In a new study published today in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research, Canadian researchers found that weed smokers visited emergency rooms or were treated 22% more often than non-cannabis users. The researchers say the findings contradict popular belief that cannabis is a “safer” drug and underscore the need for education and awareness about regular pot use. “Our study shows that the use of this substance is associated with serious adverse effects, in particular [emergency department] visits and hospitalization “, said to the Daily Beast Nikolas Vozoris, chief pulmonologist at the hospital St. Michael’s in Toronto and lead author of the study. “Cannabis use should be discouraged and reduced in the population to prevent serious adverse health effects on individuals and to protect our fragile healthcare systems from further stress.” The study authors compared health data from nearly 4,800 people who reported smoking weeds in the past 12 months with data from 10,000 people who did not report weed use over the same period. Although they did not find a strong association with pot use and hospital visits and respiratory-related deaths, they found that total emergency room visits were much more frequent among users. In fact, they found that one in 25 pot smokers would land in the emergency department within a year of using cannabis. The most common cause of a visit is physical injury, with 15 percent of users reporting an acute injury. 14 percent also said they went to the hospital because of respiratory problems as well. “I believe that the results of our study should sound the alarm bell in the minds of the public, health professionals and political leaders,” Vozaris said. “Cannabis use is on the rise around the world and in some places, such as Canada and some US states, where its use has been decriminalized, its use has received an indirect green light.” But it is important to remember: Correlation is not equal to causality. Just because potted smokers are in the hospital more often than non-smokers does not mean it is the weed that does it. It could be that those who smoke pot may just be the type of people who accidentally hurt themselves or some other reason altogether. However, Vozaris adds that some reasons could include the fact that cannabis use “causes depression which then leads to things like car accidents and falls or cannabis use that causes agitation or psychosis which then leads to things like physical conflict.” and I’m hurting myself. “ So if you really want to avoid the emergency room in the future, it is probably a good idea to limit the bud… at least a little.
