Some people like to smoke and consume cannabis for its ‘calming’ effects, but it could be putting them at risk for more serious health conditions in the future.
Whether it’s a joint, bong, dab, edible or oil you use, cannabis could be something that harms you down the line.
Of course, you might be rolling your eyes right now because how can a naturally occurring plant cause bad health? Especially with it being in a drug that is legal for medical use in 39 of 50 states, and for recreational use in 24.
A long-term cannabis use study by the researchers at UC San Francisco was published their findings in JAMA Cardiology on May 28.
It surveyed 55 people between the ages of 18 to 50 who were ‘outwardly healthy’ and divided them into three groups.
The impact of cannabis on a certain part of your body has been discovered (SEM VAN DER WAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
There were those who regularly smoked cannabis, those who ate THC-containing edibles, and those who didn’t use cannabis at all.
Those who smoked typically noted that they had been indulging in the habit for a decade, while those eating edibles had been doing so for five years.
According to the press release, the participants of the study underwent testing to find out how well their blood vessels functioned and if the cells lining the blood vessels were affected by their cannabis use in September 2024.
It found that all cannabis users were at risk of heart problems later in life because of their cannabis smoking and consumption.
According to the study, using the plant in any form has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease because of the risk stemming from reduced blood vessel function.
Those included in the group were found to have ‘decreased vascular function,’ which was comparable to those who smoke tobacco products.
Shockingly, the people tested measured as having blood vessel function around half of what was compared to those who did not use cannabis at all. This put them in line for being more likely to have a heart attack, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues.
This isn’t the only study to find that cannabis is bad for the body, as one previous study found that it negatively affects the brain, and another explained that cannabis use is linked to dementia.
Smoking or consuming cannabis can prove to be dangerous for your heart in the long run (SEM VAN DER WAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
For those who took edibles, they had the exact same risk as those who smoked cannabis, said the researchers, but those who smoked it were noted to have changes in their blood serum that harmed the cells lining their blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
“Chronic cannabis smoking and THC ingestion were associated with endothelial dysfunction [impaired functioning of the endothelial cells lining the inside of blood vessels] similar to that observed in tobacco smokers, although apparently occurring via distinct mechanisms,” the researchers wrote.
They added: “This study enhances the understanding of the potential risks to vascular health linked to cannabis use and provides more evidence that cannabis use is not benign.”
Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, said he was not surprised by the results.
“We have known that the chronic use of THC-containing compounds can have negative health consequences — this study just reaffirms those prior studies,” he told Fox News Digital.
But the findings helped to understand more about what cannabis consumption can do to people.
“This study enhances the understanding of the potential risks to vascular health linked to cannabis use and provides more evidence that cannabis use is not benign,” the researchers said.
Experts have detailed the exact number of steps you should be taking every day to reduce your risk of developing a dangerous heath condition.
Particularly for those who work in an office job or even complete their duties from home, it can be pretty difficult to get those steps in.
But to be brutally honest, it’s important we all get our steps in to keep healthy.
So, what is the ideal number of steps we should all take each day?
Well, you’ll be glad to hear it’s not the dreaded 10,000 mark, and the exact number has been backed up by a team of scientists in the UK.
A whopping 85,000 people were involved in the study with each participant wearing activity trackers measuring how often they were moving.
Scientists looked into how exercise can reduce your risk of cancer (Getty Stock Photo)
The team looked at how that correlated with the risk of developing 13 different types of cancers, and the results were pretty clear.
While the benefits seem to begin when you hit 5,000 steps, researchers found the magic number is in fact 7,000 steps per day.
The scientists explained that increasing your step count reduced your risk of six types of cancer, while an expert has explained how you can make sure you get your 7,000 steps in.
A senior lecturer in biochemistry at Loughborough University in the UK, Dr. Mhairi Morris, wrote in The Conversation: “At 7,000 steps, the risk of developing cancer dropped by 11%. At 9,000 steps, it dropped by 16%.
“Beyond 9,000 steps, the benefits levelled off. The difference in risk reduction became marginal, and varied slightly between men and women.
After following the participants for a period of six years, three percent of those involved developed some form of cancer according to the researchers.
Colon, rectal and lung cancer were most common in men, while breast, colon, endometrial and lung seemed to crop up more often in women.
Being more active reduced your risk of gastric, bladder, liver, endometrial, lung and head and neck cancer, according to the researchers.
Researchers found walking can reduce your chances of developing cancer (Getty Stock Photo)
Researchers even accounted for demographic and lifestyle factors that may have impacted the results, though the answers were still pretty clear: putting those steps in is going to make you healthier.
Dr Morris added: “Getting more steps into your routine, especially during middle age, could be one of the simplest ways to lower your risk of developing certain cancers.”
And the expert offered an alternative for those looking to get going.
“Walking just two miles a day – roughly 4,000 steps, or about 40 minutes of light walking – could make a significant impact on your long-term health,” the doctor added.
“You don’t have to do it all at once either. Break it up throughout the day by: taking the stairs instead of the lift; having a stroll at lunchtime; walking during phone calls; parking a bit further away from your destination.”
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Cannabis has been determined to be a factor in some cases of dementia, according to a recent study.
With yesterday being 4/20 (April 20), marijuana smokers around the world would have celebrated the day by rolling up a doobie – especially if you live in one of the 24 states where it’s legal for recreational use.
Celebrities like Seth Rogen, Snoop Dogg, Miley Cyrus, Whoopi Goldberg, and Wiz Khalifa have helped make it the norm in pop culture, but there are still health conditions that can come about from overusing.
One of those has been determined by researchers of a paper that was published in the National Library of Medicine’s journal JAMA Neurology, on Monday last week.
Having analyzed data from more than six million people, it determined that patients who had been hospitalized in relation to smoking weed are at a greater risk of developing dementia.
“Someone who has an emergency room visit or hospitalization due to cannabis has a 23% increased risk of dementia within five years compared to someone who was at the hospital for another reason. They have a 72% greater risk compared to the general population,” Canadian co-author of the study, Dr. Daniel Myran, explained to CNN.
The assistant professor of the University of Ottawa’s the department of family medicine continued: “Those numbers have already factored out other reasons for dementia, such as age, sex, mental health or substance use, and whether or not you have chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.”
Previous research found that weed smoker are 25 percent more likely to be placed into emergency care than those who don’t use it.
Myran added: “However, this is not a study that anyone should look at and say, ‘Jury’s in, and cannabis use causes dementia’. This is a study that brings up a concerning association that fits within a growing body of research.”
The abstract of the paper read in part: “Cannabis use is associated with short-term memory impairment and long-term changes in brain structure; however, little is known about whether disordered cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of a dementia diagnosis.”
Results found that five percent of people with cannabis-related visits developed dementia (Getty stock)
Out of the six million people the study looked at, around 16,000, or 0.3 percent, ended up in the hospital or emergency room because of cannabis use. Most of these people were around 55 years old, and about 60 percent were men.
Between 2008 and 2021, hospital visits related to cannabis went up a lot in both people aged 45 to 64, these visits increased five times, and those aged 65 and older – which went up nearly 27 times.
It found that people who had cannabis-related hospital visits were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia within five years compared to those who went to the hospital for any reason – 1.5 times more likely.
Results found that five percent of people with cannabis-related visits developed dementia, while 3.6 percent of people with general hospital visits developed dementia, with only 1.3 percent of the general population did.
Even after accounting for things like age, health, and lifestyle, the risk of dementia stayed higher in those with cannabis-related hospital visits. But, their risk was actually lower than those who had hospital visits related to alcohol use.
In a groundbreaking first-of-a-kind study, experts have discovered vaping could be more dangerous than smoking.
Americans often take up vaping as a healthier substitute to cigarettes. Of course, studies have found vaping is not good for us, but it’s used as an alternative by millions to help quit smoking.
But many won’t see vaping as more detrimental to our health than smoking tobacco, though a study has found whipping out a flavoured vape may be ‘more dangerous than smoking’.
The study conducted by Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK looked at ‘the chronic and acute effects of using a vape on vascular health’.
The study has looked into vaping (Getty Stock Photo)
Dr Maxime Boidin, Senior Lecturer in Cardiac Rehabilitation, said ahead of the study: “We know already the long-term impact of smoking behaviour on cardiovascular health but for e-cigarettes it is not the case yet.
“From discussions with clinical experts, they have mentioned already they have seen some symptoms like coughing, chest pain or lung dysfunction.
“So, we can see the early markers of this dysfunction of using a vape at the moment.”
Researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University found that e-cigs allow people to inhale nicotine in a vapour, with scientists worried the nicotine could increase heart rate and blood pressure while also damaging artery walls.
Dr Boidin told The Mirror: “Smokers tend to go outside and smoke, and once a cigarette is finished they have to light up another to keep going.
“But with vapes, you just keep going and it’s much harder to know how many puffs you’ve had. It’s much easier to vape continuously because you can do it in places where smoking might be less acceptable.
“What we have found is the dangers for someone who keeps vaping are no different from smokers.”
It’s a groundbreaking study (Getty Stock Photo)
For the study, the team tracked volunteers with the average age of 27 who had similar fitness levels.
The study suggested people who smoked and vape had damaged artery walls that could no longer dilate properly – which could lead to cardiovascular problems further down the line.
They also found smokers and vapers’ blood flow was impaired, putting them at risk of dementia.
Dr Boidin added: “When you put this mixture of metals and chemicals into your body you can’t expect nothing to happen.
“The only benefit of vaping is to help people quit smoking, but if they keep vaping the result is going to be the same.
“I think doctors should be able to prescribe vapes for a certain time, so they could be used as a transition tool, but only for a short time.”
Because the use of vaping is relatively new, experts remain unsure of the long-term impacts of vaping.
Health experts have warned against noise-canceling headphones as they may be linked to a specific brain condition that affects three to five percent of school-aged children.
In the busy world we all live in, it can be tempting to stick noise-canceling ear buds in and block everything out, right?
It’s even useful to stick them in at the office when trying to get some work done and avoid distractions, but health experts are now warning against doing as such.
Five audiology departments in the NHS have been speaking to the BBC, where they revealed they’ve seen an increase in people experiencing health issues.
But rather than the problems stemming from the ear, experts have discovered the issues in hearing actually stem from a brain condition.
Noise-canceling headphones may not be so good after all (Getty Stock Photo)
Three to four percent of the US population have auditory processing disorder (APD), a ‘specific learning disability’ under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that affects an individual’s ability to process sounds.
According to the NHS, a child with APD may find it difficult to understand people speaking in noisy places, those with strong accents, fast talkers, similar sounding words, and spoken instructions being said to them.
The condition does not show up on a hearing test as it’s not a hearing condition, so those who have APD usually have perfectly fine hearing.
Speaking of the condition, neurologist Martin Kutscher, MD, told Additude: “The brain processes these electrical impulses into sounds, then into words, and then into meaningful sentences and ideas.
“Most of us do it effortlessly. Some adults have problems in converting these electrical neuronal impulses into meaning. We call these problems central auditory processing disorders.”
The condition is often mistaken for a hearing condition (Getty Stock Photo)
Claire Benton, vice president of the British Academy of Audiology, spoke to the BBC on how headphone use can impact this.
“You have almost created this false environment by wearing those headphones of only listening to what you want to listen to. You are not having to work at it,” the expert said.
“Those more complex, high-level listening skills in your brain only really finish developing toward your late teens. So, if you have only been wearing noise-canceling headphones and been in this false world for your late teens, then you are slightly delaying your ability to process speech and noise.”
Typically, APD is caused by a head injury, chronic ear infections, or even meningitis.
As well as impacting a person’s ability to hear, the condition can affect someone’s ability to read and spell.
