New research has linked regular cannabis use with greater cardiovascular risk, with the reduction in blood vessel function comparable to that seen in tobacco smokers.
Impaired vascular function can increase the risk of heart attack, hypertension, and other cardiovascular disorders.
The study involved 55 people who either smoked marijuana regularly or frequently consumed edibles containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis.
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All the participants did not use nicotine in any form and were outwardly healthy but used cannabis at least three times a week for a minimum of a year.
Those who smoked marijuana did so for an average of 10 years, while those in the edibles group averaged five years.
Researchers found that those who smoked marijuana had changes to their blood serum that were harmful to endothelial cells, which make up the inner lining of all blood and lymphatic vessels.
These changes were not seen in those taking the edibles.
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While it is not clear how THC damages blood vessels, the team behind the findings say it must happen in a way that does not involve changes to blood serum.
The authors concluded: “This cross-sectional study found that chronic cannabis smoking and THC ingestion were associated with endothelial dysfunction similar to that observed in tobacco smokers, although apparently occurring via distinct mechanisms.
“Endothelial dysfunction was observed in otherwise healthy cannabis users, suggesting an increased risk of early development of vascular disease.”
Read more in the journal JAMA Cardiology.
