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| source : nbcnews.com |
I used to think that switching from smoking to edibles was the smarter, “healthier” way to enjoy cannabis. No combustion, no smoke in the lungs, just a chill brownie or gummy before bed. But then I stumbled on a new study that made me raise both eyebrows, apparently, edibles might not be so harmless for your heart after all.
Yep, even without the smoke, THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis) might still be doing things to your cardiovascular system you’d rather avoid.
So, What Did the Study Actually Say?
A team of researchers at UCSF (University of California, San Francisco) recently published a study in JAMA Cardiology that’s kind of a wake-up call for anyone regularly consuming cannabis, including edibles.
They looked at 55 adults, grouped as:
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Regular cannabis smokers
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Regular THC edible users
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Non-users
All users had to consume weed at least three times a week, either by smoking or edibles, but not both. That way, they could isolate the effects more clearly.
What they found? People who regularly used cannabis, in any form, had significantly weaker blood vessel function, compared to those who didn’t.
Okay, But How Do You Measure “Weaker” Blood Vessels?
Great question.
They used a pretty smart test: block blood flow in the arm temporarily (with a cuff, like a blood pressure test), then release it and measure how much the artery expands in response.
For healthy people, blood vessels should dilate easily, it’s a key indicator of vascular health. But among the cannabis users?
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Non-users: 10.4% dilation (healthy response)
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Smokers: 6.0% dilation
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Edible users: 4.6% dilation
Yikes.
These numbers are very similar to chronic tobacco smokers. That’s concerning, because this kind of reduced function is linked to long-term heart disease risks, heart attacks, strokes, and more.
Wait, Edibles Too?
That was the twist. Most people (my past self included) assume edibles = safe because there's no smoke. But the study showed even edible users had dampened blood vessel response, though via a different mechanism than smokers.
Here’s what the researchers found when they looked deeper:
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Blood from cannabis smokers reduced nitric oxide production in lab-grown blood vessel cells.
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Blood from edible users didn’t show that effect… yet their vascular function was still impaired.
So something else is going on with edibles, possibly how THC interacts with the body once metabolized, or how it accumulates over time.
A Few Caveats (Because Science Is Complicated)
Dr. Leila Mohammadi, one of the lead researchers, emphasized that the sample size was small—just 55 people. That means we can’t generalize everything, and it’s still an association, not a confirmed cause-effect relationship.
Also worth noting:
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They only looked at habitual users, so occasional users might not be affected the same way.
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The study didn’t track long-term outcomes like actual heart attacks, just vascular function as a warning sign.
Still, the signals are hard to ignore.
So, What Should We Take Away from This?
This isn’t an anti-weed rant. Cannabis has legitimate medical uses, and many people report improved sleep, pain relief, or anxiety reduction. But as accessibility increases, we also need to understand the risks better, especially as weed goes mainstream for people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond.
Here’s what I took from the research (and other studies I’ve seen pop up lately):
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Edibles aren’t necessarily “safer” than smoking when it comes to heart health.
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If you’ve got existing cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease, it’s worth thinking twice.
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Talk to your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you’re mixing weed with other meds.
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Like any substance: dose matters, frequency matters, and your body’s unique biology matters.
Final Thoughts
We’ve moved fast in legalizing cannabis, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But our science hasn’t kept up. And when it comes to something as vital as our hearts, we owe it to ourselves to stay informed and thoughtful.
So the next time someone offers you a weed gummy and says, “It’s fine, it’s not smoke,” remember: your arteries might disagree.