New Commentary Calls for Urgent Research on Marijuana's Cardiovascular Risks

PASADENA, Calif. — April 15, 2024 — A new commentary by Dr. Robert A. Kloner, Chief Science Officer and Scientific Director of Cardiovascular Research at Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI), and Dr. Shereif H. Rezkalla calls for rigorous, large-scale studies to better understand the cardiovascular consequences of marijuana legalization.

Published in Cardiology Research, the article — “An Urgent Call for Studies That Address the Cardiovascular Consequences of Legalization of Marijuana” — highlights that while half of U.S. states have legalized recreational cannabis use, research into its impact on heart health remains limited and inconclusive.

The authors note that marijuana use has been associated with acute myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias, yet data quantifying these risks at the population level are lacking. Reports from early-adopting states such as Colorado show rises in emergency department visits, traffic accidents, suicide rates, and overall mortality after legalization — underscoring the urgency of comprehensive cardiovascular studies.

“Public policy has outpaced the science,” said Dr. Kloner. “It is essential that we understand the real cardiovascular impact of cannabis use so that consumers, clinicians, and policymakers can make informed decisions.”

The commentary urges federal and state health agencies to support well-powered, prospective research to determine whether marijuana’s potential therapeutic benefits outweigh its cardiovascular risks.

Full article: Cardiology Research, April 2024