patients and those with high blood pressure.
- A racing heart, especially when partaking of cannabis with high levels of THC (not good for those with pre-existing heart conditions or a tendency toward paranoia or anxiety).
If someone has a heart condition which might be impacted by either of these effects, like a cardiomyopathy where the heart muscle is thickened and has difficulty beating in the first place, a racing heart may not be advantageous and could possibly lead to heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest.
The truth is the results of recent studies are vague and there hasn’t been enough clinical testing or evidence to prove it is either good or bad for a healthy person’s heart. All they can do is look at reported heart-related hospital visits and deaths, and compare them with either a patient’s admission to using marijuana or urine samples pointing to such. Trying to decide at that point how far back to attribute the use comes into play. Could there be a link if the cardiac incident happened only directly after use? After 24 hours? After a week? A month? A year?
Considering Smoking vs. Edible Pot Products
Another factor which must be taken into consideration when trying to find links between marijuana use and heart-related health concerns is the way the cannabis is taken in. If inhaled, it could be in the form of a blunt (rolled into a cigarette with tobacco leaves). This would then place nicotine in the system with the marijuana. A joint which is rolled in paper only would only deliver the cannabis, with no nicotine from tobacco leaves. If eaten, it could be ingested along with other things like the fats or sugars in brownies and candies.
Another thing to consider: Was the marijuana pure? Was it purchased in a state where cannabis is legal and purity is regulated, and even then was it purchased in a state-inspected store? Or was it purchased where it was illegal or from a street dealer and could it be laced with other drugs or compounds which may have caused the cardiac event?
Conclusions Are Still Hazy
To date, there do not appear to be significant studies pointing to marijuana use as the cause of increased risk for heart-related illnesses. Cardiac deaths have occurred after use of marijuana in persons who were seemingly healthy barring other risk factors such as obesity or a pre-existing condition. However, there have also been sudden cardiac deaths of other seemingly healthy individuals when there was no evidence of marijuana use.
As stated earlier, always use common sense when you are considering what to put into your body.
- If you feel it is a risk to smoke or ingest marijuana – don’t do it.
- If you know you have an existing heart condition, weigh the risk factors of smoking ANY substance, as smoking anything can play a part in contributing to pulmonary and circulatory issues. Any time we trust our bodies to substances we are unfamiliar with, we take a risk.
- Learn as many facts as you can before making a decision, especially if you are considering marijuana use for medicinal purposes. Talk it over with your physician and get their input.
As more states legalize marijuana products, it can reasonably be expected there will be increasing opportunities for research to take place. There are many unknowns which could be further illuminated, so any associated risks are better understood, and people are equipped to make informed decisions about their health and recreation.
The topics covered in this article are by no means meant to convey medical diagnosis, advice or treatment options. The author is not a doctor of medicine, but a researcher. Any opinions expressed are hers alone.
August 15, 2017 at 8:09 am, chris said:
Your comments in the first paragraph are ridiculous. Comparing pot to sugar laden soft drinks, tobacco, binge drinking, etc show how little you really know about the subject matter. There are NO known medical contraindications or verifiable studies supporting your statements related to recreational use of pot- your message is from the dark ages of ‘reefer madness” and the like. Please get your facts straight – as a supplier of critical medical products, I would expect better from your company.
August 15, 2017 at 8:24 am, AED Superstore said:
Thank you for your comment. The opening paragraph states it has NOT been proven marijuana is any more harmful than other legal substances. In other words, there is no study to support criminalizing marijuana. The main gist of the article is more studies need to be done on the subject now that there are many states where it is legal and conclusive studies can be conducted.
August 15, 2017 at 8:59 am, Don said:
It just goes to show that [some people] do not read with understanding but jump to conclusions. I felt your article made it clear there are not enough facts to determine the effects of marijuana on the heart. Obviously, the majority are not going to admit to the use of, let alone excessive use of, marijuana on a regular basis, as it still is an illegal drug in most states. I live in Colorado, and unfortunately the legalization of the drug has made things far worse here than better. I do like your stating “use common sense” before ingesting anything in your body!
August 24, 2017 at 1:20 pm, Norman Patton said:
It will be difficult to assess marijuana effect as the stigma whether legal or not will keep people from being honest with their Dr, as many Dr’s look down on it, even though it has benefits for many with Parkinsons Disease. Chronic Pain sufferers use it to relieve stress which cause muscle pain. These people may not report as being uses due to such stigma.
September 22, 2017 at 6:54 pm, Debbi Zimmer said:
Check out medical sites like WebMD and other sites that study the effects of marijuana on the brain. There are many studies out there. Most of them confirm that marijuana is not good for your body, especially your brain. Like any medicine there will be bad side effects. People should only use it for true conditions where it is the only option. It is abused and our society will suffer for generations and generations! When you use marijuana it will affect your grandchildren. They will be more susceptible to turning to drugs to handle stressful situations. By the time society acknowledges this it will be too late!
July 17, 2019 at 7:24 am, Ed Wilson said:
I must of missed the authors name, as I can not seem to locate who wrote this article for AED Superstore any where within the article. As a California Highway Patrol officer once stated on a news cast interview, “we do not need one more mind altering drug on the market”. If THC is helpful to certain patients for symptoms they are encountering, take the THC and put it in pill form. This takes the stigma away, makes it legal under prescription use, and keeps uncontrolled abuse to a minimum. Why do we have to go over this again and again, if its a useful drug use it as any other drug. Comparing the use to other inappropriate uses of drugs like alcohol just doesn’t hold water. If we could wipe out use of sugar, that would also cut down on many health issues but that is hind sight. Will we be using hind sight again with uncontrolled weed use? That is a question that we should think long and hard about before legalizing things we have not done detailed physiologic and psychogenic research into their real effects. I do agree with using THC for helping individuals with medical issues. Those using THC for an escape from reality should check their medical licenses, what they know about use of drugs and addictions, and do these drugs make their problems go away. Are maybe they should face reality and solve the issues that make them desire an escape whether they use weed, alcohol , or some other drug. Life is rough and tough, but worth the ride with a balanced mind and body.
July 17, 2019 at 9:04 am, Lois Harrell said:
I can tell you from personal experience that the CBD oil (Charlottes Web brand), not from a local gas station, but purchased from pharmacies, is in fact very effect in treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, etc. Last year I had a major fracture and was having to use opoids. A friend told me about her use of CBD oil after hip replacement. I used it and was amazed at the difference. I was able to completely stop using any pain medication at all with the oil. I talked to my Doctor about it and he also was very supportive in my use of it. Also, my husband began using it for panic attacks and depression. He has been able to stop his antidepressants, and is doing wonderful! He takes it twice daily, and there have been no ill effects. The oil has not cause ANY side effects. It doesn’t make you feel “high”, or have any mental clarity issues at all. I think the stigma of marijuana use is a problem in those that are afraid of it because of lack of knowledge. If people would educate themselves about this, they would be amazed at the benefits. It helps with seizure disorders (proven through the Charlottes Web website…. a childs seizures COMPLETELY stopped with the use of it), it help nausea with cancer patients, as well as pain control. I am not saying let’s all get high! I am an educated woman, with a college education, that knows there is the capacity to abuse anything. But if everyone would realize that there are benefits and the stigma from the uneducated thoughts from the past should be made aware. There are MANY medical benefits.