A study released in the journal Circulation found that tetrahydrocannabinol, an active chemical in cannabis, has no beneficiary effects on cardiovascular health, despite its potential efficiency in treating other conditions.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), their recent study shows that cannabis use in early adulthood correlated with a drastically higher risk of cardiovascular problems.
“Health care professionals need a greater understanding of the health implications of cannabis, which has the potential to interfere with prescribed medications and/or trigger cardiovascular conditions or events, such as heart attacks and strokes,” said Robert Page, co-author of the study, in a news release.
“Unfortunately, most of the available data are short-term, observational and retrospective studies, which identify trends but do not prove cause and effect,” Page added.
Overall, the paper critically reviews the use of cannabis for possible therapeutic properties and its concerning health implications by frequent consumers.
“Cannabis may have therapeutic benefits, but few are cardiovascular in nature,” the co-authors wrote in their findings.
“This statement critically reviews the use of medicinal and recreational cannabis from a clinical but also a policy and public health perspective by evaluating its safety and efficacy profile, particularly in relationship to cardiovascular health.”
