Ten Ways Cannabis Negatively Affects Users’ Health Outcomes

This article outlines ten areas where cannabis may harm users’ health and overall well-being.

As more states legalize cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes, there remains a lack of broadly publicized information surrounding the basic health-related harms associated with the drug. People need to understand the physical and psychological effects of using cannabis, both in the short-term (during and immediately after use) and in the long-term (developed over time after repeated use of the drug).¹

Following are ten areas where one may experience harm as a result of using cannabis:

1. Addiction

Some people who use cannabis will become addicted to it, meaning they will be unable to stop using cannabis products even though the drug is causing problems in their lives. According to one study, three in ten people who use cannabis become addicted to it, with the risk for cannabis addiction being greater in those who use it at a young age. Using more cannabis than intended, trying to quit but failing, spending a lot of time using it and craving it, and using it despite the drug creating harmful consequences in the user’s life are just some signs the individual is addicted to cannabis.

2. Cancer

Cannabis use has been connected to several cancers. Even though cancer patients often use cannabis to alleviate cancer symptoms and associated pain, there is also a link between cannabis and cancer due in no small part to the carcinogenic effects of smoking cannabis. Cannabis harms the lungs and cardiovascular system, and researchers have shown a direct link between frequent cannabis use and testicular cancer.

3. Heart Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cannabis can make the heart beat faster, spike blood pressure, and increase one’s risk of stroke, heart disease, and other vascular diseases. Numerous studies have linked cannabis to heart attacks and strokes, especially when cannabis is smoked, as smoking cannabis produces much of the same toxins and harmful chemicals as smoking tobacco.

4. Mental Health

There is a growing body of evidence that, despite many people using cannabis as an alleged treatment of mental health issues, significant data indicate the harmful effects of cannabis use on one’s mental health. Especially when used often and in high doses, the drug can cause disorientation and sometimes unpleasant thoughts or feelings of anxiety and paranoia. People who use cannabis are at risk for developing depression, social anxiety, temporary psychosis, and long-lasting mental disorders like schizophrenia. All of the above are thought to be more likely to occur in those who start using cannabis at an early age.

5. Poisoning

Accidental poisonings from using cannabis can occur, especially when one uses an edible form of the drug. “Edibles” can take 30 minutes to two hours to take effect, often prompting one to consume more of the drug than they intended. The intoxicating effects can last longer than expected, and the drug can potentially make one sick. Children who consume too much cannabis may have problems walking or sitting up and they may have trouble breathing.

6. Brain Health

Cannabis negatively affects brain function, particularly the areas of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision-making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time. Cannabis can affect brain development, especially in children, teenagers, and young adults. When used at a young age, cannabis may affect how the brain builds connections for functions like attention, memory, and learning, with some changes being permanent. Cannabis use dulls reaction time, lowers IQ, and hampers short-term and long-term memory. Cannabis use, especially when used often and over time, increases one’s risk for stroke.

7. Driving

Cannabis causes much of the same risks in those who use the drug and drive as those who drink alcohol and drive. Cannabis dulls and slows down the areas of the brain in charge of the body’s movements, balance, coordination, memory, and judgment. The drug reduces reaction time and hampers basic motor skills, putting one at risk for an accident. States that have legalized cannabis have often reported or suggested increased cannabis-related driving accidents following legalization.

8. Lung Health

When smoked, cannabis has many of the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) as tobacco smoke. It thus causes much of the same harm as one may expect from smoking cigarettes. People who smoke cannabis are also at greater risk of bronchitis, cough, and mucus production. Over time, smoking cannabis can harm lung tissues and cause scarring and damage to small blood vessels, damage which can be permanent.

9. Pregnancy

A growing body of data suggests several harmful factors associated with using cannabis while pregnant. Even if one is using the drug medicinally, cannabis poses severe risks to the fetus, including negatively affecting its development. Research has suggested a link between cannabis exposure in utero and problems with attention, memory, problem-solving skills, and behavior in children later in life.

10. Second-Hand Cannabis Smoke

Given that cannabis smoke harms the user, there is reason to believe that second-hand smoke contains many of the same toxic and cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Further, some findings suggest cannabis smoke contains some of those same chemicals but in significantly higher amounts. One body of data showed that individuals exposed to second-hand cannabis smoke could experience psychoactive effects, such as feeling high. They may also experience some of the negative effects of cannabis use, such as problems with attention, motivation, and memory.

Getting Help for a Loved One

Even as cannabis becomes more widely accepted across society, there is more than enough reason to be skeptical of the drug and abstain from using it. The drug poses risks for physical harm and negative mental and emotional effects, consequences that may manifest differently in different users. But the conclusion is that cannabis is not “safe” or “risk-free.” People should avoid using it, even just once or recreationally.

If you know someone who is using cannabis and cannot stop using it on their own, please help them find and enter a qualified drug treatment center as soon as possible. Please don’t wait until their dependency on cannabis worsens.

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