The majority of cannabis users smoke cannabis, which can significantly increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study has found.

In the study published Wednesday, 75% of participants reported smoking cannabis, and 25% said they used cannabis in other ways, including edibles, alcohol, and vaping.

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Overall, daily cannabis use was associated with a 42% increased chance of developing a stroke and a 25% increased risk of heart attack compared to people who never used cannabis. Studies show that even less frequent cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, with weekly cannabis use increasing the risk of stroke by 5% and the chance of a heart attack by 3%. It has been shown that

The findings, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, come as marijuana use has increased over the past two decades as states legalized the drug for medical and recreational purposes.

Marijuana is currently legal for medical use in 38 states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and for recreational use in 24 states. New Jersey legalized recreational marijuana in 2021 and currently has approximately 29 recreational dispensaries.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced in February that he wanted to legalize adult-use marijuana as a new source of revenue to fund schools, public transportation and other initiatives across the commonwealth.

The study, funded by a division of the National Institutes of Health, looked at data from about 435,000 people and was the first study conducted to date to examine the interaction between cannabis use and heart disease and stroke. This is the largest study ever.

“This is an important public health discovery, especially given our continued efforts to reduce the burden of heart disease in this country,” said the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Division of Cardiovascular Sciences. said Director Dr. David C. Goff. press release.

The study did not examine the exact link between cannabis use and heart disease.

“In addition to toxins, endocannabinoid receptors (some of the cells responsible for recognizing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) are widely present in the body’s cardiovascular tissues and may pose a risk to the heart. “It may be a boost,” the press release said.