Whether you’re using a joint, taking a hit from a bong, trying a dab, munching on an edible, or dropping cannabis oil under your tongue, it turns out that regular cannabis use might come with some long-term consequences for your body.
And yes, it’s easy to shrug it off. After all, it’s just a plant, right? How bad could it really be, especially considering that cannabis is legal for medical use in 39 states and for recreational use in 24 across the U.S.? But it might not be as harmless as people assume.
The study included 55 participants, all aged between 18 and 50. They were described as ‘outwardly healthy,’ meaning they didn’t have any obvious existing health problems. These individuals were then divided into three separate groups.
One group included those who regularly smoked cannabis. Another group consumed THC through edibles, while the third group did not use cannabis in any form at all. This helped researchers compare the potential effects among different usage types and against a control group.
According to the press release, in September 2024, the participants went through a round of health tests. These were designed to measure how well their blood vessels were functioning and to see if the cells that line the insides of their blood vessels had been affected by their cannabis habits.
The results were concerning. All of the cannabis users—regardless of how they used it showed signs of potential heart issues that could develop later in life due to their continued cannabis use.
Those who used cannabis had what’s called “decreased vascular function.” Basically, their blood vessels weren’t performing as well as they should. Shockingly, this decline in function was similar to what is usually seen in people who smoke tobacco.
Even more surprising was that the cannabis users had blood vessel function that measured to be about half of what was observed in people who didn’t use cannabis at all. This puts them at a much greater risk for serious health problems like high blood pressure, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular complications.
In this latest study, researchers emphasized that people who consume edibles face the same level of risk as those who smoke cannabis. However, they did find something a bit different with smokers. The study noted that smoking cannabis led to changes in blood serum that damaged the cells lining both blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
They followed that up with another important point: “This study enhances the understanding of the potential risks to vascular health linked to cannabis use and provides more evidence that cannabis use is not benign.”
Dr. Bradley Serwer, who is a cardiologist and the chief medical officer at VitalSolution, said he wasn’t surprised by what the study found.
He added that these findings helped provide more insight into how cannabis affects people’s bodies, especially when used regularly over time.
“This study enhances the understanding of the potential risks to vascular health linked to cannabis use and provides more evidence that cannabis use is not benign.” the researchers said.
