'Frequent' Cannabis Use Linked to Heart Attacks and Strokes

Cannabis use may significantly increase our risk of heart attack and strokes, a study of 430,000 U.S. adults has found. This association was seen even after controlling for tobacco use and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Roughly 48.2 million Americans—about 15 percent of the total population—reported using cannabis at least once in 2019, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while the drug may still be illegal at a federal level, cannabis, aka marijuana, has been legalized for recreational use across 24 states and Washington D.C.

"Despite common use, little is known about the risks of cannabis use and, in particular, the cardiovascular disease risks," Abra Jeffers, a data analyst at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a statement. "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. In addition, smoking cannabis—the predominant method of use—may pose additional risks because particulate matter is inhaled."

https://www.newsweek.com/frequent-cannabis-use-heart-attacks-stroke-1873878