As marijuana legalization increases competition among distributors nationwide, some experts are warning of the nasty side effects of smoking marijuana.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association says smoking marijuana daily can lead to heart health complications.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) analyzed CDC data from 434,104 respondents to investigate how cannabis use is associated with cardiovascular events.

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The effects of cannabis on the risk of coronary heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke were compared between the general adult population and those who had never smoked.

Of those surveyed, approximately 4% smoked cannabis daily, 7.1% were casual users, and 88.9% had not used cannabis in the past 30 days.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association says smoking marijuana daily can lead to heart health complications. (PABLO VERA/AFP via Getty Images; iStock)

A study found that people who used cannabis daily had a 25% increased risk of heart attack and a 42% increased risk of stroke.

Cannabis use is “associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, with higher levels of use (more days per month) associated with higher odds of adverse outcomes,” the researchers said.

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Study co-author Dr. Abra Jeffers of Massachusetts General Hospital spoke to Fox News Digital about her reaction to the study’s findings.

“People think marijuana is harmless, but that’s not the case,” she says. “It turns out that using marijuana (mainly through smoking) is just as bad as smoking cigarettes.”

Cannabis use “is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, with higher levels of use (more days per month) associated with higher odds of adverse outcomes,” the researchers said. (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)

“While we reported results for daily use, the risk increases with any use. The more days of use per month, the higher the risk.”

According to a UCSF press release, recreational marijuana use is currently allowed in 24 states.

As of 2019, approximately 4% of Americans reported using cannabis daily and 18% said they used it annually.

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“Cannabis use is increasing in both prevalence and frequency, while traditional smoking is decreasing,” study lead author Salome Keehani, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said in the same press release. ” he wrote.

She added: “Cannabis use itself may become a more important risk factor over time.”

“People think marijuana is harmless, but it’s not,” the doctor told FOX News Digital. (St. Petersburg)

Dr. Robert Page, a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, chairs the American Heart Association’s statement on these findings.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Page said the study was “unique” in that it looked at marijuana smokers and tobacco users separately.

“Marijuana is not an innocent bystander when it comes to cardiovascular health,” he says.

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He emphasized the importance of the “safety signals” that have emerged from the study.

This includes the need for patients to be “more transparent” with health care providers about their cannabis use, while health care providers need to be “non-judgmental.”

He added: “When it comes to cannabis use, there needs to be shared decision-making between patients and healthcare providers. Patient-centered, non-judgmental conversations are what we really need.”

Patients should be “more transparent” about their cannabis use with health care providers, but health care providers should be “less judgmental,” stressed one doctor (not pictured). (St. Petersburg)

This is especially important if the patient has underlying heart disease or has experienced a cardiovascular event while using cannabis without disclosing it.

What was “scary” about the study was that most respondents were “pretty healthy,” Page said.

The largest demographic of people who smoked marijuana daily were 18 to 34 years old.

“When it comes to cardiovascular health, cannabis is not an innocent bystander.”

“These people typically don’t see their doctor because they’re young and think they’re invincible,” he says. “And that’s what makes me anxious.”

Many of Page’s patients, who can freely smoke marijuana in Colorado, assume that because it’s a natural substance, “it has to be safe,” he said.

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“That’s the furthest thing from the truth,” he told FOX News Digital. “Cannabinoids have so-called psychoactive effects, affecting perception and mental state. And like any prescription psychoactive drug, they also have side effects.”

Page added: “We need to educate the public about the fact that this type of cardiovascular event is possible and people need to make informed decisions.”

The doctor said he was concerned that smoking marijuana could lead to a repeat of the history of cigarettes. The dangers of cigarettes “took a very long time to become established in public health,” he said.

There are many different types of marijuana on display in Los Angeles, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)

Other methods of consuming cannabis, such as edibles, were not the focus of this study, Page noted, adding that there is “not a lot” of data on the safety of these products.

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Page reiterated the importance for people using medical marijuana under a doctor’s supervision to weigh the risks and benefits with their health care provider.

“Adult consumers in states with modern cannabis laws have the option to legally choose safer substances.”

In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the National Cannabis Industry Association said that another study published by the American Heart Association in January 2024 found “a significant association between cannabis use and cardiovascular disease-related deaths over the past 20 years. Although no correlation was found, alcohol was associated with 65% of deaths.

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“This report, like many others, shows that while cannabis use is not completely harmless, it is clearly safer than alcohol,” the group said. Ta.

It added: “Adult consumers in states with modern cannabis laws have the option to legally choose safer substances, and it’s time for federal laws to catch up with those state laws.” .

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