A new UC San Francisco study has found that chronic cannabis use — whether smoked or consumed in edible form — is associated with significant cardiovascular risks.
Published May 28 in JAMA Cardiology, the research showed that regular cannabis users had vascular function reduced by about half compared to non-users, a decline comparable to that seen in tobacco smokers. Reduced vascular function is linked to a higher risk of heart attack, hypertension, and other cardiovascular conditions.
The study involved 55 healthy participants who consumed cannabis at least three times a week for over a year — smokers averaged 10 years of chronic use, while edible users averaged five years. None used nicotine products.
Marijuana smokers also showed harmful changes in their blood serum that could damage endothelial cells, which line blood and lymphatic vessels. Interestingly, these serum changes were absent in those who consumed THC edibles, suggesting smoking affects vascular function through a different mechanism.
“It’s unclear exactly how THC damages blood vessels,” said first author Leila Mohammadi, MD, PhD. “But our results suggest smoking marijuana and ingesting it impact vascular health in distinct ways.”
Senior author Matthew L. Springer, PhD, noted that both forms of use were still linked to significantly reduced blood vessel function, underscoring potential cardiovascular risks.
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The study is published in JAMA Cardiology.
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