Overview

• A pooled analysis of 24 observational studies covering about 200 million people found cannabis users face twice the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease along with 29% higher odds of acute coronary syndrome and a 20% greater risk of stroke.
• Researchers observed these elevated heart and stroke risks even among young adults without prior cardiovascular conditions, suggesting effects independent of tobacco or existing health factors.
• In an accompanying editorial, experts from UCSF and the Public Health Institute argue for tobacco-style measures including mandatory product warnings, public education campaigns and protections against secondhand exposure.
• Investigators warn that average THC potency in legal cannabis products now runs five to ten times higher than in the 1970s, with concentrates reaching up to 99% purity and vaping cartridges exceeding 80% THC.
• Emerging data indicate that non-smoking forms such as edibles also impair vascular function, reinforcing concerns that all methods of cannabis consumption carry significant cardiovascular hazards.