Here's a somewhat questionable article currently being passed off as 'news' on msn.com.
I'm only posting it here, now, because we'll probably be hearing more about this as it makes its way around.
www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/ma...-affects-your-heart/ar-BB1aZM6d?ocid=msedgdhp
Marijuana can be just as bad as tobacco — here's how it affects your heart
Marijuana raises heart rate and makes the heart pump harder.
Some research has indicated that smoking marijuana — like smoking cigarettes — can increase your risk for heart disease.
While marijuana use likely harms your heart, further research is needed to determine what it exactly does to cardiovascular health.
This article was medically reviewed by John Osborne, MD, PhD, and the Director of Cardiology for Dallas-based State of the Heart Cardiology.
This story is part of Insider's guide to Heart Disease.
Smoking cigarettes is known to be one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease. And with more states legalizing marijuna and more people smoking cannabis, it's worth considering how it compares to tobacco.
While research is limited on how marijuana affects the body, here's what we know so far about what it does to the heart.
How marijuana affects the heart
Cannabis is filled with cannabinoids, or psychoactive chemicals unique to the plant. One cannabinoid called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is what mainly causes the psychoactive effects a person feels when they smoke or ingest the plant.
Cannabinoids raise resting heart rate and make the heart pump harder. According to a 2019 study, the literature available on cannabis suggests it can affect the heart in three major ways:
Cannabis arteritis. Heavy cannabis use can inflame arteries, damage blood vessel walls, and reduce blood flow to the organs.
Cannabis-induced vasospasms. A vasospasm is when the muscular wall of an artery contracts, causing the artery to narrow and decrease the amount of blood that can go through it.
Platelet aggregation. This involves tiny blood cells called platelets clumping together and forming clots, which can block blood vessels and reduce blood flow.
Smoking marijuana is likely worse for your heart than edibles
Smoking marijuana might be worse for your heart than taking it in other ways, such as through edibles, says Nav Bajaj, MD, a cardiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
"When you smoke, marijuana is converted into different chemicals as well, which apart from the cannabinoids may have their own deleterious effect on the heart and the blood vessels." However, Bajaj notes that there needs to be more studies to know for sure.
According to the American Lung Association, smoking marijuana has been shown to expose you to the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens as smoking tobacco. Moreover, when smoking marijuana, users often inhale more deeply than cigarette smokers, and that can lead to more tar exposure.
I'm only posting it here, now, because we'll probably be hearing more about this as it makes its way around.
www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/ma...-affects-your-heart/ar-BB1aZM6d?ocid=msedgdhp
Marijuana can be just as bad as tobacco — here's how it affects your heart
Marijuana raises heart rate and makes the heart pump harder.
Some research has indicated that smoking marijuana — like smoking cigarettes — can increase your risk for heart disease.
While marijuana use likely harms your heart, further research is needed to determine what it exactly does to cardiovascular health.
This article was medically reviewed by John Osborne, MD, PhD, and the Director of Cardiology for Dallas-based State of the Heart Cardiology.
This story is part of Insider's guide to Heart Disease.
Smoking cigarettes is known to be one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease. And with more states legalizing marijuna and more people smoking cannabis, it's worth considering how it compares to tobacco.
While research is limited on how marijuana affects the body, here's what we know so far about what it does to the heart.
How marijuana affects the heart
Cannabis is filled with cannabinoids, or psychoactive chemicals unique to the plant. One cannabinoid called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is what mainly causes the psychoactive effects a person feels when they smoke or ingest the plant.
Cannabinoids raise resting heart rate and make the heart pump harder. According to a 2019 study, the literature available on cannabis suggests it can affect the heart in three major ways:
Cannabis arteritis. Heavy cannabis use can inflame arteries, damage blood vessel walls, and reduce blood flow to the organs.
Cannabis-induced vasospasms. A vasospasm is when the muscular wall of an artery contracts, causing the artery to narrow and decrease the amount of blood that can go through it.
Platelet aggregation. This involves tiny blood cells called platelets clumping together and forming clots, which can block blood vessels and reduce blood flow.
Smoking marijuana is likely worse for your heart than edibles
Smoking marijuana might be worse for your heart than taking it in other ways, such as through edibles, says Nav Bajaj, MD, a cardiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
"When you smoke, marijuana is converted into different chemicals as well, which apart from the cannabinoids may have their own deleterious effect on the heart and the blood vessels." However, Bajaj notes that there needs to be more studies to know for sure.
According to the American Lung Association, smoking marijuana has been shown to expose you to the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens as smoking tobacco. Moreover, when smoking marijuana, users often inhale more deeply than cigarette smokers, and that can lead to more tar exposure.
