A new study shows that young people who consume marijuana are six times more likely to experience a heart attack than their counterparts.
Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) documents that people under the age of 50 who consume marijuana are about 6.2 times more likely to experience a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, than non-marijuana users. Young marijuana users are also 4.3 times more likely to experience an ischemic stroke and 2 times more likely to experience heart failure, the study shows.
Researchers surveyed over 4.6 million people under the age of 50, of which 4.5 million do not use marijuana and 93,000 do. All participants were free of health conditions commonly associated with cardiovascular risks, like hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, and a history of myocardial infarctions. The study also excluded people who use tobacco to eliminate another potential risk factor.
Ahmed Mahmoud, lead researcher and clinical instructor at Boston University, told USA TODAY that though the numbers appear significant, researchers’ biggest concern right now is studying more data, as research on marijuana’s effects on the cardiovascular system remains limited.
“Until we have more solid data, I advise users to try to somehow put some regulation in the using of cannabis,” Mahmoud said. “We are not sure if it’s totally, 100% safe for your heart by any amount or any duration of exposure.”
How does marijuana affect the heart?
As studies remain inconclusive and few and far between, scientists and doctors are still unclear how marijuana affects the cardiovascular system. But generally, researchers understand that marijuana can make the heart beat faster and raise blood pressure, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mahmoud said researchers believe marijuana may make small defects in the coronary arteries’ lining, the thin layer of cells that forms the inner surface of blood vessels and hollow organs.
“Because cannabis increases the blood pressure and makes the blood run very fast and make some detects in the lining to the coronary arteries, this somehow could make a thrombosis (formation of a blood clot) or a temporary thrombosis in these arteries, which makes a cardiac ischemic (stroke) or the heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen to function,” Mahmoud said. “This is what makes the heart injured and this is a myocardial infarction or heart attack.”
Stanton Glantz, a retired professor from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, co-authored a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association last year that also addresses marijuana’s effects on the cardiovascular system.
Stanton Glantz is retired professor from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. He also is the founder of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education.
Glantz told USA TODAY he believes smoking marijuana has the same effects on the cardiovascular system as smoking tobacco.
When smoking a cigarette, the blood that is distributed through the body becomes contaminated with the cigarette smoke’s chemicals, which can damage the heart and blood vessels, the CDC reports. This damage can result in coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, aneurysms and peripheral artery disease.
Changes in blood chemistry from cigarette smoke can also cause plaque in the body’s arteries, resulting in a disease called atherosclerosis, according to the CDC. When arteries become full of plaque, it’s harder for blood to move throughout the body. This can create blood clots and ultimately lead to a heart attack, stroke or death.
How does the new study correspond with previous research?
The recently published study aligns with previous research in the field.
The Journal of the American Heart Association study, which surveyed more than 434,000 people between the ages 18-74 , found that marijuana affects the cardiovascular system. The study also singled out marijuana users who didn’t use tobacco.
The 2024 study found that people who consume − specifically inhale − marijuana are more likely to experience coronary heart disease, myocardial infraction and stroke. There is a “statistically significant increase in risk,” Glantz said.
The main difference between the new study, co-authored by Mahmoud, and the 2024 study, is the populations studied, Glantz said.
The 2024 study analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, a CDC-operated telephone survey that includes responses from across the country. The new study analyzed data from 53 healthcare organizations using the TriNetX health research network.
Source : https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/03/21/cannabis-users-heart-attack-risk/82574623007/
