What are the long terms effect of consuming marijuana everyday? Does it have any high BP (hypertension) link? -

There is some evidence from human studies that long-term marijuana use can have adverse effects, although it seems that the spectrum of these effects is narrower than previously thought and mainly centres around cognitive (intellectual) function. A paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) vol. 287 No. 9, March 6, 2002, pp. 1123-1131) found that long-term cannabis users performed less well than shorter-term users and controls (people who didn’t use cannabis) in tests of memory and attention. The long-term users averaged 23.9 years of use, compared with 10.2 years in the shorter-term users. You can find an abstract at the American Medical Association web site: , but access to the full text requires subscription to the journal. Note that the comments associated with the article (links to them are underneath the abstract) indicate that some other investigators do not agree with this conclusion. Another study published in a Canadian medical journal (CMAJ 2002 Apr 2;166(7):887-91 that: “Current marijuana use had a negative effect on global IQ score only in subjects who smoked 5 or more joints per week. A negative effect was not observed among subjects who had previously been heavy users but were no longer using the substance. We conclude that marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global intelligence.” This study compared IQ scores of individuals aged 9-12 years before they started using cannabis, with their scores at 17-20 years. Light users, former users and non-users showed a gain in IQ over the same period. One reason for the decreased IQ and memory in consistent heavy users could be the fact that long-term cannabis use has been found to decrease blood flow to the front areas of the brain (Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2001 Sep-Oct; vol 23 pp. 437-43 Frontal lobe dysfunction in long-term cannabis users by Lundqvist T, Jonsson S, Warkentin S. of the Division of Medical Neurochemistry, Lund University Hospital, 221 85, Lund, Sweden study published in Public Health and Nutrition, June 2001, vol. 4 pp. 781-786 (Dietary intake and nutritional status of US adult marijuana users: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. By Smit E, Crespo CJ. of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, SUNY School of Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. found that marijuana users have lower levels of carotenoids in the serum. The authors concluded this was associated with different dietary habits: “We found higher cigarette-smoking rates and higher consumption of sodas and alcohol, specifically beer, among marijuana users than among non-current marijuana users. Marijuana users also consumed more sodium, fewer fruits, and more pork, cheese, and salty snacks.” Carotenoids are important anti-oxidants which help to prevent cancer and other diseases. An increased risk of these diseases might be due not so much to marijuana use itself as to the lifestyle led by many who use it. Better attention to nutrition, in order to ensure a good intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly the red, yellow and orange ones, will help to boost antioxidant status (see below) A review of various studies came to the conclusion that: “Regular marijuana use can lead to extensive airway injury and alterations in the structure and function of alveolar macrophages, potentially predisposing to pulmonary infection and respiratory cancer.” Alveolar macrophages are cells in the lungs that help clear away debris and bacteria. (Current Opinions in Pulmonary Medicine, March 2001, vol 7 pp 43-61, Airway effects of marijuana, cocaine, and other inhaled illicit agents. by Tashkin DP of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095-1690 Again, to counteract these effects, a diet high in antioxidants would be helpful. Obviously, marijuana smoked as joints and mixed with tobacco could carry all the health risks associated with cigarette smoking. The use of marijuana alone might be implicated in cancer. However, one review concluded that: “While there is no doubt that marijuana smoke contains carcinogens, an increase in cancer among users has thus far been anecdotal. Because of the long latent period between cancer induction and initiation of cigarette smoking, the full story is yet to be told.” (International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, July 1998, vol. 1 pp 71-80, Health aspects of cannabis: revisited. by Hollister LE. of Harris County Psychiatric Center, University of Texas-Houston, Houston, TX In support of this statement, I only found one recent paper in Medline describing a case of cancer in one marijuana user. This in itself is not absolute proof. L E Hollister also concluded that: “Many older concerns about adverse effects on health (chromosomal damage, cannabinol psychosis , endocrine abnormalities, cardiac events, impaired immunity) no longer seem to elicit much interest. Continuing concerns about the adverse cognitive effects of chronic use indicate that these can be demonstrated by proper testing; some studies suggest that they may be long-lasting. Although cannabis does not produce a specific psychosis, the possibility exists that it may exacerbate schizophrenia in persons predisposed to that disorder.” i.e. the effects tend to be more on brain function than on other diseases, and it could worsen the status of people who have a tendency to schizophrenia. I have not found anything specific about diet in relation to marijuana use. However, a diet rich in antioxidants will tend to counteract the effect of many toxins and thus would probably be helpful against the toxic effects of marijuana. This is a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, with perhaps additional (although not extreme) intake of vitamins A, C and E. Red wine is also high in antioxidants :) and so is green tea.

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