A recent study published in JAMA Cardiology indicates that both smoking marijuana and consuming THC-infused edibles can adversely affect vascular health. Researchers led by Dr. Leila Mohammadi from the University of California, San Francisco, found that the vascular damage caused by cannabis use is comparable to that seen in some tobacco users.
The study examined the vascular endothelial function among 55 participants, averaging 31.1 years old. The subjects were categorized as chronic marijuana smokers, THC edible users, or nonusers. Importantly, none of the participants reported smoking tobacco or being frequently exposed to secondhand smoke.
Results showed that the mean arterial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) values were significantly lower for marijuana smokers at 6% and for edible users at 4.6%, compared to 10.4% in nonusers. This suggests that increased cannabis consumption correlates with reduced FMD values. The FMD measurement is a well-established indicator of endothelial function, which is critical for vascular health.
In terms of other metrics such as pulse wave velocity (PWV) and arterial pressure, researchers observed no significant differences among the groups. However, they noted that marijuana smokers exhibited lower levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-stimulated nitric oxide production when compared to nonusers, a finding not seen in edible users.
The researchers emphasized the importance of understanding the public health implications of marijuana use, especially as cannabis legalization spreads. They stated, “Using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to avoid confounding effects, we found that chronic marijuana smoking and THC edible use were both associated with reductions in FMD compared with nonuser controls. The reduction in FMD was similar to what we have reported previously for chronic tobacco smokers.”
This research was funded by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the California Department of Cannabis Control, although these organizations had no influence over the study’s design or execution.
As cannabis use continues to rise, the findings underscore the need for further investigation into its effects on cardiovascular health.
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