article

Cannabis use may substantially raise the risk of death from heart disease and an increased risk of stroke, according to multiple studies published by researchers.

Findings published in the journal Heart are one of the largest studies of data on this specific topic of cannabis and a correlation between the risk of life-threatening cardiovascular problems. 

RELATED: Daily marijuana use surpasses daily drinking in US, study finds

Research for the comprehensive study was led by a group from the University of Toulouse in France, who wanted to make a distinction between the scope of cannabis use and related cardiovascular risks.

The team examined 24 observational studies published between 2016 and 2023, which covered almost 200 million participants aged 19 to 59 and cannabis users in the study were mostly male and younger compared to non-cannabis users. 

Why you should care:

Researchers from the University of Toulouse determined in their findings that cannabis use is connected to a doubled risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 29% higher risk of heart attacks and 20% higher risk of stroke.

According to the study, researchers concluded that the findings reveal positive associations between cannabis use and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The team noted that their findings should encourage probes of cannabis use in all patients and the link with serious cardiovascular disorders.

RELATED: Study finds 45% spike in marijuana use by boomers 

“Our findings are consistent with those from previous reviews, which outlined a positive association between cannabis use and cardiovascular disorders,” the authors wrote in their study. “The increased awareness of this potential risk among cannabis users should encourage investigating such use in all patients presenting with serious cardiovascular disorders.”

The authors of the study also called for additional research to investigate if cardiovascular risks are limited to inhaled products, which made up the majority of cases in their meta-analysis, or extend to other forms of cannabis exposure.