The data on cannabis use and health risks is growing clearer

While an apple per day may keep the doctor away, a daily puff of weed makes you more likely to require serious medical assistance in the future. That’s according to a study published yesterday by the American Heart Association, which found that frequent cannabis smoking is associated with a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The NIH-funded research analyzed survey data for 430,000 US adults, marking one of the largest studies of its kind on record.

• Researchers found daily use of cannabis – mostly through smoking – was associated with a 25% increased likelihood of heart attack and 42% increased likelihood of stroke when compared to non-users.
• By comparison, weekly cannabis use was shown to slightly increase risks for heart attacks (+3%) and strokes (+5%).

The data 👆 tracks with several other recent studies that show frequent cannabis users carry a 30+% higher risk of developing a range of severe heart problems compared to non-users.

Yes, but… All of this research has been observational, meaning it relies on self-reported surveys instead of following participants in real time. This opens up the risk that people who have bad memories – or who don’t want to confess certain behaviors – could end up skewing the results.

📝 Bottom line: Even with those limitations, the data is clear enough that regular cannabis users should probably take notice. In 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, cannabis use hit an all-time high across all US age brackets.