Marijuana use increases risk of metabolic syndrome

Georgia State University 29 June 2017
Family First Comment: Which is one of a number of reasons why we keep the drug illegal but offer help to deal with the addiction 
The longer a person uses marijuana, the more the risk increases for developing conditions linked to heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to a recent study by researchers in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University.
“Duration of marijuana use seems to be a significant factor associated with metabolic syndrome,” the researchers said.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that increase a person’s risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
The study found that “every year increase in marijuana use is associated with at least a 5 percent increase in odds of having metabolic syndrome.”
To examine the relationship between marijuana use and metabolic syndrome, the researchers gathered data on 3,051 adults age 20 and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012. The survey included subjects who reported using marijuana or hashish even once during their lifetimes. Participants were classified as regular marijuana users if they responded they had used marijuana at least once a month for more than a year. The relationship of their years of marijuana use with metabolic syndrome was assessed in the study using different criteria for defining metabolic syndrome.
The study noted that the most common form of marijuana consumption is smoking, but the original survey also included participants who consumed edible marijuana products and hashish. It did not ask participants to specify how they used marijuana.
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