Studies show that cannabis users have higher concentrations of toxic metals in their blood than non-users
A study of thousands of Americans found that people who use cannabis (marijuana) have higher concentrations of harmful metals in their blood than non-users.
Blood and Urinary Metal Levels among Exclusive Marijuana Users in NHANES (2005–2018) | Environmental Health Perspectives | Vol. 131, No. 8
Although marijuana use is permitted at the state level in some states in the United States, it is considered illegal under federal law. Professor Tiffany Sanchez of Columbia University School of Public Health and colleagues focused on the fact that ``because it is illegal, regulations are sparse, there is little research, and there is no guidance from health institutions.'' embarked on an extensive investigation to understand the revelations.
Professor Sanchez and his colleagues analyzed data from past National Health and Nutrition Surveys conducted in the United States, and identified a total of 7,254 subjects as ``those who do not use cannabis or tobacco,'' ``those who only use cannabis,'' and ``those who only use cigarettes.'' The metal content in blood and urine was measured for four groups: ``people who use both cannabis and tobacco'' and ``people who use both cannabis and tobacco.''
They found that people who only used cannabis had higher levels of cadmium and lead in their blood and urine compared to people who neither used cannabis nor tobacco. Cadmium and lead are designated as toxic metals, and lead in particular has been shown to have a negative impact on the neurodevelopment of children and to be associated with cardiovascular disease in adults.
However, it was also found that people who only used marijuana and those who only used tobacco had similar levels of lead in their blood and urine.
People who use both cannabis and tobacco have significantly higher levels of cadmium and lead than those who use neither cannabis nor tobacco, leading Sanchez and colleagues to conclude, ``Taken together, these observations suggest that cannabis use Our results suggest that these are important sources of exposure to cadmium and lead, independent of use of cadmium and lead.
This study does not compare the harmful effects of cannabis and tobacco, but rather establishes that cannabis is a source of exposure to cadmium and lead. 'To our knowledge, this is the largest study using biomarkers of metal exposure. This study provides the basis for designing a cohort study to investigate metal exposure and its health effects in cannabis users. 'We have highlighted the relevance of cannabis in metal exposures and the importance of follow-up studies to determine the long-term effects of these exposures.'
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