Marijuana May Boost Heart Attack Risk

sillygnd · 05-13-2008, 09:31 AM

BLAH BLAH BLAH...... Do a real study please !!!!! Marijuana May Boost Heart Attack Risk
By Will Dunham,Reuters
Posted: 2008-05-13 12:04:36
Filed Under: Health News, Nation News
WASHINGTON (May 13) - Heavy marijuana use can boost blood levels of a particular protein, perhaps raising a person's risk of a heart attack or stroke, U.S. government researchers said on Tuesday.

Dr. Jean Lud Cadet of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, said the findings point to another example of long-term harm from marijuana. But marijuana activists expressed doubt about the findings.

Getty Images

Cadet said a lot of previous research has focused on the effects of marijuana on the brain. His team looked elsewhere in the body, measuring blood protein levels in 18 long-term, heavy marijuana users and 24 other people who did not use the drug.

Levels of a protein called apolipoprotein C-III were found to be 30 percent higher in the marijuana users compared to the others. This protein is involved in the body's metabolism of triglycerides -- a type of fat found in the blood -- and higher levels cause increased levels of triglycerides, Cadet added.

High levels of triglycerides can contribute to hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls, raising the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease.

The study did not look at whether the heavy marijuana users actually had heart disease.

"Chronic marijuana use is not only causing people to get high, it's actually causing long-term adverse effects in patients who use too much of the drug," Cadet, whose study is in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, said in a telephone interview. "Chronic marijuana abuse is not so benign."

The marijuana users in the study averaged smoking 78 to 350 marijuana cigarettes per week, based on self-reported drug history, the researchers said.

The researchers said the active ingredient in marijuana, known as THC, seems to overstimulate marijuana receptors in the liver, leading to overproduction of the protein.

RAISING FUTURE RISK

Cadet said higher levels of the protein in marijuana users could raise future risk for cardiac abnormalities, blood flow problems, heart attack and stroke.

People with major medical or psychiatric illness, alcohol dependency and other drug use such as cocaine or heroin were excluded from the study.

A U.S. group supporting legal sales and regulation of marijuana disputed the findings. Marijuana Policy Project spokesman Bruce Mirken said, for example, the study involved people who were extremely heavy users.

"I think the low end was 78 joints a week. That's 10 or 11 joints a day," Mirken said in a telephone interview.

"We're talking about people who are stoned all the time. We're talking about the marijuana equivalent of the guy in the alley clutching a bottle of cheap wine. If you do anything to that level of excess, it might well have some untoward effects, whether it's marijuana or wine or broccoli," Mirken added.

Cadet's team said the findings suggest long-term harm from marijuana beyond issues such as impaired learning, poor memory retention and retrieval and perceptual abnormalities.

But Mirken said: "Even if you take this finding at face value, it's not at all clear that it has any relevance to the real world because there is still no data showing higher rates of mortality among marijuana smokers. If this was a significant cause of cardiovascular disease, where are the bodies?"

(Editing by Maggie Fox and Doina Chiacu)

Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active

BearsysRevenge · 05-13-2008, 10:10 AM

I don't understand why stoners automatically disregard every study done on marijuana?
We're not all doctors and shit, why do we assume we know better?
I'm not saying this study is correct in its findings, but how far fetched is it that inhaling the burning smoke of a plant could be bad for people in some way?

JcP · 05-13-2008, 10:48 AM

I think the point is that people against marijuana do these studies to support the laws against it...when things as simple as beef, frying oil, hell the air you breathe often have an even worse effect on the risks for heart attack.

It's basically cherrypicking stupid evidence. If pot caused a 100% increase in heart attacks or something, that would be one thing.

but a 30% increase in a factor of heart attacks, which are only found in ""I think the low end was 78 joints a week. That's 10 or 11 joints a day," Mirken said in a telephone interview." as the article said is what I would call a bullshit study.

sillygnd · 05-13-2008, 01:55 PM

I totaly agree that u should not burn ....But then not everyone does......vapor is the best....try it..and they never even checked for heart desease...how can they clame that and yet never even check the people in the study...crazyy man ...

stoneric · 05-13-2008, 01:58 PM

Any study using subjects who smoke 11 to 50 joints a day should be looked at as the fucking joke that it is. Jesus, someone sell them poor fuckers some good pot.

LetsPlayYourWay · 05-13-2008, 02:09 PM

I wonder how Marijuana affects triglycerides and their production.

**Captain Cannabis** · 05-13-2008, 02:14 PM

11 to 50 joints a day..

i wonder if a similar study on any substance would yield similar results. for example, lets say i drank 40-900 cups of coffee per day, would i be at increased risk of bladder troubles??

generic_hippie · 05-13-2008, 02:16 PM

my cannabis almost gave me a heart attack once guys, true story

pigs knocked on my door while I was smoking, mate, nearly fuckin' died from it

LetsPlayYourWay · 05-13-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Cannabis

11 to 50 joints a day..

i wonder if a similar study on any substance would yield similar results. for example, lets say i drank 40-900 cups of coffee per day, would i be at increased risk of bladder troubles??

at 40 cups of coffee a day i would say your heart would be a liquid gooey mess considering it would be beating at a 1000+BPM.

**Hedons** · 05-13-2008, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearsysRevenge

I don't understand why stoners automatically disregard every study done on marijuana?

They don't automatically disregard every study. Just the negative ones

Here's one I liked...

Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection - washingtonpost.com

-Hedons

BearsysRevenge · 05-13-2008, 08:48 PM

lol true

anaujiram · 05-14-2008, 11:14 PM

^ You posted for the first time without reading the end of the articl, didn't ya.

haha, it's the kicker.

BearsysRevenge · 05-15-2008, 10:04 AM

No, I read the article, it's a question thats been with me for a while.
I just decided to ask it here...

OldMan&TheWeed · 05-15-2008, 06:35 PM

If you're worried about your heart you'd better avoid alcohol as well:

Heavy drinking is very associated with heart disease and an increased risk of death by heart attack or stroke. One primary way that alcohol increases the risk of heart disease is through the effects of heavy drinking on blood pressure.

Heavy Drinking, High Blood Pressure and the Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke — ChooseHelp.com

The Second Law of Thermodynamics · 05-15-2008, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldMan&TheWeed

If you're worried about your heart you'd better avoid alcohol as well:

Heavy drinking is very associated with heart disease and an increased risk of death by heart attack or stroke. One primary way that alcohol increases the risk of heart disease is through the effects of heavy drinking on blood pressure.

Heavy Drinking, High Blood Pressure and the Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke — ChooseHelp.com

of course heavy drinking is bad for your heart. did the article say it was good? but you don't have to avoid alcohol altogether. light to moderate drinking has not shown to adversely affect the heart. heavy alcohol use damages a lot more than just your heart and heavy marijuana use isn't good for your heart either.

kamikazi89 · 05-16-2008, 03:10 PM

yet one is completely legal, and the other constantly demonized[and let's not forget there's more to marijuana then just smoking> & that fact is always ignored by these studies (makes you wonder don't it)

OldMan&TheWeed · 05-16-2008, 06:42 PM

Moderation is the key.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics · 05-17-2008, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamikazi89

yet one is completely legal, and the other constantly demonized[and let's not forget there's more to marijuana then just smoking> & that fact is always ignored by these studies (makes you wonder don't it)

so are you trying to say that alcohol causes more problems to society and is legal while marijuana causes less problems and yet is illegal? because that's certainly never been said before.

kamikazi89 · 05-27-2008, 08:54 AM

yea, &why is that?

05-13-2008, 09:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
sillygnd YaHookan Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: In a land far far away Posts: 14 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Marijuana May Boost Heart Attack Risk BLAH BLAH BLAH...... Do a real study please !!!!! Marijuana May Boost Heart Attack Risk By Will Dunham,Reuters Posted: 2008-05-13 12:04:36 Filed Under: Health News, Nation News WASHINGTON (May 13) - Heavy marijuana use can boost blood levels of a particular protein, perhaps raising a person's risk of a heart attack or stroke, U.S. government researchers said on Tuesday. Dr. Jean Lud Cadet of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, said the findings point to another example of long-term harm from marijuana. But marijuana activists expressed doubt about the findings. Getty Images Cadet said a lot of previous research has focused on the effects of marijuana on the brain. His team looked elsewhere in the body, measuring blood protein levels in 18 long-term, heavy marijuana users and 24 other people who did not use the drug. Levels of a protein called apolipoprotein C-III were found to be 30 percent higher in the marijuana users compared to the others. This protein is involved in the body's metabolism of triglycerides -- a type of fat found in the blood -- and higher levels cause increased levels of triglycerides, Cadet added. High levels of triglycerides can contribute to hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls, raising the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease. The study did not look at whether the heavy marijuana users actually had heart disease. "Chronic marijuana use is not only causing people to get high, it's actually causing long-term adverse effects in patients who use too much of the drug," Cadet, whose study is in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, said in a telephone interview. "Chronic marijuana abuse is not so benign." The marijuana users in the study averaged smoking 78 to 350 marijuana cigarettes per week, based on self-reported drug history, the researchers said. The researchers said the active ingredient in marijuana, known as THC, seems to overstimulate marijuana receptors in the liver, leading to overproduction of the protein. RAISING FUTURE RISK Cadet said higher levels of the protein in marijuana users could raise future risk for cardiac abnormalities, blood flow problems, heart attack and stroke. People with major medical or psychiatric illness, alcohol dependency and other drug use such as cocaine or heroin were excluded from the study. A U.S. group supporting legal sales and regulation of marijuana disputed the findings. Marijuana Policy Project spokesman Bruce Mirken said, for example, the study involved people who were extremely heavy users. "I think the low end was 78 joints a week. That's 10 or 11 joints a day," Mirken said in a telephone interview. "We're talking about people who are stoned all the time. We're talking about the marijuana equivalent of the guy in the alley clutching a bottle of cheap wine. If you do anything to that level of excess, it might well have some untoward effects, whether it's marijuana or wine or broccoli," Mirken added. Cadet's team said the findings suggest long-term harm from marijuana beyond issues such as impaired learning, poor memory retention and retrieval and perceptual abnormalities. But Mirken said: "Even if you take this finding at face value, it's not at all clear that it has any relevance to the real world because there is still no data showing higher rates of mortality among marijuana smokers. If this was a significant cause of cardiovascular disease, where are the bodies?" (Editing by Maggie Fox and Doina Chiacu) Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active

05-13-2008, 10:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
BearsysRevenge Adminfiltrator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I've got BuffaLOVE Posts: 4,464 Thanks: 584 Thanked 141 Times in 102 Posts	I don't understand why stoners automatically disregard every study done on marijuana? We're not all doctors and shit, why do we assume we know better? I'm not saying this study is correct in its findings, but how far fetched is it that inhaling the burning smoke of a plant could be bad for people in some way? __________________ Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants. I come before you, to stand before you, to tell you a story I know nothing about. One bright morning in the middle of the night two dead fellows stood up to fight. They stood back to back, facing each other, drew their swords and shot each other. If you don't believe my lie, it's true, ask the blind lady on the corner, she saw it too.

05-13-2008, 02:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
Captain Cannabis 3õ Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: trapped in a computer Posts: 9,892 Thanks: 230 Thanked 180 Times in 115 Posts	11 to 50 joints a day.. i wonder if a similar study on any substance would yield similar results. for example, lets say i drank 40-900 cups of coffee per day, would i be at increased risk of bladder troubles?? __________________ fuck the monkeys

05-13-2008, 08:48 PM	#11 (permalink)
BearsysRevenge Adminfiltrator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I've got BuffaLOVE Posts: 4,464 Thanks: 584 Thanked 141 Times in 102 Posts	lol true __________________ Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants. I come before you, to stand before you, to tell you a story I know nothing about. One bright morning in the middle of the night two dead fellows stood up to fight. They stood back to back, facing each other, drew their swords and shot each other. If you don't believe my lie, it's true, ask the blind lady on the corner, she saw it too.

05-15-2008, 10:04 AM	#13 (permalink)
BearsysRevenge Adminfiltrator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I've got BuffaLOVE Posts: 4,464 Thanks: 584 Thanked 141 Times in 102 Posts	No, I read the article, it's a question thats been with me for a while. I just decided to ask it here... __________________ Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants. I come before you, to stand before you, to tell you a story I know nothing about. One bright morning in the middle of the night two dead fellows stood up to fight. They stood back to back, facing each other, drew their swords and shot each other. If you don't believe my lie, it's true, ask the blind lady on the corner, she saw it too.

05-13-2008, 01:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
sillygnd YaHookan Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: In a land far far away Posts: 14 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I totaly agree that u should not burn ....But then not everyone does......vapor is the best....try it..and they never even checked for heart desease...how can they clame that and yet never even check the people in the study...crazyy man ...

05-13-2008, 01:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
stoneric bougeman Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,962 Thanks: 0 Thanked 107 Times in 85 Posts	Any study using subjects who smoke 11 to 50 joints a day should be looked at as the fucking joke that it is. Jesus, someone sell them poor fuckers some good pot.

05-13-2008, 02:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
LetsPlayYourWay YaHookan Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,700 Thanks: 44 Thanked 150 Times in 112 Posts	I wonder how Marijuana affects triglycerides and their production.

05-13-2008, 02:16 PM	#8 (permalink)
generic_hippie question authority Join Date: May 2003 Location: 20 km's from Nimbin, Australia Posts: 4,181 Thanks: 61 Thanked 191 Times in 140 Posts	my cannabis almost gave me a heart attack once guys, true story pigs knocked on my door while I was smoking, mate, nearly fuckin' died from it

05-15-2008, 06:35 PM	#14 (permalink)
OldMan&TheWeed The Old Man and the Weed Join Date: May 2006 Location: The West Posts: 1,293 Thanks: 8 Thanked 68 Times in 39 Posts	If you're worried about your heart you'd better avoid alcohol as well: Heavy drinking is very associated with heart disease and an increased risk of death by heart attack or stroke. One primary way that alcohol increases the risk of heart disease is through the effects of heavy drinking on blood pressure. Heavy Drinking, High Blood Pressure and the Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke — ChooseHelp.com __________________ The above story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

05-16-2008, 06:42 PM	#17 (permalink)
OldMan&TheWeed The Old Man and the Weed Join Date: May 2006 Location: The West Posts: 1,293 Thanks: 8 Thanked 68 Times in 39 Posts	Moderation is the key. __________________ The above story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.