Cloudy with a Chance of Munchies study links legal cannabis to lower obesity rates

Researchers compared obesity rates in two states — one with legal cannabis and one without. Here’s what they found.

Another stigma bites the dust. Damn it Munchies, a new study showed cannabis use may be linked to lower obesity rates in states that legalize adult use.

Researchers from North Dakota State University tracked obesity rates in Washington state from 2002 to 2018. They compared these rates to those in a synthetic control state.

The stigma findings were published in “Cloudy with a chance of munchies: Assessing the impact of Leisure Marijuana Legalization on Obesity” by Raymond J. March, Veeshan Rayamajhee, and Glenn L. Furton.

Read the full text here about the journal Health Economics.

The study authors wrote, “Our main experiment found that legalization of recreational marijuana, which allowed the opening of recreational marijuana dispensaries, resulted in a decrease in obesity rates in Washington state compared to the control state.

The authors concluded, “As more and more states take an interest in the decriminalization, expanded medical use, and legalization of recreational use of marijuana, our findings provide important insights into contemporary drug policies.”

Another 2016 study found that cannabis users in Sweden had a slightly lower risk of type 2 diabetes than non-users.

As legalization spreads nationwide, researchers are poking around at long-established theories about how cannabis really affects users. The FDA announced this week that it would be expanding its research on the plant. And recent reports have linked its use to higher rates of physical activity and motivation.

But the best part about all this new cannabis research? We’re one step closer to understanding how Snoop Dogg has maintained his slim physique over the years.

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