Medical cannabis proponents have long said that we need more research into marijuana’s medical benefits in order to better understand how to use the plant for medicinal purposes. I wholeheartedly agree. But there is another point to consider. As research shows some of the detrimental effects of using marijuana, we can’t ignore the data in order to further the medical cannabis agenda.

Cannabis could prove to be a very important plant for deriving medications to treat everything from cancer to dementia. But it could also prove problematic in other areas. Take the cardiovascular system. Two recently released studies provide evidence suggesting that long term cannabis use could have a negative impact on the heart and brain.

A Higher Risk of Heart Failure

The first of the two studies was conducted by researchers from a number of Baltimore-area hospitals. They followed nearly 157,000 patients at a median age of 54 over a 4-year study. The researchers were looking for any evidence that cannabis consumption impacts cardiovascular function.

Based on observational data only, the researchers determined a link between daily recreational marijuana use and a higher risk of heart failure. In fact, study participants reporting daily consumption were 34% more likely to develop heart failure despite age, sex, and history of smoking.

Researchers were quick to point out that their study only shows a casual link between cannabis consumption and cardiovascular issues. As an epidemiological study, it does not paint a clear picture of cause and effect. But the data does warrant further research.

A Higher Risk of Heart and Brain Events

The second study was conducted by a group of researchers located at hospitals and universities around the country. Their goal was to determine whether cannabis abuse leads to a higher risk of cardiovascular or neural problems.

Some 28,535 adults over the age of 65 were recruited for this study. None of them used tobacco. Here is the main takeaway: participants diagnosed with cannabis use disorder were 20% more likely to experience “major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular” events while hospitalized for any reason. Examples of such events include heart attack and stroke.

Again, researchers only established a link. No cause and effect were determined by their observational study. Further research would be needed to determine distinct cause and effect.

What It Means to the Rest of Us

So what does it mean to those of us outside of the scientific community? It means that we should not assume that using marijuana on a regular basis is harmless. Unfortunately, there are plenty of cannabis proponents who are not afraid to give that impression. The truth is that no drug is completely harmless. Cannabis is no exception.

Personally, I believe we need sensible cannabis regulations similar to what exists in Utah. The Beehive State tightly controls who can purchase cannabis and for what purpose. Medical cannabis users with valid cards have access to their medicines, but they can only purchase them from a licensed medical cannabis pharmacy, like Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy.

Utah does not allow recreational marijuana consumption. States that do really need to be circumspect about the potential harm marijuana could cause. Rather than throwing the doors wide open and then forgetting about it, we need to continue pursuing research that ultimately reveals the truth. That is how we discovered the dangers of tobacco. Cannabis deserves no less scrutiny.

Links between cannabis use and both cardiovascular and brain-related medical events are there to be seen. The question is whether we will ignore those links or try to understand them a bit better.