Frequent marijuana use may lead to higher risk of heart disease, study finds

that surveyed almost 160,000 people about their use of marijuana, as well as lab tests conducted by Wu and doctors using human stem cells and mice cells, which they exposed to THC, the active component in marijuana, to test its impact on heart disease.

"We gathered the patient data from the U.K. biobank database," Wu said. "We found there were 157,331 people who completed the survey asking if they have used cannabis before. 122,455 respondents said they did not take cannabis, while around 34,878 said they took cannabis. Among those who took cannabis, there was an association of increased heart attack for those who are age 50 years old.

Wu added, "We also used two mice models, one with a high-fat diet with and without THC, and another with carotid artery injury with and without THC. In both mice models, we observed that THC exposure increases the progression of atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup, which can put you at risk of a heart attack. Using human stem cells and mice models, our study provides a biological mechanism and scientific premise of how THC may cause heart disease.

"Habitual, frequent, and high-dose marijuana users may be at higher risk of mental health and cardiovascular health issues. In this study, we observed more inflamed blood vessels with increased use of marijuana," Wu said. "Inflamed blood vessels can lead to the buildup of more plaque in your body. More build-up of plaque in the arteries can lead to increased cardiovascular diseases.

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