Author Interviews, Cannabis, Heart Disease, Stroke / 17.11.2019
Stroke Risk May Be Higher Among Young Cannabis Users
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Rupak Desai, MBBS
Research Fellow, Division of Cardiology
Atlanta VA Medical Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Amidst legalization of therapeutic and recreational use of marijuana/cannabis in the United States, cerebrovascular effects of marijuana use remain largely unknown, especially among young adults. We examined the association between cannabis use (18–44 years) among young adults and stroke events. The study analyzed pooled data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2016–2017)—a nationally representative cross-sectional survey collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Overall, 13.6% of total 43,860 young adults (18-44 years) reported using cannabis recently (in the last month), with 63.3% of them being men. Compared with nonusers, marijuana users were often younger, non-Hispanic white or black, and with some college education. (more…)