This could counteract the effects of heart disease in cannabis users, researchers say

A large study conducted by Stanford Medicine researchers found that cannabis users were at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. They suggest using a molecule called genistein, found in soybeans, to block the effects of marijuana.

According to the study published in Cell magazine, the THC in cannabis causes inflammation in cells lining blood vessels and atherosclerosis in laboratory mice.

RELATED: Is Smoking Weed, Or Just Just Smoking, Bad For Your Heart?

Photo by Los Muertos Crew via Pexels

The researchers analyzed data from 500,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69. From this pool, about 35,000 self-reported their cannabis use and how often they used cannabis. Eleven thousand said they do this more than once a month. This group had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease even after adjusting for age, gender and body mass index. Frequent marijuana smokers were also more likely to have had their first heart attack before the age of 50.

Researchers ran a variety of tests on human cells in a lab and on mice and found that THC promotes inflammation in both groups, which increases the likelihood of heart disease. It also increases the likelihood of atherosclerosis, a buildup of fat in the artery walls.

Experts have differed on what this means for public health and increasing marijuana use. While some recommended alternative solutions to counteract the possibilities of heart disease, such as using genistein, others were more cutting edge with their predictions and with marijuana overall.

“Marijuana has a significant adverse effect on the cardiovascular system,” said medical professor Mark Chandy, MD, Ph.D. “As more states legalize the use of marijuana, I expect we will see an increase in heart attacks and strokes in the coming years. Our studies in human cells and mice clearly show how THC exposure triggers a harmful molecular cascade in the blood vessels. It is not a benign drug.”

RELATED: A Closer Look at the ‘Tobacco Pot Causes Heart Attacks’ Scare Headline

Links between cannabis and adverse heart health have been around for years. This impact is not just limited to smoking cannabis – where, like smoking tobacco, smoke affects people’s cardiovascular system – studies have shown that consuming cannabis in all forms is harmful to the heart.

No matter which side of the argument you land on, findings like these show the importance of more comprehensive research into cannabis. As the drug gains its legal status, it becomes increasingly important to give Americans a complete picture of cannabis and make room for the good and the bad.