Long-term Pot Smoking Does Not Have Much Impact On Health

Years of heavy use of pot do not seem to have much impact on the health of an individual. These are the findings of a new study conducted by a team of researchers from Arizone State University.

According to the researchers, smoking marijuana for over a decade does not have a major impact on the physical health of an individual. The study results published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found only one negative health effect on the body of individuals who smoked pot for a long period of time.

During the study, the researchers analyzed the data for a group of 1,037 people from New Zealand. The data let researchers follow the lifestyle habits of the subject from their birth until age 38.

The research team specifically looked at marijuana consumption between the age range 18 and 38 and tried to figure out whether cannabis use has an impact on their physical health. The health was measured against certain parameters regularly throughout the study period with the help of self-reports and lab tests.

The team discovered that marijuana use over a long period of time did not severely impact the physical health of an individual, except for the teeth. At 38, people who used marijuana had the worse periodontal health, as compared to people who did not use marijuana.

Surprisingly, tobacco use was linked to a number of health effects, including worse lung function, reduced metabolic health and greater inflammation. However, the researchers are not sure whether cannabis health effects could become visible after the age of 38 years.

In fact, the team also discovered that cannabis use for longer period of time was linked to a lower body mass index (BMI), better HDL cholesterol and reduced waist circumference. However, the researchers could not conclude whether this is a major positive health effect as pot did not reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome.