According to a warning from the American Heart Association (AHA), the smoking or vaping of cannabis could cause strokes and heart attacks.
The association is calling on the government to allow more research as marijuana use shows “substantial risks” and “no benefit” in cardiovascular health. The AHA’s deputy chief science and medical officer is recommending that people “not smoke or vape any substance, including cannabis products, because of the potential harm to the heart, lungs and blood vessels.”
In a scientific paper recently published, the American Heart Association (AHA) cites a growing crop of observational studies suggesting that cannabis use is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, irregular heartbeats (atrial fibrillation, or AFib) and heart failure; a nearly 2.5 times higher risk of strokes; chest pain or angina; and high blood pressure.
According to the AHA, THC appears to stimulate the body’s “fight or flight” response, which can trigger a higher heart rate, a greater demand for oxygen by the heart, higher blood pressure while laying down, and dysfunction within the walls of the arteries.
“People who use cannabis need to know there are potentially serious health risks in smoking or vaping it, just like tobacco smoke,” said Dr. Rose Marie Robertson, the deputy chief science and medical officer for the American Heart Association, in a statement.
