cannabisnews.com: Marijuana May Up Heart Attack, Stroke Risk: Study Marijuana May Up Heart Attack, Stroke Risk: Study Posted by CN Staff on May 13, 2008 at 04:45:03 PT By Will Dunham Source: Reuters Washington, D.C. -- Heavy marijuana use can boost blood levels of a particular protein, perhaps raising a person's risk of a heart attack or stroke, U.S. government researchers said on Tuesday.Dr. Jean Lud Cadet of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, said the findings point to another example of long-term harm from marijuana. But marijuana activists expressed doubt about the findings. Cadet said a lot of previous research has focused on the effects of marijuana on the brain. His team looked elsewhere in the body, measuring blood protein levels in 18 long-term, heavy marijuana users and 24 other people who did not use the drug.Levels of a protein called apolipoprotein C-III were found to be 30 percent higher in the marijuana users compared to the others. This protein is involved in the body's metabolism of triglycerides -- a type of fat found in the blood -- and higher levels cause increased levels of triglycerides, Cadet added.High levels of triglycerides can contribute to hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls, raising the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease.The study did not look at whether the heavy marijuana users actually had heart disease."Chronic marijuana use is not only causing people to get high, it's actually causing long-term adverse effects in patients who use too much of the drug," Cadet, whose study is in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, said in a telephone interview. "Chronic marijuana abuse is not so benign."The marijuana users in the study averaged smoking 78 to 350 marijuana cigarettes per week, based on self-reported drug history, the researchers said.The researchers said the active ingredient in marijuana, known as THC, seems to overstimulate marijuana receptors in the liver, leading to overproduction of the protein. Raising Future Risk Cadet said higher levels of the protein in marijuana users could raise future risk for cardiac abnormalities, blood flow problems, heart attack and stroke.People with major medical or psychiatric illness, alcohol dependency and other drug use such as cocaine or heroin were excluded from the study.A U.S. group supporting legal sales and regulation of marijuana disputed the findings. Marijuana Policy Project spokesman Bruce Mirken said, for example, the study involved people who were extremely heavy users."I think the low end was 78 joints a week. That's 10 or 11 joints a day," Mirken said in a telephone interview."We're talking about people who are stoned all the time. We're talking about the marijuana equivalent of the guy in the alley clutching a bottle of cheap wine. If you do anything to that level of excess, it might well have some untoward effects, whether it's marijuana or wine or broccoli," Mirken added.Cadet's team said the findings suggest long-term harm from marijuana beyond issues such as impaired learning, poor memory retention and retrieval and perceptual abnormalities.But Mirken said: "Even if you take this finding at face value, it's not at all clear that it has any relevance to the real world because there is still no data showing higher rates of mortality among marijuana smokers. If this was a significant cause of cardiovascular disease, where are the bodies?"Editing by Maggie Fox and Doina Chiacu Source: Reuters (Wire)Author: Will DunhamPublished: May 13, 2008 Copyright: 2008 Reuters LimitedMarijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #17 posted by dongenero on May 14, 2008 at 07:17:08 PT These numbers are doubtful At the high end, 350 joints per week. That's 50 joints per day!That is more than 3 joints every waking hour of the day and night , assuming 8 hours sleep. Frankly, I say if that's the case, your sleeping again by 9am. This report smells.A joint every 15-20 min, all day every day. I think Irv Rosenfeld gets 300 some joints every month, from Uncle Sam.......but a week?I'm sorry to say I don't believe you Mr. Walters. Your math seems fuzzy, to coin a Bushy campaign lie. Regardless of the truthiness of this article, the numbers involved with this subject group is SO far from average as to be nothing but an anomaly. You can die from an overdose of water. They still have not reached that toxicity level. Despite the ridiculous use amounts cited. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by OverwhelmSam on May 14, 2008 at 06:53:31 PT Ha Ha Who the hell smokes over a half a pound (9 ounces) a week? Sometimes I get halfway through a doobie and drift off in deep thought while the stogie is still burning. Really, 2 to 9 ounces a week will give you an increased chance of heart attack? I don't think most of us have anything to worry about. I would however like for them to produce the bodies of some of these pot smokers who did of a heart attack. Otherwise, it's just plain old bullsh!t. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by observer on May 13, 2008 at 15:56:06 PT Only 78 Reefers a Week "I think the low end was 78 joints a week. That's 10 or 11 joints a day"Whoa, dude. I try, but... I get distracted with tasks and conversations and things. Anyone who needs to smoke that much, should consider vaporization and/or eating it. "I think the low end was 78 joints a week. That's 10 or 11 joints a day"This reminds me a little of Dr Heath's rhesus studies. http://www.google.com/search?q=Dr+Heath%27s+rhesus+studiesThe study did not look at whether the heavy marijuana users actually had heart diseaseWhoops. In other words, more B.S. More speculative hopefully-maybe-something-bad-about-marijuana merde hot off the propagandists' keyboard. The study did not look at whether the heavy marijuana users actually had heart diseaseNumerous and well-established are the ways to test for cardiac impairment or disease. Obviously, there wasn't any or it would have been shouted from the roof-tops by now. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on May 13, 2008 at 10:41:30 PT Sam Happy days are here again! [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Sam Adams on May 13, 2008 at 10:34:12 PT Vioxx How many tens of thousands dead from 2-3 years of legal Vioxx? What does Obama have to say about that, the FDA loved Vioxx so much it hid the reports that showed heart attack risk for 4 years.btw, it looks like we can forget about Hillary now, eh? Finally. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by potpal on May 13, 2008 at 08:57:21 PT Crapola U.S. government researchers ... say no more.Propaganda. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Hope on May 13, 2008 at 07:47:53 PT Giant Termites The people behind these sort of studies remind me of those big termites trying to get into people's houses on those commercials. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Hope on May 13, 2008 at 07:42:52 PT "May"? "The marijuana users in the study averaged smoking 78 to 350 marijuana cigarettes per week, based on self-reported drug history, the researchers said."Eleven to fifty joints a day, every day, on AVERAGE? I find that difficult to believe... along with the rest of this "May" this, and "May" that, study.Anyone notice that in Storm Crow's studies... that there are absolutely no "Mays" in the titles? I may be the Queen of England tomorrow... but I doubt it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by tintala on May 13, 2008 at 07:40:02 PT: wait a sec , doesn't french fries pose a risk for Heart attacks and obesity. french fries and mcdonalds should be scrutinized and illegal. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by runruff on May 13, 2008 at 07:38:35 PT: Dear Mr. Space Cadet, If you are selling crazy, ain't nobody up in here buying. Were full up with crazy already! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by dongenero on May 13, 2008 at 07:36:27 PT another goofy one....ONDCP sent? One thing for sure, Reuters sure jumps on the stuff that stinks, and rarely do they jump on real science.This smells of the same sort of "study" the ONDCP carted out a few days ago.....so roundly ripped by the Denver Post.This excerpt pretty much sums up the waste of time and space this article represents:""The study did not look at whether the heavy marijuana users actually had heart disease."Chronic marijuana use is not only causing people to get high, it's actually causing long-term adverse effects in patients who use too much of the drug," Cadet, whose study is in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, said in a telephone interview. "Chronic marijuana abuse is not so benign.""They didn't confirm that it is causing any of these problems, which they clearly state. Then, they go on to assert that it is causing these problems.What ever happened to intelligent, professional journalism? Now the ONDCP and the White House send out pre-written articles for the media who happily lap it up, collect a check and head out to the bar early. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on May 13, 2008 at 06:50:07 PT Storm Crow Thank you! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Storm Crow on May 13, 2008 at 06:36:21 PT They got their study, I got mine.... Marijuana Chemical Fights Hardened Arteries http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20050406/marijuana-chemical-fights-hardened-arteriesHeavy Cannabis Use Not Independently Associated With Cardiovascular Risks http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6972Cannabinoids prevented the development of heart failure in animal study http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/bulletin/ww_en_db_cannabis_artikel.php?id=145#2Cannabis use not associated with risk factors for diseases of heart and circulation http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/bulletin/ww_en_db_cannabis_artikel.php?id=225#2Cannabidiol protects against myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury. http://marijuana.researchtoday.net/archive/4/12/1404.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 13, 2008 at 06:23:41 PT RevRayGreen I risk a heart attack just because the government scares me! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by RevRayGreen on May 13, 2008 at 06:13:48 PT not be crude FoM or the rest of the board, but my risk of a heart attack increases every time or the next time I make it with a lady.... [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by The GCW on May 13, 2008 at 05:36:44 PT On the other hand... One the other hand, partially hydrogenated oils cause "hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls, raising the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease."That stuff leaves dead bodies to show for it.Where is any talk from the government about prohibiting that substance?Partially hydrogenated oils create obesity, which causes depression etc. Where is government's call to exterminate that ill?Americans eat lots of that poison since it's in almost all crackers, breads, bakery products etc. unless You shop at a health food store. Many mainstream grocers carry some products with out that crap but they are few.Wild Oats, Whole Foods and Vitamin Cottage etc. do not have partially hydrogenated oils in their stores. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 13, 2008 at 04:47:37 PT Just a Comment I haven't met anyone ever that had a heart attack that smoked cannabis. I have met people who consume alcohol that have had a heart attack. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment