I have written a post or two about weed. See Marijuana May Be a Problem (January 2016) Marijuana Headaches in Colorado (March 2017); Federal Law Matters in Maine (June 2018); Decriminalizing Marijuana (May 2021); Edible but Stomach Churning (October 2023); Edibles and Illness, (November 2023); Harmless? (January 2024). There has been a sentiment in this country that dope should be legal because it is a panacea of harmless relief to so many.
The good news about dope just keeps rolling in. As many in the marketplace recognized, during the prohibition years, there was very little dope grown in the United States (permissively) and a dearth of research. But, in the 21st century progress came in the form of decriminalizing dope on the great promise that it doesn’t hurt anybody.
Well, the decriminalization of pot has had side effects. One of which has been an increasing volume of investigatory studies regarding the use of this "harmless" drug. For the sake of clarity, a few voices have remained clarion clear throughout. A very few of us have suggested that perhaps "harmless" isn’t harmless.
The latest study suggests that extremely infrequent use of tiny quantities of pot can lead to an increased risk of medical conditions. The largest proportion of American deaths are traceable to cardiovascular failure (heart attack 695,547, stroke 162,890, etc.). Cardiac failure beats cancer, COVID, and more. And it turns out that dope doesn’t help that. In fact, even minute use has been now demonstrated to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
It is important with any medical test or study that we keep in mind the potential for anecdotal and coincidental outcomes. One of the great feelings of small minds in interpreting science is the inclination to associate concurrence with causation.
It is entirely possible that we might see an increased prevalence of an injury without causation. For example, what if herniated discs were more common in Airline pilots than in fighter pilots? One might draw the conclusion that fighter pilot activity is more orthopedically relevant or challenging. Or, one might note that fighter pilots tend to be, on average, some 20 years younger than airline pilots. In that example, care would be required to determine if the aircraft or the age is driving study outcomes.
With that caution in mind, it is nonetheless intriguing to find out that there may be a statistical link between blowing dope and cardiovascular failure. The first thing one might question is, why now? In other words, let us all admit, frankly, that Americans have been blowing dope for decades. Is there a sudden prevalence of cardiovascular events? The answer is likely no. Heart disease has led the curve since 1950. All that has changed, with decriminalization, is more likely the proclivity of patience to admit to dope use.
In other words, the same volume of individuals was likely having cardiovascular events 10 years ago. That prevalence has not increased. However, when listing their medical history, 10 years ago, the smart patients were not listing "illicit drug user" in their medical history. As "illicit drug user" was not listed, there was no statistical possibility then of aligning that cardiovascular event with Mary Jane.
The authors of this NBC article suggest, however, that a recent study is not an incidental finding. They note that this study result “add(s) to the growing body of evidence, connecting marijuana, use to cardiovascular” issues. There is more than one study, apparently, that ties blowing dope to cardiovascular disease.
The study examined "435,000 people between the ages of 1874.” It was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control. The results were published in a peer-reviewed publication: The Journal of the American Heart Association. This could be serious. Now that’s not to say that the study results are true or not. The fact is that articles have been retracted before. Time will tell.
In a broader sense, one can never base conclusions entirely upon the credibility of the messenger. Some portion of our analysis (most) must always be focused on the actual evidence. Paraphrasing, Deming (or others) "in God, we trust, all others bring data.” Data will come. There is money in researching Ganja.
Nonetheless, some will perhaps begin to question whether the uninformed and unrepentant marijuana marketers and advocates may have overstated their “harmless“ sales pitch when advocating for broader, simpler access to weed. The bad news is that Herb is here to stay. It has been decriminalized and is ubiquitous. There are illegal (federal law) distributors on seemingly every corner and your government has forbade federal law enforcement from enforcing the law that it refuses to change. It would be laughable if it were not so serious.
The challenge, now that Ganja is ubiquitous in our cities and towns, will be to mitigate the impact on society, through more ready and affordable access to medical care. Yes, we face a physician shortage.
See Supply and Demand (February 2024). Yes, markets are already rationing, delaying, and forestalling necessary care. Crisis is upon us, and smoking Grass will make it worse.
But, Marijuana is not alone in its societal prevalence, nor its potential to impact cardiovascular health. The similar risks attributed to tobacco, alcohol, and stress have been long recognized. There are risks associated with diet, lack of exercise, and more. There has been no sincere effort to criminalize stress, snack cakes, or booze. These are accepted components of our world despite their propensity for causing or contributing to death.
We could ban such things, in hopes of promoting public health and minimizing its cost. But that will not happen with sugar, alcohol, or cigarettes. The government will never ban these, they are too much fun to tax. There is no reason to expect that pot will be any different. Instead, there will be further studies, eventually warnings, and death. Those who wish to be high will be allowed to be, and society will pay the healthcare costs associated with it.
Harmless? That was a ridiculous assertion from its first iteration. Inhaling smoke is not healthy. Weed is not healthy. But, that "harmless" lie is little different than many that have been perpetrated on us over the years. The facts will continue to evolve and people will make their choices. This is, after all, a free country. Death is inevitable, but its velocity and cause are sometimes subjects of choice.
In the end, when it is you who needs a cardiologist appointment, you may wonder if the wait would be shorter if not for all the self-inflicted damage that is waiting in the line in front of you. As you wait, just remind yourself that alcohol, sugar, and dope are harmless.
