Young cannabis users are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack, recent study says
Great time. Young teenager, man lighting cannabis cigarette while sitting with excited friends on the couch at home. Young people smoking marijuana together, having fun. Marijuana, weed legalization

Young Cannabis Users Are Almost Twice As Likely To Have A Heart Attack, Recent Study Says

Posted by
1 min read
September 8, 2021

Harry Wilmerding on September 8, 2021

Young adults who recently used cannabis are more likely to suffer from heart attacks, according to a recent study in a major medical journal.

Adults under the age of 45 who consumed cannabis over the past 30 days experienced almost double the number of heart attacks than those who didn’t use the drug, according to the study published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

“Our study provides evidence supporting an association between recent cannabis use and history of myocardial infarction (MI) in young adults,” the authors wrote. “Increasing cannabis use in an at-risk population could have negative implications for cardiovascular health.”

The study used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data from over 33,000 adults aged 18 to 44 from 2017 to 2018 and discovered that 1.3% of the 17% of adults who used cannabis over the previous 30 days said they had a heart attack.  Only 0.8% of non-cannabis users reported a heart attack.

“There’s increasing evidence that this could potentially be harmful to you, both in the short term and the long term,” Dr. Karim Ladah, the study’s lead author and an anesthesiologist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Canada and the University of Toronto, told CNN.

The higher likelihood of heart attacks was seen across all ways of using the drug, including smoking, vaping and eating or drinking.

Ladah said in a statement that the study did not show how cannabis affects the heart but noted that marijuana use could lead to irregular heart rates, which can cause heart attacks.

The study was published amid a growing movement to legalize or decriminalize cannabis, which has been cited to help with pain relief and anxiety. Cannabis is currently fully legal in 18 states.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said that ending the federal prohibition on cannabis would be his top legislative priority when he introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, according to The Hill.

The legislation co-sponsored by Democratic New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and Democratic Oregon Senator Ron Wyden would lift the federal prohibition on cannabis and allow marijuana businesses to access bank accounts and other financial services.

A recent Gallup poll published on Aug. 17 showed that 49% of U.S. adults said they tried marijuana, marking the highest measure to date.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Read the full story at the Daily Caller News Foundation

 

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Breaking News

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version