A recently published peer-reviewed study generated headlines with the finding that cannabis users were 22% more likely to visit emergency rooms or be hospitalized for any cause than those who did not use marijuana. Another study found that more than 20% of individuals aged 18-34 years hospitalized for heart attacks also had cannabis use disorder. Still another report found that ER visits for cannabis-induced psychosis shot up 54% after California legalized the drug.
This research, while not proving causation, is just the latest in a growing body of evidence about the potential adverse effects of marijuana on health. At the same time, an increasing number of states have legalized marijuana, either in medicinal or recreational form — and polling indicates most Americans widely accept both forms of use.
