Facts & Risks
Educate Your Family on Dangers of Marijuana Use
Marijuana use comes with real risks that can impact a person’s health and life.
Whether marijuana is smoked, vaped, or eaten, there are adverse effects associated with use in any form.
Studies have found marijuana is an addictive, harmful, and mind altering drug. It over-activates parts of the brain and negatively affects brain development. Marijuana leads to physical health problems, mental health problems, and risk of addiction.
With the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana throughout the United States, marijuana potency has increased exponentially. Concentrates are not the traditional joint of the past. Concentrates are highly potent, THC-rich forms of marijuana that can be vaped, dabbed, and used in edibles.
Exposure to high levels of THC, the chemical in marijuana that causes impairment, increases the risks of physical dependence and addiction. Higher doses of THC are more likely to produce anxiety, agitation, paranoia, and psychosis.
Arizona Parents: Do you need tips on how to talk to your child about the new recreational marijuana laws? Download these talking tips today.
Surgeon General Advisory
– VADM Jerome Adams, the first Surgeon General Advisory on marijuana since 1982
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Almost 30% of teens have used marijuana - this is TOO many!
Latest Studies
Brain Function Outcomes of Recent and Lifetime Cannabis Use | JAMA | 1/28/2025
Key Points
Question Are recent cannabis use and lifetime cannabis use associated with differences in brain function during cognitive tasks?
Findings In this cross-sectional study of 1003 young adults, heavy lifetime cannabis use was associated with lower brain activation during a working memory task; this association remained after removing individuals with recent cannabis use. These results were not explained by differences in demographic variables, age at first cannabis use, alcohol use, or nicotine use.
Meaning These findings suggest that cannabis use is associated with short- and long-term brain function outcomes, especially during working memory tasks.
Increasing trends of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome in youth: The grass is not always greener | JPGN | 1/27/2025
Abstract
This study investigated trends in suspected cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)-related emergency department visits among youth (15–24 years old) in the United States between 2006 and 2020. Using data from the Nationwide Emergency Room Sample, over 55,000 suspected CHS-related visits were identified, with an average annual increase of 28.1% per year. This aligns with rising cannabis use and potency across the nation. Subjects in the western region, males, and those with public insurance were more likely to present with suspected CHS. These findings highlight the growing public health concern of CHS and emphasize the need for increased awareness among healthcare providers, particularly regarding the potential link between CHS and chronic cannabis use in youth. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and risk factors associated with CHS as well as the impact of cannabis public policy on health outcomes.
The relationship between cannabis and cardiovascular disease: clearing the haze | PubMed | 1/23/2025
Abstract
Cannabis has been consumed for centuries, but global regulatory changes over the past three decades have increased the availability and consumption of cannabis. Cannabinoids are touted to have therapeutic potential for many diseases and could be a replacement for opioids for analgesia and sedation. However, cannabinoids can cause substantial adverse cardiovascular events that would mitigate any potential benefit. The endocannabinoid system regulates mood, satiety and memory, and modulates the cardiovascular system. The link between cannabinoids and cardiovascular disease, which used to be limited to evidence from preclinical studies, case reports and case series, is now evident in epidemiological studies. Cannabinoids adversely affect the cardiovascular system, causing myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents, arrhythmia and heart failure. The effects of novel cannabinoids are unknown, and synthetic cannabinoids have the potential to cause even more substantial harm than traditional cannabinoids. Therefore, with the increasing availability and use of cannabis, the acute and chronic effects of this drug are becoming apparent.
Marijuana Use Increases the Risk of Postoperative Bleeding in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Body Contouring | PubMed | 1/7/2025
Abstract
Background: The legalization and changing perception of marijuana have led to a significant increase in its use. Although studies exploring marijuana’s physiological effects have grown, its effect on surgical outcomes remains unclear. This study investigates the influence of marijuana consumption on postoperative complications in patients undergoing abdominal body contouring surgeries such as abdominoplasties and panniculectomies.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who underwent abdominal body contouring procedures at an urban academic institution from 2016 to 2021. Data collected included demographic characteristics, marijuana consumption (active use, former use (last use 6 weeks prior to surgery), or never user), preoperative comorbidities, tobacco usage, operative characteristics, and postoperative complication data within 90 days.
Association between cannabis use and clinical outcomes in patients with solid malignancies receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors | PubMed | 12/25/2024
Abstract
Background: Cannabis (CAN) use has risen significantly over the last few decades. CAN has potent immunosuppressive properties, which could antagonize the effect of immunotherapy (IO). The impact of CAN use on clinical cancer outcomes remains unclear.
Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the clinical effect of CAN use on clinical outcomes among patients with solid malignancies receiving IO.
Design: This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients with solid malignancies receiving IO between August 2014 and August 2018.
Latest NEWS Commentary
Marijuana hospital visits linked to dementia diagnosis within 5 years, study finds | CNN | 4/20/2025
Sunday is 420 day, when lovers of marijuana get together to celebrate their fondness for weed. Yet research shows that regular users of marijuana are at risk for serious conditions, including strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure and myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle.
Read more
Weed Is Dangerous. Legalizing It Was a Mistake | The Free Press | 3/12/2024
For years, cannabis advocates claimed that legalizing recreational marijuana would benefit America. But more than a decade into the experiment, it’s clear that legalization has been nothing short of a disaster.