Daily marijuana users 25 percent more likely to have a heart attack

Adults who use marijuana daily are 25 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those who don’t use it, according to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The study also found a 42 percent increased likelihood of stroke linked to daily marijuana (cannabis) use.

The findings were based on data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2016 through 2020 from 434,104 U.S. residents, ages 18 to 74, considered a representative sample of the population. Of the participants, 4 percent were daily cannabis users and 7 percent were nondaily, using it about five days a month.

The study found that cardiovascular risks were considerably lower, but still present, for those who used cannabis less frequently: a 3 percent increased risk for heart attack compared with nonusers, 5 percent for stroke. Smoking was the most common method of cannabis use, followed by vaping and eating cannabis-infused foods.

Seniors are embracing marijuana, which offers relief — and risk

Cannabis use by adults in the United States “is increasing in both prevalence and frequency” and has nearly doubled in the past two decades, with a growing number of states legalizing its usage, but “perceptions of the harmfulness of cannabis are decreasing,” the researchers wrote.

Given that their findings link cannabis usage to cardiovascular disease, however, the researchers suggested that doctors screen patients for cannabis use and advise them to not smoke it, similar to the now-traditional screening done for tobacco smoking.

This article is part of The Post’s “Big Number” series, which takes a brief look at the statistical aspect of health issues. Additional information and relevant research are available through the hyperlinks.