Pot/Heart Attack Link Overblown

Posting Date: 03/03/2000

I?d like to pose a challenge to a recent study that claims smoking marijuana increases by five times the risk of a heart attack in middle-aged men.

The actual statistics in this research are so small as to be nearly nonexistent, yet newspapers are blaring headlines about how marijuana is now linked to sudden heart attacks. When it comes down to analyzing the numbers, only 10 out of one million healthy men of age 50 risk such a cardiac event after smoking pot.

The danger zone is within an hour after lighting a joint and is twice as risky as sex or exercise for a sedentary person, researchers reported at an American Heart Association convention in San Diego.

Out of 3,882 people who survived heart attacks, only 124 reported smoking marijuana regularly and 46 say they puffed pot hours before the event, according to the researchers from Boston?s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Not only are the figures almost insignificant, there may be other factors at work for people who smoke marijuana. They may be heavier because they get the munchies and they?re probably not as fit. You don?t see a lot of pot smokers say, "Hey, let?s get up and go for a run." They?re basically couch potatoes.

Opponents of medical marijuana are pointing to this study as proof that the herb has a dangerous effect. My response is that taking any drug is dangerous and has side effects, but we weigh the benefits against the risks and research into medical marijuana is showing positive results.

I?m not trying to justify the use of marijuana, I?m just trying to point out what is scientifically accurate and what isn?t. This particular study needs to be challenged because it?s practically worthless.

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