Research into the long term use of cannabis has revealed the negative effects may be far lesser than previously thought.
Researchers led by Madeline H. Meier of Arizona State University studied the habits of 1,037 pot smoking New Zealanders from birth to middle age, reports the Washington Post.
After accounting for other factors – such as tobacco use and socioeconomic status – the study demonstrated there were no negative effects on anything but dental health.
The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, stated:
In general, our findings showed that cannabis use over 20 years was unrelated to health problems in early midlife.
Across several domains of health (periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, and metabolic health), clear evidence of an adverse association with cannabis use was apparent for only one domain, namely, periodontal health…
By comparison, tobacco use was associated with worse periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and glucose levels in early midlife, as well as health decline from ages 26 to 38 years.
So, unless you’re rolling with tobacco to the extent you are burning through multiple packs of bacci each week, the long term effects of ganj on physical health may be negligible – but always remember to brush and floss your teeth.
It’s worth remembering this is only one study, and it hasn’t accounted for the long term mental effects of certain strains, but on the whole this is good news for weed enthusiasts…
